Luke 19:4-12

⁴So he ran ahead, and climbed up a sycamore tree to see Jesus as he passed by.

⁵When Jesus got there, he looked up and said, “Zacchaeus, come down quickly! I need to stay at your house today.”

⁶Zacchaeus climbed down quickly and was so happy to welcome Jesus to his home.

⁷When the people saw this they all complained, “He's gone to stay with such a sinner!”

⁸But Zacchaeus stood up and said before the Lord, “Look, I'm giving half of everything I own to the poor, and if I've cheated anybody, I'll pay them back four times as much!”

⁹In response Jesus said, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man has shown he is a son of Abraham too.

¹⁰For the Son of man came to search for and save those who are lost.”

¹¹While they were still paying attention, Jesus told them a story for they were close to Jerusalem and the people thought that God's kingdom was going to become a reality right away.

¹²“Once there was a nobleman who left home to go to a distant country to be crowned king there, and then to return.