Bible fact · Direct biblical statement
Zacchaeus climbed a sycamore tree
Zacchaeus, a short chief tax collector, climbed a sycamore tree to see Jesus. Luke 19:1–10
Discover why
Zacchaeus was a chief tax collector and rich. "He was trying to see who Jesus was, and couldn't because of the crowd, because he was short. He ran on ahead, and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him." Luke 19:2–4
Jesus called him by name and stayed at his house. Zacchaeus gave half his goods to the poor and repaid fourfold anyone he had cheated. Luke 19:5–10
Read the passage
Luke 19:1–10 WEB
1He entered and was passing through Jericho. 2There was a man named Zacchaeus. He was a chief tax collector, and he was rich. 3He was trying to see who Jesus was, and couldn’t because of the crowd, because he was short. 4He ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him, for he was going to pass that way. 5When Jesus came to the place, he looked up and saw him, and said to him, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for today I must stay at your house.” 6He hurried, came down, and received him joyfully. 7When they saw it, they all murmured, saying, “He has gone in to lodge with a man who is a sinner.” 8Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Behold, Lord, half of my goods I give to the poor. If I have wrongfully exacted anything of anyone, I restore four times as much.” 9Jesus said to him, “Today, salvation has come to this house, because he also is a son of Abraham. 10For the Son of Man came to seek and to save that which was lost.”
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For children
Zacchaeus was too short to see Jesus over the crowd, so he climbed a sycamore tree!