Luke 19-22

New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition

Jesus and Zacchaeus

19 He entered Jericho and was passing through it.^{(A) 2} A man was there named Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was rich. ³ He was trying to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was short in stature. ⁴ So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree to see him, because he was going to pass that way.^{(B) 5} When Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for I must stay at your house today.” ⁶ So he hurried down and was happy to welcome him. ⁷ All who saw it began to grumble and said, “He has gone to be the guest of one who is a sinner.”^{(C) 8} Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, “Look, half of my possessions, Lord, I will give to the poor, and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I will pay back four times as much.”^{(D) 9} Then Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because he, too, is a son of Abraham.^{(E) 10} For the Son of Man came to seek out and to save the lost.”

The Parable of the Ten Pounds

¹¹ As they were listening to this, he went on to tell a parable, because he was near Jerusalem and because they supposed that the kingdom of God was to appear immediately.^{(F) 12} So he said, “A nobleman went to a distant region to receive royal power for himself and then return.^{(G) 13} He summoned ten of his slaves and gave them ten pounds and said to them, ‘Do business with these until I come back.’ ¹⁴ But the citizens of his country hated him and sent a delegation after him, saying, ‘We do not want this man to rule over us.’ ¹⁵ When he returned, having received royal power, he ordered these slaves to whom he had given the money to be summoned so that he might find out what they had gained by doing business. ¹⁶ The first came forward and said, ‘Lord, your pound has made ten more pounds.’ ¹⁷ He said to him, ‘Well done, good slave! Because you have been trustworthy in a very small thing, take charge of ten cities.’^{(H) 18} Then the second came, saying, ‘Lord, your pound has made five pounds.’ ¹⁹ He said to him, ‘And you, rule over five cities.’ ²⁰ Then the other came, saying, ‘Lord, here is your pound. I wrapped it up in a piece of cloth, ²¹ for I was afraid of you, because you are a harsh man; you take what you did not deposit and reap what you did not sow.’^{(I) 22} He said to him, ‘I will judge you by your own words, you wicked slave! You knew, did you, that I was a harsh man, taking what I did not deposit and reaping what I did not sow?^{(J) 23} Why, then, did you not put my money into the bank? Then when I returned, I could have collected it with interest.’ ²⁴ He said to the bystanders, ‘Take the pound from him and give it to the one who has ten pounds.’ ²⁵ (And they said to him, ‘Lord, he has ten pounds!’) ²⁶ ‘I tell you, to all those who have, more will be given, but from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away.^{(K) 27} But as for these enemies of mine who did not want me to rule over them—bring them here and slaughter them in my presence.’ ”

Jesus’s Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem

²⁸ After he had said this, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem.^(L)

²⁹ When he had come near Bethphage and Bethany, at the place called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of the disciples, ³⁰ saying, “Go into the village ahead of you, and as you enter it you will find tied there a colt that has never been ridden. Untie it and bring it here. ³¹ If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ just say this, ‘The Lord needs it.’ ” ³² So those who were sent departed and found it as he had told them.^{(M) 33} As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them, “Why are you untying the colt?” ³⁴ They said, “The Lord needs it.” ³⁵ Then they brought it to Jesus, and after throwing their cloaks on the colt, they set Jesus on it. ³⁶ As he rode along, people kept spreading their cloaks on the road.^{(N) 37} Now as he was approaching the path down from the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to praise God joyfully with a loud voice for all the deeds of power that they had seen, ³⁸ saying,

³⁹ Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, order your disciples to stop.”^{(P) 40} He answered, “I tell you, if these were silent, the stones would shout out.”^(Q)

Jesus Weeps over Jerusalem

⁴¹ As he came near and saw the city, he wept over it,^{(R) 42} saying, “If you, even you, had only recognized on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. ⁴³ Indeed, the days will come upon you when your enemies will set up ramparts around you and surround you and hem you in on every side.^{(S) 44} They will crush you to the ground, you and your children within you, and they will not leave within you one stone upon another, because you did not recognize the time of your visitation from God.”^[a](T)

Jesus Cleanses the Temple

⁴⁵ Then he entered the temple and began to drive out those who were selling things^[b] there, ⁴⁶ and he said, “It is written,

⁴⁷ Every day he was teaching in the temple. The chief priests, the scribes, and the leaders of the people kept looking for a way to kill him,^{(V) 48} but they did not find anything they could do, for all the people were spellbound by what they heard.

The Authority of Jesus Questioned

20 One day as he was teaching the people in the temple and proclaiming the good news, the chief priests and the scribes came with the elders^{(W) 2} and said to him, “Tell us, by what authority are you doing these things? Who is it who gave you this authority?”^{(X) 3} He answered them, “I will also ask you a question, and you tell me: ⁴ Did the baptism of John come from heaven, or was it of human origin?” ⁵ They discussed it with one another, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say, ‘Why did you not believe him?’ ⁶ But if we say, ‘Of human origin,’ all the people will stone us, for they are convinced that John was a prophet.”^{(Y) 7} So they answered that they did not know where it came from. ⁸ Then Jesus said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.”

