The Triumphal Entry

21 When they approached Jerusalem^(A) and came to Bethphage at the Mount of Olives,^(B) Jesus then sent two disciples, ² telling them, “Go into the village ahead of you. At once you will find a donkey tied there, and a colt with her. Untie them and bring them to Me. ³ If anyone says anything to you, you should say that the Lord needs them, and immediately he will send them.”

⁴ This took place so that what was spoken through the prophet might be fulfilled:

⁶ The disciples went and did just as Jesus directed them. ⁷ They brought the donkey and the colt; then they laid their robes on them, and He sat on them. ⁸ A very large crowd spread their robes on the road; others were cutting branches from the trees and spreading them on the road. ⁹ Then the crowds who went ahead of Him and those who followed kept shouting:

¹⁰ When He entered Jerusalem, the whole city was shaken, saying, “Who is this?” ¹¹ And the crowds kept saying, “This is the prophet Jesus^(E) from Nazareth in Galilee!”

The Triumphal Entry

11 When^(A) they approached Jerusalem,^(B) at Bethphage and Bethany^(C) near the Mount of Olives, He sent two of His disciples ² and told them, “Go into the village ahead of you. As soon as you enter it, you will find a young donkey tied there, on which no one has ever sat. Untie it and bring it here. ³ If anyone says to you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘The Lord needs it and will send it back here right away.’”

⁴ So they went and found a young donkey outside in the street, tied by a door. They untied it, ⁵ and some of those standing there said to them, “What are you doing, untying the donkey?” ⁶ They answered them just as Jesus had said, so they let them go. ⁷ Then they brought the donkey to Jesus and threw their robes on it, and He sat on it.

⁸ Many people spread their robes on the road,^(D) and others spread leafy branches cut from the fields.^{[a] 9} Then those who went ahead and those who followed kept shouting:

¹¹ And He went into Jerusalem^(J) and into the temple complex.^(K) After looking around at everything, since it was already late, He went out to Bethany^(L) with the Twelve.

The Triumphal Entry

²⁸ When^(A) He had said these things, He went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem.^{(B) 29} As He approached Bethphage and Bethany, at the place called the Mount of Olives,^(C) He sent two of the disciples ³⁰ and said, “Go into the village ahead of you. As you enter it, you will find a young donkey tied there, on which no one has ever sat. Untie it and bring it here. ³¹ If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ say this: ‘The Lord needs it.’”

³² So those who were sent left and found it just as He had told them.^{(D) 33} As they were untying the young donkey, its owners said to them, “Why are you untying the donkey?”

³⁴ “The Lord needs it,” they said. ³⁵ Then^(E) they brought it to Jesus, and after throwing their robes on the donkey, they helped Jesus get on it.^{(F) 36} As He was going along, they were spreading their robes on the road.^{(G) 37} Now He came near the path down the Mount of Olives, and the whole crowd of the disciples began to praise God joyfully with a loud voice for all the miracles they had seen:

³⁹ Some of the Pharisees from the crowd told Him, “Teacher, rebuke Your disciples.”

⁴⁰ He answered, “I tell you, if they were to keep silent, the stones would cry out!”^(L)

Jesus’ Love for Jerusalem

⁴¹ As He approached and saw the city, He wept^(M) over it, ⁴² saying, “If you knew^(N) this day what would bring peace—but now it is hidden^(O) from your eyes. ⁴³ For the days will come on you^(P) when your enemies will build an embankment against you, surround you, and hem you in on every side.^{(Q) 44} They will crush you and your children within you to the ground,^(R) and they will not leave one stone on another^(S) in you, because you did not recognize the time of your visitation.”^(T)