Luke 19:2

Translations

Modern

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

Traditional

And, behold, there was a man named Zaccheus, which was the chief among the publicans, and he was rich.

Literal

And behold, a man called by the name Zacchaeus, and he was a chief tax collector, and he was rich.

Latin

Et ecce vir nomine Zachæus: et hic princeps erat publicanorum, et ipse dives:

Original

Greek

English

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

Notes

Luke 19:2

A chief tax collector paid the Roman government for the right to collect taxes in a certain region. He then supervised other tax collectors and received money from the taxes they collected. This system allowed Zacchaeus to become very rich. As a result, chief tax collectors were hated even more than the tax collectors under them (see study note on 3:12).

Luke 19:1–10

The story of Zacchaeus is a fitting high point to the ministry of Jesus among those treated badly in Israel while he traveled to Jerusalem (9:51–19:44). Many see the final verse of this episode as the main theme of Luke's Gospel (19:10).

Theme notes and profiles

Apostasy and Renewal Eating Together Encounters with Jesus