2 Ten days before the feast the Lord and his disciples left the Ephriam hills and, by the Jordan way, went down to Jericho.
3 And as they entered Jericho a wealthy publican came out to see the Lord; but he was small in stature and the throng was great and he could see him not.
4 A tree, a sycamore, stood by the way and he climbed up the tree and found a seat among its boughs.
5 When Jesus came, he saw the man and said, O Zaccheus, make haste, come down; I would abide with you today.
6 And Zaccheus came down and joyfully received the Lord; but many of the stricter sect called out and said,
7 For shame! he goes to lodge with Zaccheus, the sinner and the publican.
8 But Jesus did not care for what they said; he went his way with Zaccheus, who was a man of faith, and as they talked together Zaccheus said,
9 Lord, I have ever tried to do the right; I give unto the poor half of my goods, and if by any means I wrong a man, I right the wrong by paying him four fold.
10 And Jesus said to him, Your life and faith are known to God, and lo, the benedictions of the Lord of hosts abide with you and all your house.
11 Then Jesus spoke a parable to all; he said, A vassal of an emperor was made a king, and he went to the foreign land to claim his rights and take the kingdom to himself.