Lectionary Calendar
Saturday, October 18th, 2025
the Week of Proper 23 / Ordinary 28
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Read the Bible

George Lamsa Translation

Luke 19:3

And he wanted to see who Jesus was; but he could not because of the crowd, for Zacchaeus was small in his stature.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Hospitality;   Jericho;   Jesus, the Christ;   Jesus Continued;   Publicans;   Zacchaeus (Zaccheus);   Thompson Chain Reference - Divine;   Seeking Christ;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Jericho;   Zaccheus;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Jericho;   Luke, gospel of;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Hospitality;   Wealth;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Jericho;   Zacchaeus;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Bethany;   Jerusalem;   Zacchaeus;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Banquet;   Community of Goods;   Disciples;   Jericho;   Luke, Gospel of;   Marriage;   Restitution;   Zaccheus;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Zacchaeus;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Age (2);   Character;   Claims (of Christ);   Common Life;   Crowd;   Discourse;   Gentleness (2);   Ideal;   Man (2);   Mission;   Multitude;   Paradox;   Property (2);   Scourge, Scourging;   Social Life;   Sympathy;   Trade and Commerce;   Wealth (2);   Zacchaeus ;   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Zaccheus;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Jericho;   Zacch us;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Zacchae'us;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Stature;   Trespass;   Wealth;   Zacchaeus;  

Devotionals:

- Every Day Light - Devotion for November 14;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
He was trying to see who Jesus was, but he was not able because of the crowd, since he was a short man.
King James Version (1611)
And he sought to see Iesus who he was, and could not for the prease, because he was litle of stature.
King James Version
And he sought to see Jesus who he was; and could not for the press, because he was little of stature.
English Standard Version
And he was seeking to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was small in stature.
New American Standard Bible
Zaccheus was trying to see who Jesus was, and he was unable due to the crowd, because he was short in stature.
New Century Version
He wanted to see who Jesus was, but he was not able because he was too short to see above the crowd.
Amplified Bible
Zaccheus was trying to see who Jesus was, but he could not see because of the crowd, for he was short in stature.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Zaccheus was trying to see who Jesus was, and was unable because of the crowd, for he was small in stature.
Legacy Standard Bible
And Zaccheus was trying to see who Jesus was, and was unable because of the crowd, for he was small in stature.
Berean Standard Bible
He was trying to see who Jesus was, but could not see over the crowd, because he was small in stature.
Contemporary English Version
Jesus was heading his way, and Zacchaeus wanted to see what he was like. But Zacchaeus was a short man and could not see over the crowd. So he ran ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree.
Complete Jewish Bible
He was trying to see who Yeshua was; but, being short, he couldn't, because of the crowd.
Darby Translation
And he sought to see Jesus who he was: and he could not for the crowd, because he was little in stature.
Easy-to-Read Version
He wanted to see who Jesus was. There were many others who wanted to see Jesus too. Zacchaeus was too short to see above the people.
Geneva Bible (1587)
And he sought to see Iesus, who hee should be, and coulde not for the preasse, because he was of a lowe stature.
Good News Translation
He was trying to see who Jesus was, but he was a little man and could not see Jesus because of the crowd.
Lexham English Bible
And he was seeking to see Jesus—who he was—and he was not able to as a result of the crowd, because he was short in stature.
Literal Translation
And he was seeking to see Jesus, who He is. And he was not able, because of the crowd, and he was little in stature.
American Standard Version
And he sought to see Jesus who he was; and could not for the crowd, because he was little of stature.
Bible in Basic English
Made an attempt to get a view of Jesus, and was not able to do so, because of the people, for he was a small man.
Hebrew Names Version
He was trying to see who Yeshua was, and couldn't because of the crowd, because he was short.
International Standard Version
He was trying to see who Jesus was, but he couldn't do so because of the crowd. (He was short in height.)
Etheridge Translation
and he wished [fn] to see Jeshu, who he was, and could not for the crowd, because in his stature Zakai was small.
Murdock Translation
and he wished to see Jesus, who he was; and could not, on account of the crowd; because Zaccheus was small in stature.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And he sought [meanes] to see Iesus, what he shoulde be, & coulde not for the preasse, because he was litle of stature.
English Revised Version
And he sought to see Jesus who he was; and could not for the crowd, because he was little of stature.
World English Bible
He was trying to see who Jesus was, and couldn't because of the crowd, because he was short.
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
And he sought to see Jesus who he was, and could not for the croud, because he was little of stature.
Weymouth's New Testament
He was anxious to see what sort of man Jesus was; but he could not because of the crowd, for he was short in stature.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And he souyte to se Jhesu, who he was, and he myyte not, for the puple, for he was litil in stature.
Update Bible Version
And he sought to see Jesus who he was; and could not for the crowd, because he was little of stature.
Webster's Bible Translation
And he sought to see Jesus who he was; and could not for the crowd, because he was little of stature.
New English Translation
He was trying to get a look at Jesus, but being a short man he could not see over the crowd.
New King James Version
And he sought to see who Jesus was, but could not because of the crowd, for he was of short stature.
New Living Translation
He tried to get a look at Jesus, but he was too short to see over the crowd.
New Life Bible
Zaccheus wanted to see Jesus but he could not because so many people were there and he was a short man.
New Revised Standard
He was trying to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was short in stature.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And he was seeking to see Jesus, what sort of man he was, and could not for the multitude, because, in stature, he was, small.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And he sought to see Jesus who he was: and he could not for the crowd, because he was low of stature.
Revised Standard Version
And he sought to see who Jesus was, but could not, on account of the crowd, because he was small of stature.
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
And he made meanes to se Iesus what he shuld be: and coulde not for the preace because he was of a lowe stature.
Young's Literal Translation
and he was seeking to see Jesus, who he is, and was not able for the multitude, because in stature he was small,
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
and desyred to se Iesus what he shulde be, and he coulde not for the people, for he was lowe of stature.
Mace New Testament (1729)
was very desirous to see the person of Jesus, but could not for the crowd, he being of a low stature.
Simplified Cowboy Version
He wanted to see the man that everyone was talking about, but he couldn't see over the throng of people because he was a short fellow.

