Zakayo Mtoza Ushuru
119:1 Lk 18:35Yesu akaingia Yeriko, naye alikuwa anapita katikati ya huo mji. 2Tazama, palikuwa na mtu mmoja mkuu wa watoza ushuru naye alikuwa tajiri, jina lake Zakayo. 3Yeye alikuwa akijitahidi kumwona Yesu ni mtu wa namna gani. Lakini kutokana na umati mkubwa wa watu hakuweza kwa sababu alikuwa mfupi wa kimo. 419:4 1Fal 10:27; 1Nya 27:28; Lk 18:37Kwa hiyo akatangulia mbio mbele ya umati wa watu akapanda juu ya mkuyu ili amwone Yesu, kwa sababu angeipitia njia ile.
5Yesu alipofika pale chini ya huo mkuyu, akatazama juu, akamwambia, “Zakayo, shuka upesi, kwa maana leo nitakuwa mgeni nyumbani kwako!” 6Hivyo Zakayo akashuka upesi, akamkaribisha Yesu nyumbani kwake kwa furaha kubwa.
719:7 Mt 9:11Watu wote walipoona hivyo, wakaanza kunungʼunika wakisema, “Amekwenda kuwa mgeni wa ‘mtu mwenye dhambi.’ ”
819:8 Lk 7:13; 3:12-13; Hes 5:7; Eze 33:14-15Lakini Zakayo akasimama na kumwambia Bwana, “Tazama, Bwana! Sasa hivi nusu ya mali yangu ninawapa maskini, nami kama nimemdhulumu mtu yeyote kitu chochote, nitamrudishia mara nne ya hicho kiwango.”
919:9 Rum 4:16; Gal 3:17Ndipo Yesu akamwambia, “Leo, wokovu umeingia nyumbani humu, kwa sababu huyu naye ni mwana wa Abrahamu. 1019:10 Eze 34:12-16; Yn 3:17Kwa maana Mwana wa Adamu amekuja kutafuta na kuokoa kile kilichopotea.”
Mfano Wa Fedha
(Mathayo 25:14-30)
1119:11 Lk 17:20; Mt 3:2; Mdo 1:6Walipokuwa wanasikiliza haya, Yesu akaendelea kuwaambia mfano, kwa sababu alikuwa anakaribia Yerusalemu na watu walikuwa wakidhani ya kuwa Ufalme wa Mungu ulikuwa unakuja saa iyo hiyo. 1219:12 Mk 13:34; Mt 25:14Hivyo akawaambia: “Mtu mmoja mwenye cheo kikubwa alisafiri kwenda nchi ya mbali ili akapokee madaraka ya kuwa mfalme, kisha arudi. 1319:13 Mk 13:34Hivyo akawaita kumi miongoni mwa watumishi wake, na akawapa kila mmoja fungu la fedha. Akawaambia, ‘Fanyeni biashara na fedha hizi mpaka nitakaporudi.’
1419:14 Yn 1:11“Lakini raiya wa nchi yake walimchukia wakapeleka ujumbe na kusema, ‘Hatutaki huyu mtu awe mfalme wetu.’
15“Hata hivyo alirudi akiwa amekwisha kupokea mamlaka ya ufalme, akawaita wale watumishi wake aliokuwa amewaachia fedha, ili afahamu ni faida kiasi gani kila mmoja wao aliyopata kwa kufanya biashara.
16“Wa kwanza akaja na kusema, ‘Bwana, kutokana na fedha uliyoniachia, nimepata faida mara kumi zaidi.’
17“Yule bwana akamjibu, ‘Umefanya vizuri mtumishi mwema! Kwa sababu umekuwa mwaminifu katika wajibu mdogo sana, nakupa mamlaka juu ya miji kumi.’
18“Wa pili naye akaja. Akasema, ‘Bwana, fedha yako imeleta faida mara tano zaidi.’
19“Bwana wake akajibu, ‘Nakupa mamlaka juu ya miji mitano.’
20“Kisha akaja yule mtumishi mwingine, akasema, ‘Bwana, hii hapa fedha yako. Niliitunza vizuri kwenye kitambaa. 2119:21 Mit 27:18; Lk 16:10Nilikuogopa, kwa sababu wewe ni mtu mgumu. Unachukua ambapo hukuweka kitu, na unavuna mahali ambapo hukupanda kitu.’