The Parable of the Wicked Tenants

⁹ He began to tell the people this parable: “A man planted a vineyard and leased it to tenants and went away for a long time.^{(Z) 10} When the season came, he sent a slave to the tenants in order that they might give him his share of the produce of the vineyard, but the tenants beat him and sent him away empty-handed. ¹¹ Next he sent another slave; that one also they beat and insulted and sent away empty-handed. ¹² And he sent still a third; this one also they wounded and threw out. ¹³ Then the owner of the vineyard said, ‘What shall I do? I will send my beloved son; perhaps they will respect him.’ ¹⁴ But when the tenants saw him, they discussed it among themselves and said, ‘This is the heir; let us kill him so that the inheritance may be ours.’ ¹⁵ So they threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them? ¹⁶ He will come and destroy those tenants and give the vineyard to others.” When they heard this, they said, “Heaven forbid!”^{(AA) 17} But he looked at them and said, “What then does this text mean:

¹⁸ “Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces, and it will crush anyone on whom it falls.”^{(AC) 19} When the scribes and chief priests realized that he had told this parable against them, they wanted to lay hands on him at that very hour, but they feared the people.^(AD)

The Question about Paying Tribute

²⁰ So they watched him and sent spies who pretended to be honest, in order to trap him by what he said and then to hand him over to the jurisdiction and authority of the governor. ²¹ So they asked him, “Teacher, we know that you are right in what you say and teach, and you show deference to no one but teach the way of God in accordance with truth.^{(AE) 22} Is it lawful for us to pay tribute to Caesar or not?” ²³ But he perceived their craftiness and said to them, ²⁴ “Show me a denarius. Whose head and whose title does it bear?” They said, “Caesar’s.” ²⁵ He said to them, “Then give to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s and to God the things that are God’s.”^{(AF) 26} And they were not able in the presence of the people to trap him by what he said, and being amazed by his answer they became silent.

The Question about the Resurrection

²⁷ Some Sadducees, those who say there is no resurrection, came to him^{(AG) 28} and asked him a question: “Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies leaving a wife but no children, the man^[d] shall marry the widow and raise up children for his brother.^{(AH) 29} Now there were seven brothers; the first married a woman and died childless; ³⁰ then the second^{[e] 31} and the third married her, and so in the same way all seven died childless. ³² Finally the woman also died. ³³ In the resurrection, therefore, whose wife will the woman be? For the seven had married her.”

³⁴ Jesus said to them, “Those who belong to this age marry and are given in marriage, ³⁵ but those who are considered worthy of a place in that age and in the resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage. ³⁶ Indeed, they cannot die anymore, because they are like angels and are children of God, being children of the resurrection.^{(AI) 37} And the fact that the dead are raised Moses himself showed, in the story about the bush, where he speaks of the Lord as the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.^{(AJ) 38} Now he is God not of the dead but of the living, for to him all of them are alive.”^{(AK) 39} Then some of the scribes answered, “Teacher, you have spoken well.” ⁴⁰ For they no longer dared to ask him another question.^(AL)

The Question about David’s Son

⁴¹ Then he said to them, “How can they say that the Messiah^[f] is David’s son? ⁴² For David himself says in the book of Psalms,

⁴⁴ “David thus calls him Lord, so how can he be his son?”

Jesus Denounces the Scribes

⁴⁵ In the hearing of all the people he said to the disciples, ⁴⁶ “Beware of the scribes who like to walk around in long robes and who love respectful greetings in the marketplaces and the best seats in the synagogues and places of honor at banquets.^{(AN) 47} They devour widows’ houses and for the sake of appearance say long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation.”

The Widow’s Offering

21 He looked up and saw rich people putting their gifts into the treasury;^{(AO) 2} he also saw a poor widow put in two small copper coins.^{(AP) 3} He said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them, ⁴ for all of them have contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in all she had to live on.”

The Destruction of the Temple Foretold

⁵ When some were speaking about the temple, how it was adorned with beautiful stones and gifts dedicated to God, he said,^{(AQ) 6} “As for these things that you see, the days will come when not one stone will be left upon another; all will be thrown down.”^(AR)

Signs and Persecutions

⁷ They asked him, “Teacher, when will this be, and what will be the sign that this is about to take place?” ⁸ And he said, “Beware that you are not led astray, for many will come in my name and say, ‘I am he!’^[g] and, ‘The time is near!’^[h] Do not go after them.^(AS)

⁹ “When you hear of wars and insurrections, do not be terrified, for these things must take place first, but the end will not follow immediately.” ¹⁰ Then he said to them, “Nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom;^{(AT) 11} there will be great earthquakes and in various places famines and plagues, and there will be dreadful portents and great signs from heaven.

