Study Desk

He entered Jericho and was passing through.

There was a man named Zacchaeus who was a chief tax collector, and he was rich.

He was trying to see who Jesus was, but he was not able because of the crowd, since he was a short man.

So running ahead, he climbed up a sycamore tree to see Jesus, since He was about to pass that way.

When Jesus came to the place, He looked up and said to him, "Zacchaeus, hurry and come down because today I must stay at your house."

So he quickly came down and welcomed Him joyfully.

All who saw it began to complain,^(a) "He's gone to lodge with a sinful man!"

But Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, "Look, I'll give^[a] half of my possessions to the poor,^(b) Lord! And if I have extorted^(c) anything from anyone, I'll pay^[b] back four times as much!"^(d)

"Today salvation^(e) has come to this house," Jesus told him, "because he too is a son of Abraham. ^(f)

For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save the lost." ^[c](g)

As^(h) they were listening to this, He went on to tell a parable because He was near Jerusalem,⁽ⁱ⁾ and they thought the kingdom of God was going to appear right away.^(j)

Therefore He said: "A nobleman traveled to a far country to receive for himself authority to be king^[d] and then return.

He called 10 of his slaves, gave them 10 minas,^[e] and told them, ‘Engage in business until I come back.'

"But his subjects hated him and sent a delegation after him, saying, ‘We don't want this man to rule over us!'

"At his return, having received the authority to be king,^[f] he summoned those slaves he had given the money to, so he could find out how much they had made in business.

The first came forward and said, ‘Master, your mina has earned 10 more minas.'

"‘Well done, good^[g] slave!' he told him. ‘Because you have been faithful^(k) in a very small matter, have authority over 10 towns.'

"The second came and said, ‘Master, your mina has made five minas.'

"So he said to him, ‘You will be over five towns.'

"And another came and said, ‘Master, here is your mina. I have kept it hidden away in a cloth

because I was afraid of you, for you're a tough man: you collect what you didn't deposit and reap what you didn't sow.'^(l)

"He told him, ‘I will judge you by what you have said,^[h] you evil slave! If you knew I was a tough man, collecting what I didn't deposit and reaping what I didn't sow,

why didn't you put my money in the bank? And when I returned, I would have collected it with interest!'

So he said to those standing there, ‘Take the mina away from him and give it to the one who has 10 minas.'

"But they said to him, ‘Master, he has 10 minas.'

"‘I tell you, that to everyone who has, more will be given; and from the one who does not have, even what he does have will be taken away. ^(m)

But bring here these enemies of mine,⁽ⁿ⁾ who did not want me to rule over them, and slaughter^[i] them in my presence.'"

When^(o) He had said these things, He went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem.^(p)

As He approached Bethphage and Bethany, at the place called the Mount of Olives,^(q) He sent two of the disciples

and said, "Go into the village ahead of you. As you enter it, you will find a young donkey tied there, on which no one has ever sat. Untie it and bring it here.

If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?' say this: ‘The Lord needs it.'"

So those who were sent left and found it just as He had told them.^(r)

As they were untying the young donkey, its owners said to them, "Why are you untying the donkey?"

"The Lord needs it," they said.

Then^(s) they brought it to Jesus, and after throwing their robes on the donkey, they helped Jesus get on it.^(t)

As He was going along, they were spreading their robes on the road.^(u)

Now He came near the path down the Mount of Olives, and the whole crowd of the disciples began to praise God joyfully with a loud voice for all the miracles they had seen:

The King ^(v) who comes in the name of the Lord ^[j](w)[k] is the blessed One. Peace in heaven and glory^(x) in the highest heaven!^(y)

Some of the Pharisees from the crowd told Him, "Teacher, rebuke Your disciples."

He answered, "I tell you, if they were to keep silent, the stones would cry out!" ^(z)

As He approached and saw the city, He wept^(aa) over it,

saying, "If you knew^(ab) this day what would bring peace—but now it is hidden^(ac) from your eyes.

For the days will come on you^(ad) when your enemies will build an embankment against you, surround you, and hem you in on every side. ^(ae)

They will crush you and your children within you to the ground,^(af) and they will not leave one stone on another^(ag) in you, because you did not recognize the time of your visitation." ^(ah)

He^(ai) went into the temple complex and began to throw out those who were selling,^[l]

and He said, "It is written, My house will be a house of prayer, ^(aj) but you have made it a den of thieves !" ^(ak)[m]

Every day He was teaching^(al) in the temple complex. The chief priests, the scribes, and the leaders of the people were looking for a way to destroy^(am) Him,

but they could not find a way to do it, because all the people^(an) were captivated by what they heard.^[n]

One^(a) day^[a] as He was teaching^(b) the people in the temple complex and proclaiming the good news,^(c) the chief priests and the scribes, with the elders,^(d) came up

and said to Him: "Tell us, by what authority are You doing these things? Who is it who gave You this authority?"