2219:22 2Sam 1:16; Ay 15:6; Mt 25:26“Bwana wake akamjibu, ‘Nitakuhukumu kwa maneno yako mwenyewe, wewe mtumishi mwovu! Kama ulifahamu kwamba mimi ni mtu mgumu, nichukuaye mahali ambapo sikuweka kitu na kuvuna mahali ambapo sikupanda, 23kwa nini basi hukuweka fedha zangu kwa watoa riba, ili nitakaporudi nichukue iliyo yangu na riba yake?’
24“Ndipo akawaambia wale waliokuwa wamesimama karibu, ‘Mnyangʼanyeni fungu lake la fedha, mkampe yule mwenye kumi.’
25“Wakamwambia, ‘Bwana, mbona; tayari anayo mafungu kumi!’
2619:26 Mt 13:12; 25:29“Akawajibu, ‘Nawaambia kwamba kila aliye na kitu, ataongezewa. Lakini yule asiye na kitu, hata alicho nacho atanyangʼanywa. 27Lakini wale adui zangu ambao hawakutaka mimi niwe mfalme juu yao. Waleteni hapa mkawaue mbele yangu.’ ”
Yesu Aingia Yerusalemu Kwa Ushindi
(Mathayo 21:1-11; Marko 11:1-11; Yohana 12:12-19)
2819:28 Mk 10:32; Lk 9:51Baada ya Yesu kusema haya, alitangulia kupanda kwenda Yerusalemu. 2919:29 Mt 21:1, 1719:29 Mt 21:1-9; Mk 11:1-10; Yn 12:12-16Naye alipokaribia Bethfage na Bethania kwenye mlima uitwao Mlima wa Mizeituni, aliwatuma wanafunzi wake wawili, akawaambia, 30“Nendeni katika kijiji kilichoko mbele yenu. Na mtakapokuwa mnaingia kijijini, mtamkuta mwana-punda amefungwa hapo, ambaye hajapandwa na mtu bado. Mfungueni, mkamlete hapa. 31Kama mtu akiwauliza, ‘Mbona mnamfungua?’ Mwambieni, ‘Bwana anamhitaji.’ ”
3219:32 Lk 22:13Wale waliotumwa wakaenda, wakakuta kila kitu kama vile Yesu alivyokuwa amewaambia. 3319:33 2Fal 9:13Walipokuwa wanamfungua yule mwana-punda, wenyewe wakawauliza, “Mbona mnamfungua huyo mwana-punda?”
34Wale wanafunzi wakajibu, “Bwana anamhitaji.”
3519:35 2Fal 9:13; Mt 21:7; Mk 11:7; Yn 12:14Wakamleta kwa Yesu, nao baada ya kutandika mavazi yao juu ya huyo mwana-punda, wakampandisha Yesu juu yake. 3619:36 Mt 21:18Alipokuwa akienda akiwa amempanda, watu wakatandaza mavazi yao barabarani.
3719:37 Mt 21:1Alipokaribia mahali yanapoanzia materemko ya Mlima wa Mizeituni, umati wote wa wafuasi wake wakaanza kumsifu Mungu kwa furaha kwa sauti kuu kwa ajili ya matendo yote ya miujiza waliyoyaona. Wakasema:
3819:38 Za 118:26; Lk 13:35; 2:14“Amebarikiwa Mfalme ajaye kwa Jina la Bwana!”
“Amani mbinguni na utukufu huko juu sana.”
3919:39 Mt 21:15-16Baadhi ya Mafarisayo waliokuwamo miongoni mwa ule umati wa watu wakamwambia, “Mwalimu, waamuru wanafunzi wako wanyamaze.”
4019:40 Ebr 2:11Yesu akawajibu, “Nawaambia ninyi, kama hawa wakinyamaza, mawe yatapiga kelele.”
Yesu Anaulilia Mji Wa Yerusalemu
4119:41 Isa 22:4; Lk 13:34-35Alipokaribia Yerusalemu na kuuona mji, aliulilia, 4219:42 Kum 32:29; Mt 13:14; Yn 12:38akisema, “Laiti ungalijua hata wewe leo yale ambayo yangeleta amani, lakini sasa yamefichika machoni pako. 4319:43 Yer 6:6; Lk 21:20Hakika siku zinakujia, ambazo adui zako watakuzingira, nao watakuzunguka pande zote na kukuzuilia ndani. 4419:44 Za 137:9; Mt 24:2; Mk 13:2; 1Pet 2:12Watakuponda chini, wewe na watoto walioko ndani ya kuta zako. Nao hawataacha hata jiwe moja juu ya jingine, kwa sababu hukutambua wakati wa kujiliwa kwako.”
