Read the Bible

¹ And he entered and passed through Jericho. And behold a man named Zaccheus, who was the chief of the publicans.² Now this was a rich man.³ And he sought to see Jesus who he was, and could not for the croud, because he was little of stature.⁴ And running before, he climbed into a sycamore tree, to see him, for he was to pass by that way.⁵ And Jesus, when he came to the place, looking up saw him, and said to him, Zaccheus, make haste and come down; for to day I must abide at thy house.⁶ And he made haste and came down, and received him joyfully.⁷ And seeing it, they all murmured, saying, He is gone to be guest with a sinner.⁸ And Zaccheus stood and said to the Lord, Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor, and if I have taken any thing from any man wrongfully, I restore him fourfold.⁹ And Jesus said to him, To day is salvation come to this house; forasmuch as he also is a son of Abraham.¹⁰ For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.

¹¹ And as they heard these things, he added and spake a parable, because he was nigh Jerusalem, and because they thought the kingdom of God would immediately appear.¹² He said therefore, A certain nobleman went into a far country, to receive for himself a kingdom and to return.¹³ And having called ten of his servants, he gave them ten pounds, and said unto them, Trade till I come.¹⁴ But his citizens hated him, and sent an embassy after him, saying, We will not have this man to reign over us.¹⁵ And when he was returned, having received the kingdom, he commanded these servants to be called to him, to whom he had given the money, to know what each had gained by trading.¹⁶ Then came the first, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained ten pounds.¹⁷ And he said to him, Well done, good servant; because thou hast been faithful in a very little, be thou governor over ten cities.¹⁸ And the second came, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained five pounds.¹⁹ And he said to him likewise, Be thou also over five cities.²⁰ And another came saying, Lord, behold thy pound, which I have kept laid up in a napkin.²¹ For I feared thee, because thou art an austere man: thou takest up what thou layest not down, and reapest what thou didst not sow.²² And he saith to him, Out of thy own mouth will I judge thee, thou wicked servant. Thou knewest that I am an austere man, taking up what I laid not down, and reaping what I did not sow.²³ Wherefore then gavest thou not my money into the bank, that at my coming I might have received it with interest?²⁴ And he said to them that stood by, Take the pound from him, and give it to him that hath ten pounds.²⁵ (And they said to him, Lord, he hath ten pounds!)²⁶ For I say unto you, To every one that hath shall be given: but from him that hath not, even what he hath shall be taken away from him.²⁷ Moreover those my enemies, who would not that I should reign over them, bring hither and slay before me.

²⁸ And having said these things. he went before, going up to Jerusalem.²⁹ And as he drew nigh to Bethpage and Bethany, at the mount called the mount of Olives,³⁰ he sent two of his disciples, saying, Go ye into the village over against you, in which entering, ye shall find a colt tied, whereon never man yet sat; loose him and bring him hither.³¹ And if any man ask you, Why do ye loose him, thus shall ye say to him, The Lord hath need of him.³² And they that were sent went, and found even as he had said to them.³³ And as they were loosing the colt, the owners thereof said to them, Why loose ye the colt?³⁴ And they said, The Lord hath need of him.³⁵ And they brought him to Jesus, and they cast their garments on the colt and set Jesus thereon.³⁶ And as he went, they spread their clothes in the way.³⁷ And when he was now come nigh, at the descent of the mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to praise God with a loud voice, for all the mighty works that they had seen,³⁸ Saying, Blessed be the king that cometh in the name of the Lord: Peace in heaven, and glory in the highest.³⁹ And some of the Pharisees from among the multitude said to him, Master, rebuke thy disciples.⁴⁰ And he answering said to them, I tell you, that if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out.

⁴¹ And as he drew near, he beheld the city, and wept over it,⁴² saying, O that thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day the things that are for thy peace. But now they are hid from thine eyes.⁴³ For the days shall come upon thee, that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and compass thee round, and press thee on every side,⁴⁴ And shall dash thee against the ground, and thy children, that are in thee; and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another: because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation.⁴⁵ And going into the temple, he drove out them that sold and them that bought therein.⁴⁶ Saying to them, It is written, My house is the house of prayer, but ye have made it a den of thieves.⁴⁷ And he taught daily in the temple. But the chief priests and the scribes and the chief of the people, sought to destroy him, ⁴⁸ And found not what they might do; for all the people hung upon him to hear him.