5-7 When Jesus got to the tree, he looked up and said, “Zacchaeus, hurry down. Today is my day to be a guest in your home.” Zacchaeus scrambled out of the tree, hardly believing his good luck, delighted to take Jesus home with him. Everyone who saw the incident was indignant and grumped, “What business does he have getting cozy with this crook?”

Zacchaeus just stood there, a little stunned. He stammered apologetically, “Master, I give away half my income to the poor—and if I’m caught cheating, I pay four times the damages.”

9-10 Jesus said, “Today is salvation day in this home! Here he is: Zacchaeus, son of Abraham! For the Son of Man came to find and restore the lost.”

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All the people saw this and began to mutter, “He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.”(A)

But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord,(B) “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything,(C) I will pay back four times the amount.”(D)

Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham.(E)

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