Luke 19:8
KJV
And Zacchæus stood, and said unto the Lord; Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold.
ESV
But Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, “Look, I’ll give half of my possessions to the poor, Lord. And if I have extorted anything from anyone, I’ll pay back four times as much.”
In the KJV, Zacchæus speaks in the present tense, describing his way of life: he gives to the poor and restores fourfold when he has wronged others. These are statements of his character, not promises to change in the future. Some modern translations shift the tense, making Zacchæus appear to be announcing a new resolution rather than demonstrating fruit already present in his life.
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