Luke 19:2

Etheridge Translation

there was a certain man whose name was Zakai; he was rich and chief of the publicans: [fn]

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
There was a man named Zacchaeus who was a chief tax collector, and he was rich.

King James Version (1611)
And behold, there was a man named Zacheus, which was the cheefe among the Publicanes, and he was rich.

King James Version
And, behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus, which was the chief among the publicans, and he was rich.

English Standard Version
And behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus. He was a chief tax collector and was rich.

New American Standard Bible
And there was a man called by the name of Zaccheus; he was a chief tax collector and he was rich.

New Century Version
A man was there named Zacchaeus, who was a very important tax collector, and he was wealthy.

Amplified Bible
And there was a man called Zaccheus; he was a chief tax collector [a superintendent to whom others reported], and he was rich.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
And there was a man called by the name of Zaccheus; he was a chief tax collector and he was rich.

Legacy Standard Bible
And behold, there was a man called by the name of Zaccheus; he was a chief tax collector and he was rich.

Berean Standard Bible
And there was a man named Zacchaeus, a chief tax collector, who was very wealthy.

Contemporary English Version
where a man named Zacchaeus lived. He was in charge of collecting taxes and was very rich.

Complete Jewish Bible
when a man named Zakkai appeared who was a chief tax-collector and a wealthy man.

Darby Translation
And behold, [there was] a man by name called Zacchaeus, and he was chief tax-gatherer, and he was rich.

Easy-to-Read Version
In Jericho there was a man named Zacchaeus. He was a wealthy, very important tax collector.

Geneva Bible (1587)
Beholde, there was a man named Zaccheus, which was the chiefe receiuer of the tribute, and he was riche.

George Lamsa Translation
There was a man named Zacchaeus, who was rich and chief of the publicans.

Good News Translation
There was a chief tax collector there named Zacchaeus, who was rich.

Lexham English Bible
And there was a man named Zacchaeus, and he was a chief tax collector, and he was rich.

Literal Translation
And, behold, a man called by name Zaccheus; and he was a chief tax collector, and he was rich.

American Standard Version
And behold, a man called by name Zacchaeus; and he was a chief publican, and he was rich.

Bible in Basic English
A man, named Zacchaeus, who was the chief tax-farmer, and a man of wealth,

Hebrew Names Version
There was a man named Zakkai. He was a chief tax collector, and he was rich.

International Standard Version
a man named Zacchaeus appeared. He was a leading tax collector, and a rich one at that!

Murdock Translation
[there was] a certain man, whose name was Zaccheus, who was rich, and chief of the publicans [fn] {there was}

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And beholde, there was a man named Zacheus, which was the chiefe among the publicanes, and was riche [also]:

English Revised Version
And behold, a man called by name Zacchaeus; and he was a chief publican, and he was rich.

World English Bible
There was a man named Zacchaeus. He was a chief tax collector, and he was rich.

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
Now this was a rich man.

Weymouth's New Testament
There was a man there called Zacchaeus, who was the local surveyor of taxes, and was wealthy.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And lo! a man, Sache bi name, and this was a prince of pupplicans, and he was riche.

Update Bible Version
And look, a man called by name Zacchaeus; and he was a chief publican, and he was rich.

Webster's Bible Translation
And behold, [there was] a man named Zaccheus, who was the chief among the publicans, and he was rich.

New English Translation
Now a man named Zacchaeus was there; he was a chief tax collector and was rich.

New King James Version
Now behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus who was a chief tax collector, and he was rich.

New Living Translation
There was a man there named Zacchaeus. He was the chief tax collector in the region, and he had become very rich.

New Life Bible
There was a rich man named Zaccheus. He was a leader of those who gathered taxes.

New Revised Standard
A man was there named Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was rich.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
and lo! a man, by name called Zacchaeus, and, he, was a chief tax-collector, and hewas rich.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And behold, there was a man named Zacheus, who was the chief of the publicans: and he was rich.

Revised Standard Version
And there was a man named Zacchae'us; he was a chief tax collector, and rich.

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
And beholde ther was a ma named Zacheus which was a ruler amoge the Publicans and was riche also.

Young's Literal Translation
and lo, a man, by name called Zaccheus, and he was a chief tax-gatherer, and he was rich,

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
& beholde, there was a man named Zacheus, which was a ruler of the publicans, and was riche,

Mace New Testament (1729)
one Zaccheus, a rich man, and collector-general of the customs,

Simplified Cowboy Version
There was a fellow who lived there named Zacc. He was the head brand inspector for the area and had become rich off of the fees he charged.

