The Meaning of Luke 19:5 Explained

Luke 19:5

KJV: And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and saw him, and said unto him, Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for to day I must abide at thy house.

YLT: And as Jesus came up to the place, having looked up, he saw him, and said unto him, 'Zaccheus, having hastened, come down, for to-day in thy house it behoveth me to remain;'

Darby: And when he came up to the place, Jesus looked up and saw him, and said to him, Zacchaeus, make haste and come down, for to-day I must remain in thy house.

ASV: And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and said unto him, Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for to-day I must abide at thy house.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And  when  Jesus  came  to  the place,  he looked up,  and saw  him,  and  said  unto  him,  Zacchaeus,  make haste,  and come down;  for  to day  I  must  abide  at  thy  house. 

What does Luke 19:5 Mean?

Context Summary

Luke 19:1-10 - The Sinner And His Guest
For long, we may suppose, the better things had been striving against the worse in this man's character. John the Baptist had wielded great influence over Zaccheus' class and perhaps over himself. Zaccheus was a dissatisfied man. His dishonest acquisitions added to his wealth but subtracted from his peace of mind. He knew that the least he could do would be to repay those whom he had robbed. But his soul required more, and longed for salvation, such as only Jesus Christ could give.
The Lord knew this, and therefore halted beneath the tree and invited Himself as a guest to the publican's home. The one man in all Jericho who most needed the Savior was discovered by Him and saved. The grace of God is ever in search of those who have gone as far as their light will carry them.
What a blessing it is that the Lord is willing to be our guest! See that He is welcomed to the guestroom of your heart. Stand to serve Him. He brings salvation for you and yours. [source]

Chapter Summary: Luke 19

1  Of Zacchaeus a tax collector
11  The ten minas
28  Jesus rides into Jerusalem with triumph;
41  weeps over it;
45  drives the buyers and sellers out of the temple;
47  Teaching daily in it The rulers seek to destroy him, but fear the people

Greek Commentary for Luke 19:5

Make haste and come down [σπευσας καταβητι]
Simultaneous aorist active participle (σπευσας — speusas) with the second aorist active imperative. “Come down in a hurry.” [source]
I must abide []
“Adopting the royal style which was familiar to him, and which commends the loyalty of a vassal in the most delicate manner by freely exacting his services” (“Ecce Homo”). [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Luke 19:5

2 Peter 1:5 Adding on your part [παρεισπερω]
First aorist active participle of εισπερω — pareispherō old double compound, to bring in Old word from πασαν σπουδην — speudō to hasten (Luke 19:5.). This phrase (ποιουμενος — pāsan spoudēn) occurs in Judges 1:3 with ισπερεσται — poioumenos and on the inscription in Stratonicea (2 Peter 1:3) with εν τηι πιστει υμων — ispheresthai (certainly a curious coincidence, to say the least, though common in the Koiné).In your faith Faith or αγαπη — pistis (strong conviction as in Hebrews 11:1, Hebrews 11:3, the root of the Christian life Ephesians 2:8) is the foundation which goes through various steps up to love See similar lists in James 1:3; 1 Thessalonians 1:3; 2 Thessalonians 1:3.; Galatians 5:22.; Romans 5:3.; Romans 8:29. Hermas (Vis. iii. 8. 1-7) has a list called “daughters” of one another. Note the use of επιχορηγησατε — en (in, on) with each step.Supply (επιχορηγεω — epichorēgēsate). First aorist active imperative of επι — epichorēgeō late and rare double compound verb (χορηγεω — epi and χορηγος — chorēgeō 1 Peter 4:11 from χορος — chorēgos chorus-leader, ηγεομαι — choros and αρετην — hēgeomai to lead), to fit out the chorus with additional (complete) supplies. Both compound and simplex (more common) occur in the papyri. In 2 Peter 1:11 and already in 2 Corinthians 9:10; Galatians 3:5; Colossians 2:19.Virtue Moral power, moral energy, vigor of soul (Bengel). See 2 Peter 1:3.Knowledge (gnōsin). Insight, understanding (1 Corinthians 16:18; John 15:15). [source]
2 Peter 1:5 All diligence [σπευδω]
Old word from πασαν σπουδην — speudō to hasten (Luke 19:5.). This phrase (ποιουμενος — pāsan spoudēn) occurs in Judges 1:3 with ισπερεσται — poioumenos and on the inscription in Stratonicea (2 Peter 1:3) with εν τηι πιστει υμων — ispheresthai (certainly a curious coincidence, to say the least, though common in the Koiné). [source]

What do the individual words in Luke 19:5 mean?

And as He came to the place having looked up - Jesus said to him Zacchaeus having hurried come down today for in the house of you it behooves Me to stay
Καὶ ὡς ἦλθεν ἐπὶ τὸν τόπον ἀναβλέψας Ἰησοῦς εἶπεν πρὸς αὐτόν Ζακχαῖε σπεύσας κατάβηθι σήμερον γὰρ ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ σου δεῖ με μεῖναι

ἦλθεν  He  came 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: ἔρχομαι  
Sense: to come.
τόπον  place 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: τόπος 
Sense: place, any portion or space marked off, as it were from surrounding space.
ἀναβλέψας  having  looked  up 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Participle Active, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: ἀναβλέπω  
Sense: to look up.
  - 
Parse: Article, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
Ἰησοῦς  Jesus 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: Ἰησοῦς  
Sense: Joshua was the famous captain of the Israelites, Moses’ successor.
εἶπεν  said 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: λέγω  
Sense: to speak, say.
Ζακχαῖε  Zacchaeus 
Parse: Noun, Vocative Masculine Singular
Root: Ζακχαῖος  
Sense: a chief tax collector.
σπεύσας  having  hurried 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Participle Active, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: σπεύδω  
Sense: to haste, make haste.
κατάβηθι  come  down 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Imperative Active, 2nd Person Singular
Root: καταβαίνω  
Sense: to go down, come down, descend.
σήμερον  today 
Parse: Adverb
Root: σήμερον  
Sense: this (very) day).
οἴκῳ  house 
Parse: Noun, Dative Masculine Singular
Root: οἶκος  
Sense: a house.
σου  of  you 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Genitive 2nd Person Singular
Root: σύ  
Sense: you.
δεῖ  it  behooves 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: δεῖ  
Sense: it is necessary, there is need of, it behooves, is right and proper.
με  Me 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Accusative 1st Person Singular
Root: ἐγώ  
Sense: I, me, my.
μεῖναι  to  stay 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Infinitive Active
Root: μένω  
Sense: to remain, abide.