Zacchaeus

The name that is transliterated as “Zacchaeus” in English is translated in Finnish Sign Language with the sign signifying “short” (referring to Luke 19:3). (Source: Tarja Sandholm)


“Zacchaeus” in Finnish Sign Language (source )

For more information on translations of proper names with sign language see Sign Language Bible Translations Have Something to Say to Hearing Christians .

See also Zacchaeus (image), So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree to see him (image), and Goliath.

complete verse (Luke 19:6)

Following are a number of back-translations of Luke 19:6:

  • Noongar: “Zacchaeus hurried down and thanked Jesus joyfully.” (Source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang)
  • Uma: “Zakheus did hurry down, and he was glad to receive Yesus in his house.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “So Sakkiyas hurried down and he was glad to take Isa to his house.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And then, Zacchaeus very quickly came down, and welcomed Jesus affectionately, and he was very happy.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Zakeus climbed-right-down, and great as his happiness in leading Jesus to their home.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “He now came down quickly and very happily had Jesus accompany him to his house.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)

Scriptures Plain & Simple (Luke 19:1-10)

Barclay Newman, a translator on the teams for both the Good News Bible and the Contemporary English Version, translated passages of the New Testament into English and published them in 2014, “in a publication brief enough to be non-threatening, yet long enough to be taken seriously, and interesting enough to appeal to believers and un-believers alike.” The following is the translation of Luke 19:1-10:

Zacchaeus lived in Jericho and was rich — yet he was hated,
       because he collected taxes for the Roman authorities.

Somehow Zacchaeus found out
that Jesus was passing through Jericho,
       and he wanted to see what he was like.
Crowds covered every inch of the ground,
and since Zacchaeus was short and couldn’t see the road,
       he climbed up a big tree and waited.
Jesus spotted him in the tree and shouted,
       “Zacchaeus, come down! I want to visit with you today.”
Zacchaeus scampered down and greeted Jesus with a smile.

But jealousy took control of the crowds, and they grumbled,
“This guy Zacchaeus is scum!
       Is Jesus really going to eat with him?”

When Zacchaeus got up from the meal, he said to Jesus,
“Lord, I promise to give half of my property to the poor,
       and to everyone I’ve ever cheated,
       I’ll pay back four times as much.”

“Now you and your family are acceptable to God!” said Jesus.
“Indeed you are truly a son of your ancestor Abraham.
       I came to look for and to save people that others reject.”

Translation commentary on Luke 19:6

Exegesis:

speusas katebē ‘he came down with haste,’ cf. on v. 5.

hupedexato auton chairōn ‘he welcomed him with joy.’ For hupodechomai cf. on 10.38. The participle chairōn denotes the mood in which Zacchaeus welcomed Jesus (cf. 15.5).

Translation:

One or both of the pronouns may have to be specified as references to Zacchaeus and Jesus respectively.

Received him, i.e. in his house as guest, cf. on v. 5.

Joyfully, or, ‘with joy,’ cf. on 8.13.

Quoted with permission from Reiling, J. and Swellengrebel, J.L. A Handbook on the Gospel of Luke. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1971. For this and other handbooks for translators see here . Make sure to also consult the Handbook on the Gospel of Mark for parallel or similar verses.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 19:6

19:6

So Zacchaeus hurried down and welcomed Him joyfully: This clause tells the result of what Jesus said in 19:5: Zacchaeus came down immediately and welcomed Jesus to come to his home. Zacchaeus and Jesus probably went to Zacchaeus’ home together. Some other ways to translate this are:

Zacchaeus came down and was glad to welcome Jesus into his home. (God’s Word)
-or-
Zacchaeus quickly climbed down and took Jesus to his house in great excitement and joy. (New Living Translation (2004))

welcomed Him joyfully: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as welcomed Him joyfully indicates that Zacchaeus received Jesus into his home with joy. Here is another way to translate this:

received him joyfully (Revised Standard Version)

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