August 16th, 2025

The season of Pentecost continues on, and the name for this Sunday is the “Tenth Sunday after Pentecost.” And the Gospel Reading for this week continues on from the text that was last Sunday’s reading, but a small jump is made. The text for this Sunday is Luke 12:49-53, and there is the option this Sunday as well to include verses 54 to 56. The context remains the same as in the previous chapters, with Jesus on his way to Jerusalem. He is getting MUCH closer. And if you hear the words of this Gospel Reading, you will be able to tell that the tension is heightening.

The current writings of this website are also going through the Gospel according to Luke, from beginning to end, not skipping any part. And we are currently looking at what is typically called chapter nineteen. In this text Jesus is getting EXTREMELY close to Jerusalem.

If this is the first time dealing with the writings of this website, it will be helpful to know that the text below has been translated in an extremely literal way. Having another bible translation or study bible nearby would in all likelihood be helpful.

The text below is given in the order in which it appears in the language of the New Testament, and generally the words closer to the beginning of the sentence are the more important ones. The hyphens are designed to help the reader see how many English words have been given to explain one Greek word. It should also be said that some of the English words chosen have been deliberately chosen to show how close they are to the Greek language. You probably already knew that there are countless ways to translate various words. And since the writer of this biblical text was a doctor, and since doctors tend to have a great vocabulary, some of these Greek words are extremely rare. Whether rare or not, whether ancient or not, words are important, and this is especially when it comes to the words of the Lord. And we will see that title coming up more than once within the following text.

Here is a translation into English of Luke 19:1-28:

And  having-come-into,  he-was-coming-through  the  Jericho.  And  behold,  a-man  with-name  being-called  Zacchaeus,  and  he,  he-was  a  arch-tax-collector,  and  he,  rich;  and  he-was-seeking  to-see  the  Jesus,  who  he-was,  and  not  he-was-able   from  the  crowd,  because  in-the  stature,  a-micron  he-was.  And  having-run-forward  into  the  front,  he-went-up  upon  a-sycamore-tree,  in-order-that  he-might-see  him,  because  that,  he-was-about  to-come-through.

And  as  he-came  upon  the  place,  having-looked-up,  the  Jesus,  he-said  toward  him,  “Zacchaeus,  having-hurried,  come-down;  for  today  in  the  house  of-you,  it-is-necessary  me  to-remain.”  And  having-hurried,  he-came-down,  and  he-welcomed  him,  rejoicing. 

And  having-seen,  all,  they-were-murmuring,  saying,  “Along-with  a-sinful  man  he-came-into,  to-lodge.”

Now  having-stood,  Zacchaeus,  he-said  toward  the  Lord,  “Behold,  the  half  of-me  of-the  possessions,  Lord,  to-the  poor  I-am-giving,  and  if  anyone,  anything  I-extorted,  I-give-back  tetra-fold.”

Now  he-said  toward  him,  the  Jesus,  “Today  salvation  to-the  house,  this,  it-happened;  because  also  he,  a-son  of-Abram  he-is.  For  he-came,  the  Son  of-the  Man,  to-seek  and  to-save  the-thing  having-been-lost.”

Now  hearing,  they,  these-things,  having-added,  he-said  a-parable,  because  the  near  to-be  Jerusalem,  he;  and  to-think  they,  that  at-once  it-was-about,  the  kingdom  of-the  God,  to-show-up.  Therefore  he-said,  “A-man,  a-certain-one,  well-born,  he-went  into  country,  a-far-one,  to-receive  for-himself  a-kingdom  and  to-return.  Now  having-called  ten  slaves  of-himself,  he-gave  to-them  ten  minas,  and  he-said  toward  them,  ‘Be-pragmatic  in  which  I-am-coming.’  Now  the  political-ones  of-him,  they-hated  him,  and  they-sent-out  a-seniority  after  him  saying,  ‘Not  do-we-want  this-man  to-rule  over  us.’  And  it-happened  in  the  coming-back,  he,  having-received  the  kingdom,  and  he-said  to-be-called  to-him  the  slaves,  these,  to-whom  he-had-given  the  silver,  in-order-that  he-might-know  what  they-gained-through-pragmatism.  Now  he-happened-along,  the  first,  saying,  ‘Lord,  the  mina  of-you,  ten,  it-worked-in-addition  minas.’  And  he-said  to-him,  ‘Great-indeed,  good  slave,  because  in  a-least-thing  faithful  you-became;  be  authority,  having  over  ten  cities.’  And  he-came,  the  second-one,  saying,  ‘The  mina  of-you,  Lord,  it-made  five  minas.’  Now  he-said  also  to-this-one,  ‘And  you,  over,  happen,  five  cities.’  And  the  hetero,  he-came,  saying,  ‘Lord,  behold,  the  mina  of-you,  which  I-had  being-put-away  in  a-handkerchief.  For  I-had-a-phobia-of  you,  because  a-man,  austere,  you-are;  you-take  what  not  you-did-place,  and  you-reap  what  not  you-did-sow.  HE-SAYS  to-him,  ‘Out-of  the  mouth  of-you  I-will-judge  you,  evil  slave.  You-knew  that  I, a-man,  austere,  I-am,  taking  what  not  I-placed,  and  reaping  what  not  I-sowed?  And  on-account-of  what  not  you-did-give  of-me  the  silver  upon  a-banker-table?  And-I  having-come  with  interest  then,  it  I-would-have-collected.’  And  to-the-ones  standing-by  he-said,  ‘Take  from  him  the  mina,  and  give  to-the-one,  the  ten  minas  having.’  And  they-said  to-him,  ‘Lord,  he-has  ten  minas.’  ‘I-am-saying  to-you  that  to-everyone,  the-one  having,  it-will-be-given;  now  from  the  not  having,  even  what  he-has,  it-will-be-taken.  Nevertheless,  the  enemies  of-me,  these,  the-ones  not  having-wanted  me  to-reign  over  them,  lead-them  here  and  slaughter  them  in-front-of  me.’”  And  having-said  these-things,  he-was-going  in-front-of-them,  going-up  into  Jerusalem.
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Again, if this is the first time with these writings, it should be noted that the verb in capital letters in the above translation is an historical present. That is where a past tense verb is expected, but a present tense is given. Much could be said about such a thing. But it should be noted that in this Gospel account these verbs have a great amount of variety in terms of who is speaking them. But we are getting close to the end. And at this point it is the One in charge who SAYS some important words. And that would make good sense that the Lord of heaven and earth, when things are said by him in the past, they are also extremely important in the present. And it is certainly wonderful that a similar thing happens with the following words, “I forgive you all your sins….”