He answered them, "I will also ask you a question. Tell Me,

was the baptism of John from heaven or from men?"

They discussed it among themselves: "If we say, ‘From heaven,' He will say, ‘Why didn't you believe him?'

But if we say, ‘From men,' all the people^(e) will stone us, because they are convinced that John was a prophet."^(f)

So they answered that they did not know its origin.^[b]

And Jesus said to them, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things."

Then^(g) He began to tell the people this parable: "A man planted a vineyard,^(h) leased it to tenant farmers, and went away for a long time.

At harvest time he sent a slave to the farmers so that they might give him some fruit from the vineyard. But the farmers beat him and sent him away empty-handed.

He sent yet another slave, but they beat that one too, treated him shamefully, and sent him away empty-handed.

And he sent yet a third, but they wounded this one too and threw him out.

"Then the owner of the vineyard said, ‘What should I do? I will send my beloved⁽ⁱ⁾ son. Perhaps^[c] they will respect him.'

"But when the tenant farmers saw him, they discussed it among themselves and said, ‘This is the heir. Let's kill him, so the inheritance will be ours!'^(j)

So they threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. "Therefore, what will the owner of the vineyard do to them?

He will come and destroy^(k) those farmers and give the vineyard to others." But when they heard this they said, "No—never!"^(l)

But He looked at them and said, "Then what is the meaning of this Scripture: ^[d](m) The stone that the builders rejected— this has become the cornerstone ? ^[e](n)[f]

Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces, and if it falls on anyone, it will grind him to powder!" ^(o)

Then the scribes and the chief priests^(p) looked for a way to get their hands on Him^(q) that very hour, because they knew He had told this parable against them, but they feared the people.^(r)

They^[g](s) watched closely^(t) and sent spies^(u) who pretended to be righteous,^[h] so they could catch Him in what He said,^[i](v) to hand Him^(w) over to the governor's^(x) rule and authority.

They questioned Him, "Teacher, we know that You speak and teach correctly,^(y) and You don't show partiality,^[j](z) but teach truthfully the way of God.^(aa)

Is it lawful^(ab) for us to pay taxes^(ac) to Caesar^(ad) or not?"

But detecting their craftiness, He said to them,^[k]

"Show Me a denarius. Whose image and inscription does it have?" "Caesar's," they said.

"Well then," He told them, "give back to Caesar^(ae) the things that are Caesar's and to God the things that are God's."

They were not able to catch Him in what He said^[l] in public,^[m] and being amazed at His answer, they became silent.^(af)

Some^(ag) of the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection,^(ah) came up and questioned Him:

"Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man's brother has a wife, and dies childless, his brother should take the wife and produce offspring for his brother. ^(ai)[n]

Now there were seven brothers. The first took a wife and died without children.

Also the second^[o]

and the third took her. In the same way, all seven died and left no children.

Finally, the woman died too.

In the resurrection, therefore, whose wife will the woman be? For all seven had married her."^[p]

Jesus told them, "The sons of this age^(aj) marry and are given in marriage. ^(ak)

But those who are counted worthy^(al) to take part in that age^(am) and in the resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage.

For they cannot die anymore,^(an) because they are like angels and are sons of God,^(ao) since they are sons of the resurrection.

Moses even indicated in the passage about the burning bush that the dead are raised, where he calls the Lord the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob. ^(ap)[q]

He is not God of the dead but of the living, because all are living to^[r] Him." ^(aq)

Some of the scribes answered, "Teacher, You have spoken well."

And they no longer dared to ask Him anything.

Then^(ar) He said to them, "How can they say that the Messiah is the Son of David? ^(as)

For David himself says in the Book of Psalms: ^(at) The Lord declared to my Lord, ‘Sit at My right hand

until I make Your enemies Your footstool.' ^(au)[s]

David calls Him ‘Lord'; how then can the Messiah be his Son?" ^(av)

While^(aw) all the people were listening, He said to His disciples,

"Beware^(ax) of the scribes, who want to go around in long robes and who love greetings in the marketplaces, the front seats in the synagogues, and the places of honor at banquets. ^(ay)

They devour widows' houses and say long prayers just for show. These will receive greater punishment." ^[t]