¹² “But before all this occurs, they will arrest you and persecute you; they will hand you over to synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors because of my name.^{(AU) 13} This will give you an opportunity to testify.^{(AV) 14} So make up your minds not to prepare your defense in advance,^{(AW) 15} for I will give you words^[i] and a wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to withstand or contradict.^{(AX) 16} You will be betrayed even by parents and siblings, by relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death.^{(AY) 17} You will be hated by all because of my name.^{(AZ) 18} But not a hair of your head will perish.^{(BA) 19} By your endurance you will gain your souls.^(BB)

The Destruction of Jerusalem Foretold

²⁰ “When you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation has come near.^{[j](BC) 21} Then those in Judea must flee to the mountains, and those inside the city must leave it, and those out in the country must not enter it,^{(BD) 22} for these are days of vengeance, as a fulfillment of all that is written.^{(BE) 23} Woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing infants in those days! For there will be great distress on the earth and wrath against this people; ²⁴ they will fall by the edge of the sword and be taken away as captives among all nations, and Jerusalem will be trampled on by the nations, until the times of the nations are fulfilled.^(BF)

The Coming of the Son of Man

²⁵ “There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars and on the earth distress among nations confused by the roaring of the sea and the waves.^{(BG) 26} People will faint from fear and foreboding of what is coming upon the world, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. ²⁷ Then they will see ‘the Son of Man coming in a cloud’ with power and great glory.^{(BH) 28} Now when these things begin to take place, stand up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”^[k](BI)

The Lesson of the Fig Tree

²⁹ Then he told them a parable: “Look at the fig tree and all the trees; ³⁰ as soon as they sprout leaves you can see for yourselves and know that summer is already near. ³¹ So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that the kingdom of God is near.^{(BJ) 32} Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all things have taken place. ³³ Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.^(BK)

Exhortation to Watch

³⁴ “Be on guard so that your hearts are not weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of this life and that day does not catch you unexpectedly,^{(BL) 35} like a trap. For it will come upon all who live on the face of the whole earth. ³⁶ Be alert at all times, praying that you may have the strength to escape all these things that will take place and to stand before the Son of Man.”^(BM)

³⁷ Every day he was teaching in the temple, and at night he would go out and spend the night on the Mount of Olives, as it was called.^{(BN) 38} And all the people would get up early in the morning to listen to him in the temple.

The Plot to Kill Jesus

22 Now the Festival of Unleavened Bread, which is called the Passover, was near.^{(BO) 2} The chief priests and the scribes were looking for a way to put Jesus^[l] to death, for they were afraid of the people.^(BP)

³ Then Satan entered into Judas called Iscariot, who was one of the twelve;^{(BQ) 4} he went away and conferred with the chief priests and officers of the temple police about how he might betray him to them. ⁵ They were greatly pleased and agreed to give him money.^{(BR) 6} So he consented and began to look for an opportunity to betray him to them when no crowd was present.

The Preparation of the Passover

⁷ Then came the day of Unleavened Bread, on which the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed.^{(BS) 8} So Jesus^[m] sent Peter and John, saying, “Go and prepare the Passover meal for us that we may eat it.”^{(BT) 9} They asked him, “Where do you want us to make preparations for it?” ¹⁰ “Listen,” he said to them, “when you have entered the city, a man carrying a jar of water will meet you; follow him into the house he enters ¹¹ and say to the owner of the house, ‘The teacher asks you, “Where is the guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?” ’ ¹² He will show you a large room upstairs, already furnished. Make preparations for us there.” ¹³ So they went and found everything as he had told them, and they prepared the Passover meal.

The Institution of the Lord’s Supper

¹⁴ When the hour came, he took his place at the table, and the apostles with him. ¹⁵ He said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer, ¹⁶ for I tell you, I will not eat it^[n] until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.”^{(BU) 17} Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks he said, “Take this and divide it among yourselves, ¹⁸ for I tell you that from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.” ¹⁹ Then he took a loaf of bread, and when he had given thanks he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” ²⁰ And he did the same with the cup after supper, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.^{[o] 21} But see, the one who betrays me is with me, and his hand is on the table.^{(BV) 22} For the Son of Man is going as it has been determined, but woe to that one by whom he is betrayed!”^{(BW) 23} Then they began to ask one another which one of them it could be who would do this.

