John 2:13-22

GOD’S WORD Translation

Jesus Throws Merchants and Moneychangers out of the Temple Courtyard

¹³ The Jewish Passover was near, so Jesus went to Jerusalem. ¹⁴ He found those who were selling cattle, sheep, and pigeons in the temple courtyard. He also found moneychangers sitting there. ¹⁵ He made a whip from small ropes and threw everyone with their sheep and cattle out of the temple courtyard. He dumped the moneychangers’ coins and knocked over their tables.

¹⁶ He told those who sold pigeons, “Pick up this stuff, and get it out of here! Stop making my Father’s house a marketplace!”

¹⁷ His disciples remembered that Scripture said, “Devotion for your house will consume me.”

¹⁸ The Jews reacted by asking Jesus, “What miracle can you show us to justify what you’re doing?”

¹⁹ Jesus replied, “Tear down this temple, and I’ll rebuild it in three days.”

²⁰ The Jews said, “It took forty-six years to build this temple. Do you really think you’re going to rebuild it in three days?”

²¹ But the temple Jesus spoke about was his own body. ²² After he came back to life, his disciples remembered that he had said this. So they believed the Scripture and this statement that Jesus had made.