Contextual Overview

1 AND when Jesus entered and passed through Jericho, 2 There was a man named Zacchaeus, who was rich and chief of the publicans. 3 And he wanted to see who Jesus was; but he could not because of the crowd, for Zacchaeus was small in his stature. 4 So he ran ahead of Jesus, and climbed up into a fig tree without leaves, that he might see him, because he was to pass that way. 5 When Jesus came to that place, he saw him and said to him, Make haste, come down, O Zacchaeus, for today I must remain in your house. 6 And he hastened, and came down, and welcomed him with joy. 7 Now when they all saw it, they murmured, saying, He has entered to stay in the house of a sinner. 8 But Zacchaeus rose up and said to Jesus, Behold, my Lord, half of my wealth I will give to the poor; and I will pay fourfold to every man from whom I have extorted. 9 Jesus said to him, Today life has come to this house, because he also is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of man came to seek and save that which was lost.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

he sought: Luke 9:7-9, Luke 23:8, John 12:21

because: Luke 12:25

Reciprocal: Matthew 18:17 - a publican Mark 5:24 - and thronged Acts 24:24 - he sent

Cross-References

Genesis 19:6
And Lot went out at the door to them; and he shut the door after him.
Genesis 19:8
Behold now, I have two daughters who have, not known man; let me bring them out to you, and do to them whatever you please; only to these men do nothing; for they have come under the protection of my roof.
Genesis 19:28
And he looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah and toward all the region of the plain, and beheld, 1o, the smoke of the country went up like the smoke of a furnace.
Genesis 19:29
And it came to pass when God destroyed the cities of the plain that God remembered Abraham and sent Lot out of the midst of the devastated region, when he overthrew the cities wherein Lot dwelt.
Genesis 21:8
And the child grew and was weaned; and Abraham made a great feast on the day that Isaac was weaned.
Exodus 12:15
Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread; and from the first day you shall put away leaven out of your houses; for whosoever eats leavened bread from your houses from the first day until the seventh day, that person shall perish from Israel.
Exodus 12:39
And they baked on a griddle unleavened bread of the dough which they had brought forth out of the land of Egypt, for it was not leavened: because the Egyptians drove them out. and they could not make it into flat loaves, neither had they prepared for themselves any provisions for the journey.
Judges 6:19
So Gideon went in and prepared a kid and unleavened cakes of an ephah of flour; the meat he put in a basket, and he put the broth in a pot, and brought it out to him under the oak and presented it.
1 Samuel 28:24
Now the woman had a fatted calf in the house; and she made haste and killed it, and took flour and kneaded it and baked unleavened bread;
2 Kings 4:8
And it came to pass on the morrow, Elisha went and came to Shiloh, where was a wealthy woman; and she constrained him to eat food. So that whenever he passed by, he turned in there to eat food.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And he sought to see Jesus who he was,.... What sort of a person he was for complexion, stature, and age: having heard much of him, he was very desirous of indulging his curiosity with a sight of him; having, as yet, nothing else that induced him to desire to see him: his desire to see Jesus was not of the same kind with the kings and prophets, Matthew 13:16 but rather like that of Herod,

Luke 23:8

and could not for the press; the multitude of people that were flocking to meet Jesus, or who came before him, or were about him; for one part of the multitude went before him, and the other followed after him; so that he was in the crowd, and therefore could not easily be seen;

because he was little of stature. The Syriac and Persic versions read, "because Zacchaeus was little of stature", lest it should be thought that this is said of Jesus; for the reason why Zacchaeus could not see him for the crowd, was not because Christ was little of stature, and was hid among them, but because Zacchaeus was little of stature, and could not see over their heads.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Who he was - Rather “what sort of person,” he was, or how he appeared. He had that curiosity which is natural to people to see one of whom they have heard much. It would seem, also, that in this case mere “curiosity” led to his conversion and that of his family. Compare 1 Corinthians 14:23-25. God makes use of every principle - of curiosity, or sympathy, or affection, or hope, or fear - to lead people in the way of salvation, and to impress truth on the minds of sinners.

The press - The crowd; the multitude that surrounded Jesus. Earthly princes are often borne in splendid equipages, or even carried, as in Eastern nations, in palanquins on the shoulders of people. Jesus mingled with the multitude, not seeking distinctions of that sort, and perhaps, “in appearance,” not distinguished from thousands that followed him.

Little of stature - Short. Not a tall man.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Luke 19:3. And he sought to see Jesus who he was — So the mere principle of curiosity in him led to his conversion and salvation, and to that of his whole family, Luke 19:9.


 
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