The Dispute about Greatness

²⁴ A dispute also arose among them as to which one of them was to be regarded as the greatest.^{(BX) 25} But he said to them, “The kings of the gentiles lord it over them, and those in authority over them are called benefactors.^{(BY) 26} But not so with you; rather, the greatest among you must become like the youngest and the leader like one who serves.^{(BZ) 27} For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one at the table? But I am among you as one who serves.^(CA)

²⁸ “You are those who have stood by me in my trials,^{(CB) 29} and I confer on you, just as my Father has conferred on me, a kingdom,^{(CC) 30} so that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and you will sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.^(CD)

Jesus Predicts Peter’s Denial

³¹ “Simon, Simon, listen! Satan has demanded^[p] to sift all of you like wheat,^{(CE) 32} but I have prayed for you that your own faith may not fail, and you, when once you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”^{(CF) 33} And he said to him, “Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death!” ³⁴ Jesus^[q] said, “I tell you, Peter, the cock will not crow this day until you have denied three times that you know me.”

Purse, Bag, and Sword

³⁵ He said to them, “When I sent you out without a purse, bag, or sandals, did you lack anything?” They said, “No, not a thing.”^{(CG) 36} He said to them, “But now, the one who has a purse must take it, and likewise a bag. And the one who has no sword must sell his cloak and buy one. ³⁷ For I tell you, this scripture must be fulfilled in me, ‘And he was counted among the lawless,’ and indeed what is written about me is being fulfilled.”^{(CH) 38} They said, “Lord, look, here are two swords.” He replied, “It is enough.”

Jesus Prays on the Mount of Olives

³⁹ He came out and went, as was his custom, to the Mount of Olives, and the disciples followed him.^{(CI) 40} When he reached the place, he said to them, “Pray that you may not come into the time of trial.”^{[r](CJ) 41} Then he withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, knelt down, and prayed, ⁴² “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me, yet not my will but yours be done.”^(CK) [[⁴³ Then an angel from heaven appeared to him and gave him strength.^{(CL) 44} In his anguish he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down on the ground.]]^{[s](CM) 45} When he got up from prayer, he came to the disciples and found them sleeping because of grief, ⁴⁶ and he said to them, “Why are you sleeping? Get up and pray that you may not come into the time of trial.”^[t](CN)

The Betrayal and Arrest of Jesus

⁴⁷ While he was still speaking, suddenly a crowd came, and the one called Judas, one of the twelve, was leading them. He approached Jesus to kiss him, ⁴⁸ but Jesus said to him, “Judas, is it with a kiss that you are betraying the Son of Man?” ⁴⁹ When those who were around him saw what was coming, they asked, “Lord, should we strike with the sword?”^{(CO) 50} Then one of them struck the slave of the high priest and cut off his right ear. ⁵¹ But Jesus said, “No more of this!” And he touched his ear and healed him. ⁵² Then Jesus said to the chief priests, the officers of the temple police, and the elders who had come for him, “Have you come out with swords and clubs as though I were a rebel?^{(CP) 53} When I was with you day after day in the temple, you did not lay hands on me. But this is your hour and the power of darkness!”^(CQ)

Peter Denies Jesus

⁵⁴ Then they seized him and led him away, bringing him into the high priest’s house. But Peter was following at a distance.^{(CR) 55} When they had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and sat down together, Peter sat among them. ⁵⁶ Then a female servant, seeing him in the firelight, stared at him and said, “This man also was with him.” ⁵⁷ But he denied it, saying, “Woman, I do not know him.” ⁵⁸ A little later someone else, on seeing him, said, “You also are one of them.” But Peter said, “Man, I am not!” ⁵⁹ Then about an hour later still another kept insisting, “Surely this man also was with him, for he is a Galilean.” ⁶⁰ But Peter said, “Man, I do not know what you are talking about!” At that moment, while he was still speaking, the cock crowed. ⁶¹ The Lord turned and looked at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said to him, “Before the cock crows today, you will deny me three times.”^{(CS) 62} And he went out and wept bitterly.

The Mocking and Beating of Jesus

⁶³ Now the men who were holding Jesus^[u] began to mock him and beat him;^{(CT) 64} they also blindfolded him and kept asking him, “Prophesy! Who is it who struck you?” ⁶⁵ They kept heaping many other insults on him.

Jesus before the Council

⁶⁶ When day came, the assembly of the elders of the people, both chief priests and scribes, gathered together, and they brought him to their council.^{(CU) 67} They said, “If you are the Messiah,^[v] tell us.” He replied, “If I tell you, you will not believe,^{(CV) 68} and if I question you, you will not answer.^{[w] 69} But from now on the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the power of God.” ⁷⁰ All of them asked, “Are you, then, the Son of God?” He said to them, “You say that I am.”^{(CW) 71} Then they said, “What further testimony do we need? We have heard it ourselves from his own lips!”