Yesu Atakasa Hekaluni
(Mathayo 21:12-17; Marko 11:15-19; Yohana 2:13-22)
4519:45 Mt 21:12; Mk 11:11, 15; Yn 2:14, 15Ndipo akaingia eneo la Hekalu, akaanza kuwafukuza wale waliokuwa wakiuza vitu humo. 4619:46 Isa 56:7; Yer 7:11Naye akawaambia, “Imeandikwa, ‘Nyumba yangu itakuwa nyumba ya sala,’ lakini ninyi mmeifanya kuwa ‘pango la wanyangʼanyi.’ ”
4719:47 Mt 26:55; 12:14; Mk 11:18Kila siku alikuwa akifundisha Hekaluni. Lakini viongozi wa makuhani, walimu wa sheria na viongozi wa watu walikuwa wakitafuta njia ili kumuua. 48Lakini hawakupata nafasi kwa sababu watu wote walimfuata wakiyasikiliza maneno yake kwa usikivu mwingi.
Zacchaeus the tax collector
1Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. 2A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. 3He wanted to see who Jesus was, but because he was short he could not see over the crowd. 4So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way.
5When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, ‘Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.’ 6So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly.
7All the people saw this and began to mutter, ‘He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.’
8But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, ‘Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.’
9Jesus said to him, ‘Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. 10For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.’
The parable of the ten minas
11While they were listening to this, he went on to tell them a parable, because he was near Jerusalem and the people thought that the kingdom of God was going to appear at once. 12He said: ‘A man of noble birth went to a distant country to have himself appointed king and then to return. 13So he called ten of his servants and gave them ten minas.19:13 A mina was about three months’ wages. “Put this money to work,” he said, “until I come back.”
14‘But his subjects hated him and sent a delegation after him to say, “We don’t want this man to be our king.”
15‘He was made king, however, and returned home. Then he sent for the servants to whom he had given the money, in order to find out what they had gained with it.
16‘The first one came and said, “Sir, your mina has earned ten more.”
17‘ “Well done, my good servant!” his master replied. “Because you have been trustworthy in a very small matter, take charge of ten cities.”
18‘The second came and said, “Sir, your mina has earned five more.”
19‘His master answered, “You take charge of five cities.”
20‘Then another servant came and said, “Sir, here is your mina; I have kept it laid away in a piece of cloth. 21I was afraid of you, because you are a hard man. You take out what you did not put in and reap what you did not sow.”
22‘His master replied, “I will judge you by your own words, you wicked servant! You knew, did you, that I am a hard man, taking out what I did not put in, and reaping what I did not sow? 23Why then didn’t you put my money on deposit, so that when I came back, I could have collected it with interest?”
24‘Then he said to those standing by, “Take his mina away from him and give it to the one who has ten minas.”
25‘ “Sir,” they said, “he already has ten!”
26‘He replied, “I tell you that to everyone who has, more will be given, but as for the one who has nothing, even what they have will be taken away. 27But those enemies of mine who did not want me to be king over them – bring them here and kill them in front of me.” ’
Jesus comes to Jerusalem as king
28After Jesus had said this, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. 29As he approached Bethphage and Bethany at the hill called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples, saying to them, 30‘Go to the village ahead of you, and as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no-one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. 31If anyone asks you, “Why are you untying it?” say, “The Lord needs it.” ’
32Those who were sent ahead went and found it just as he had told them. 33As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them, ‘Why are you untying the colt?’
34They replied, ‘The Lord needs it.’
35They brought it to Jesus, threw their cloaks on the colt and put Jesus on it. 36As he went along, people spread their cloaks on the road.
37When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen:
38‘Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!’19:38 Psalm 118:26
‘Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!’
39Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, ‘Teacher, rebuke your disciples!’
40‘I tell you,’ he replied, ‘if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.’
41As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it 42and said, ‘If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace – but now it is hidden from your eyes. 43The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you and hem you in on every side. 44They will dash you to the ground, you and the children within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognise the time of God’s coming to you.’
Jesus at the temple
45When Jesus entered the temple courts, he began to drive out those who were selling. 46‘It is written,’ he said to them, ‘ “My house will be a house of prayer”19:46 Isaiah 56:7; but you have made it “a den of robbers”.19:46 Jer. 7:11’
47Every day he was teaching at the temple. But the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the leaders among the people were trying to kill him. 48Yet they could not find any way to do it, because all the people hung on his words.
