Zacchaeus Climbs a Tree
Luke 19
These stories haven't been translated into this language yet — they're shown in English for now.
Jesus came to the town of Jericho. In that town lived a man named Zacchaeus. He was a chief tax collector, and he was rich. Zacchaeus wanted very much to see Jesus. But there was a big crowd, and Zacchaeus was short. He could not see over all the people.
So Zacchaeus ran ahead. He climbed up into a sycomore tree, because Jesus was going to pass that way. Now he could see!
When Jesus came to the tree, he looked up. He saw Zacchaeus and said, "Zacchaeus, hurry and come down. Today I must stay at your house." Zacchaeus scrambled down as fast as he could and welcomed Jesus with joy.
But the people grumbled. "Jesus has gone to be the guest of a sinner," they said.
Then Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, "Look, Lord! I will give half of everything I have to the poor. And if I have taken money from anyone unfairly, I will pay it back four times over."
Jesus said, "Today salvation has come to this house. For the Son of man came to seek and to save what was lost."
Read the real story in the Bible
In this story
Questions to talk about
Why couldn't Zacchaeus see Jesus at first?
Show the answer
He was short, and the crowd was too big.
What did Zacchaeus climb to see Jesus?
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A sycomore tree.
What did Jesus say to Zacchaeus in the tree?
Show the answer
"Hurry and come down — today I must stay at your house."
What did Zacchaeus promise to do?
Show the answer
Give half of what he had to the poor and pay back four times what he took unfairly.
For parents and teachers
How do you think Zacchaeus felt when Jesus called him by name?