Contextual Overview

¹ And as Jeshu entered and passed through Jirichu, ² there was a certain man whose name was Zakai; he was rich and chief of the publicans: [fn] ³ and he wished [fn] to see Jeshu, who he was, and could not for the crowd, because in his stature Zakai was small. ⁴ And he ran before Jeshu, and ascended a wild fig-tree [fn] to see him, because so he was about to pass. ⁵ And when Jeshu came to that place, he saw him, and said to him, Be in haste, descend, Zakai; for to-day I must be at thy house. ⁶ And he was in haste, and descended, and received him rejoicing. ⁷ But when they all saw (this), they murmured, and said that with a man a sinner he hath gone in to abide. ⁸ But Zakai stood, and said to Jeshu, Behold, my Lord, the dividing of my wealth give I to the poor; and to every man, whatever I have wrongfully taken, fourfold I restore. ⁹ Jeshu saith to him, To-day is there salvation to this house, because this (man) also (is a) son of Abraham. ¹⁰ For the Son of man came to save that which was lost.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

the chief: סקיפוכשםחע [Strong's G754], rather, "a chief publican," or tax gatherer. Probably Zacchaeus, who appears from his name to have been a Jew, farmed the revenue of the district around Jericho, having others under him, who either rented of him smaller portions, or were employed as servants to collect the taxes.

and he: Luke 18:24-27, 2 Chronicles 17:5, 2 Chronicles 17:6

Reciprocal: Matthew 5:46 - publicans Matthew 9:9 - named Matthew 18:17 - a publican John 12:21 - we would 1 Timothy 6:17 - rich

Cross-References

Acts 16:15
And she was baptized, she and the sons of her house. And she besought us and said, If it be that you truly think that I have believed in our Lord, come, remain in my house; and she constrained us much.

Hebrews 13:2
and kindness to strangers forget not; for in this some who were made worthy, while not perceiving [fn] it, have received angels.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And behold [there was] a man named Zacchaeus,.... Or

זכאי, "Zaccai", a name in use among the Jews; see Ezra 2:9. We often read of רבי זכאי, "Rabbi Zaccai", or "Zacchaeus" a, and very frequently of R. Jochanan ben Zaccai, a famous doctor that lived in the times of Christ, and even till after the destruction of Jerusalem. The Jews also make mention of one R. Zaccai, a prince of the seed of David the king, in later times b. So that this man, as appears by his name, was a Jew, though some have thought him to have been a Gentile c, perhaps because of his employment: but it does not follow from thence; for there were Jews that were publicans, as Levi, or Matthew, afterwards one of Christ's disciples; and also in Jewish writings, mention is made, as of מוכס נכרי, "a stranger", or "a Gentile publican" d, so likewise of מוכס ישראל, "an Israelite publican" e; and such an one was Zacchaeus, as follows:

which was chief among the publicans; the head of them in that place, to whom the rest brought the tax, tribute, or toll; he was the receiver general of the tax: at the toll booths, at bridges, for people's going over the water, there was מוכס גדול, "the greater publican", and מוכס קטון, "the lesser publican" f, who was deputy to the other. What sort of tax Zacchaeus was concerned in collecting, is not certain; however, he was a principal man in this employ, and had got great riches by it.

And he was rich; was a person of figure among the publicans, and of substance, which he had gained in his post. And though the instances of rich men being called by grace are few, yet there have been some; and the rather this circumstance is mentioned, because it had been observed in the preceding chapter, how difficult, but not impossible, as this instance proves, it was for rich men to enter into the kingdom of God.

a T. Bab. Megilla, fol. 27. 2. & Yebamot, fol. 77. 2. Nazir, fol. 38. 1. & Nidda, fol. 41. 2. & Juchasin, fol. 90. 2. b R. Benjamin Itinerar. p. 61, 94. c Tertull. contr. Marcion. l. 4. c. 37. d T. Bab. Bava Kama, fol. 113. 1. e Maimon. & Bartenora in Misn. Bava Kama, c. 10. sect. 1. f T. Bab. Sabbat, fol. 78. 2.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

A man named Zacchaeus - The name Zacchaeus is Hebrew, and shows that this man was a “Jew.” The Hebrew name properly means “pure,” and is the same as Zacchai in Ezra 2:9; Nehemiah 7:14. The publicans, therefore, were not all foreigners.

Chief among the publicans - Who presided over other tax-gatherers, or who “received” their collections and transmitted them to the Roman government.

He was rich - Though this class of people was despised and often infamous, yet it seems that they were sometimes wealthy. They sustained, however, the general character of “sinners,” because they were particularly odious in the eyes of the Jews. See Luke 19:7. The evangelist has thought it worthy of record that he was rich, perhaps, because it was so unlikely that a “rich man” should follow so poor and despised a personage as Jesus of Nazareth, and because it was so unusual a thing during his personal ministry. Not many rich were called, but God chiefly chose the poor of this world Compare 1 Corinthians 1:26-29.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Luke 19:2. Zaccheus — It is not unlikely that this person was a Jew by birth, see Luke 19:9; but because he had engaged in a business so infamous, in the eyes of the Jews, he was considered as a mere heathen, Luke 19:7.

Chief among the publicans — Either a farmer-general of the taxes, who had subordinate collectors under him: or else the most respectable and honourable man among that class at Jericho.

He was rich. — And therefore the more unlikely to pay attention to an impoverished Messiah, preaching a doctrine of universal mortification and self-denial.