Matthew 20:20-21

New King James Version

Greatness Is Serving^(A)

^20 (B)Then the mother of ^(C)Zebedee’s sons came to Him with her sons, kneeling down and asking something from Him.

²¹ And He said to her, “What do you wish?”

She said to Him, “Grant that these two sons of mine ^(D)may sit, one on Your right hand and the other on the left, in Your kingdom.”

²² But Jesus answered and said, “You do not know what you ask. Are you able to drink ^(E)the cup that I am about to drink, ^[a]and be baptized with ^(F)the baptism that I am baptized with?”

They said to Him, “We are able.”

²³ So He said to them, ^(G)“You will indeed drink My cup, ^[b]and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with; but to sit on My right hand and on My left is not Mine to give, but it is for those for whom it is prepared by My Father.”

^24 (H)And when the ten heard it, they were greatly displeased with the two brothers. ²⁵ But Jesus called them to Himself and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who are great exercise authority over them. ²⁶ Yet ^(I)it shall not be so among you; but ^(J)whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. ^27 (K)And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave— ^28 (L)just as the ^(M)Son of Man did not come to be served, ^(N)but to serve, and ^(O)to give His life a ransom ^(P)for many.”

Two Blind Men Receive Their Sight^(Q)

^29 (R)Now as they went out of Jericho, a great multitude followed Him. ³⁰ And behold, ^(S)two blind men sitting by the road, when they heard that Jesus was passing by, cried out, saying, “Have mercy on us, O Lord, ^(T)Son of David!”

³¹ Then the multitude ^(U)warned them that they should be quiet; but they cried out all the more, saying, “Have mercy on us, O Lord, Son of David!”

³² So Jesus stood still and called them, and said, “What do you want Me to do for you?”

³³ They said to Him, “Lord, that our eyes may be opened.” ³⁴ So Jesus had ^(V)compassion and touched their eyes. And immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed Him.

The Triumphal Entry^(W)

21 Now ^(X)when they drew near Jerusalem, and came to ^[c]Bethphage, at ^(Y)the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, ² saying to them, “Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Loose them and bring them to Me. ³ And if anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord has need of them,’ and immediately he will send them.”

^4 [d]All this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying:

^6 (AA)So the disciples went and did as Jesus commanded them. ⁷ They brought the donkey and the colt, ^(AB)laid their clothes on them, ^[e]and set Him on them. ⁸ And a very great multitude spread their clothes on the road; ^(AC)others cut down branches from the trees and spread them on the road. ⁹ Then the multitudes who went before and those who followed cried out, saying:

^10 (AE)And when He had come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, “Who is this?”

¹¹ So the multitudes said, “This is Jesus, ^(AF)the prophet from Nazareth of Galilee.”

Jesus Cleanses the Temple^(AG)

^12 (AH)Then Jesus went into the temple ^[f]of God and drove out all those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the ^(AI)money changers and the seats of those who sold doves. ¹³ And He said to them, “It is written, ^(AJ)‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you have made it a ^(AK)‘den of thieves.’ ”

¹⁴ Then the blind and the lame came to Him in the temple, and He healed them. ¹⁵ But when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that He did, and the children crying out in the temple and saying, “Hosanna to the ^(AL)Son of David!” they were ^[g]indignant ¹⁶ and said to Him, “Do You hear what these are saying?”

And Jesus said to them, “Yes. Have you never read,

¹⁷ Then He left them and ^(AN)went out of the city to Bethany, and He lodged there.

The Fig Tree Withered^(AO)

^18 (AP)Now in the morning, as He returned to the city, He was hungry. ^19 (AQ)And seeing a fig tree by the road, He came to it and found nothing on it but leaves, and said to it, “Let no fruit grow on you ever again.” Immediately the fig tree withered away.

The Lesson of the Withered Fig Tree^(AR)

^20 (AS)And when the disciples saw it, they marveled, saying, “How did the fig tree wither away so soon?”