馬太福音 21
Chinese Contemporary Bible (Traditional)
光榮進聖城
21 耶穌和門徒離耶路撒冷越來越近了，他們來到橄欖山旁的伯法其。 2 耶穌派兩個門徒進村，並對他們說：「你們到前面的村莊去，就會看見一頭母驢拴在那裡，旁邊還有一頭驢駒。你們把牠們解開，牽到我這裡。 3 要是有人問起，你們就說，『主要用牠們』，那人會立刻讓你們牽來。」 4 這件事是要應驗先知的話：
5 「要對錫安城[a]說，『看啊，你的君王來了！祂謙卑地騎著驢，騎著一頭驢駒。』」
6 兩個門徒照著耶穌的吩咐去了， 7 把母驢和驢駒帶了回來。他們把自己的衣服蓋在驢背上，讓耶穌騎上去。 8 許多人把衣服鋪在路上，也有些人砍下樹枝鋪在路上。 9 眾人前呼後擁，歡呼著說：
「和散那[b]歸於大衛的後裔！
奉主名來的當受稱頌！
和散那歸於至高之處的上帝！」
10 耶穌進耶路撒冷時，全城轟動，說：「這是誰？」
11 眾人說：「祂是先知耶穌，來自加利利的拿撒勒。」
潔淨聖殿
12 耶穌進入聖殿，趕走裡面做買賣的人，又推翻兌換錢幣之人的桌子和賣鴿子之人的凳子。
13 耶穌斥責他們說：「聖經上說，『我的殿必稱為禱告的殿。』你們竟把它變成了賊窩。」
14 殿中的瞎子和瘸子都來到耶穌面前，祂便醫好了他們。 15 祭司長和律法教師看見祂所行的奇事，又聽見小孩子在聖殿裡高聲喊著：「和散那歸於大衛的後裔！」便十分惱怒。 16 他們責問耶穌說：「你聽見這些人說的了嗎？」
耶穌說：「我聽見了。聖經上說，『你使孩童和嬰兒口中發出頌讚』，你們沒有讀過嗎？」 17 然後，祂便離開他們，出城前往伯大尼，在那裡住宿。
咒詛無花果樹
18 清早，耶穌在回城的途中餓了。 19 祂看見路旁有一棵無花果樹，便走過去，卻發現除了葉子外什麼也沒有。
祂對那棵樹說：「你將再不會結果子！」那棵樹立刻枯萎了。
20 門徒見了就驚奇地問：「這棵樹怎麼一下子枯萎了？」
21 耶穌回答說：「我實在告訴你們，如果你們有信心、不懷疑，不但能使無花果樹枯乾，就算對這座山說，『從這裡挪開，投進大海裡！』也照樣可以實現。 22 所以，你們禱告時無論求什麼，只要有信心，就必定得到。」
質問耶穌的權柄
23 耶穌進了聖殿，正在教導人的時候，祭司長和民間的長老來質問祂：「你憑什麼權柄做這些事？誰授權給你了？」
24 耶穌說：「我也要問你們一個問題，你們回答了，我就告訴你們我憑什麼權柄做這些事。 25 約翰的洗禮是從哪裡來的？從天上來的，還是從人來的？」
他們便彼此議論說：「如果我們說『是從天上來的』，祂一定會問我們，『那你們為什麼不信他？』 26 但如果我們說『是從人來的』，又怕觸怒百姓，因為他們相信約翰是個先知。」 27 於是，他們回答耶穌說：「我們不知道。」
耶穌說：「我也不告訴你們我憑什麼權柄做這些事。」
兩個兒子的比喻
28 耶穌又說：「你們怎樣看這件事？某人有兩個兒子。他對大兒子說，『孩子，你今天到葡萄園工作吧！』
29 「大兒子回答說，『我不去！』但後來他改變了主意，就去了。
30 「那父親又對小兒子說，『你今天到葡萄園工作吧！』小兒子回答說，『好的，父親。』他答應了，卻沒有去。
31 「你們認為這兩個兒子，到底哪一個服從父親呢？」
他們回答道：「大兒子。」
耶穌說：「我實在告訴你們，稅吏和娼妓要比你們先進上帝的國。 32 因為約翰來指示你們當行的正路，你們不信他，但稅吏和娼妓信了。你們親眼看見了這些事，竟然還是執迷不悟，不肯信他。
惡毒的佃戶
33 「你們再聽一個比喻。有個園主栽種了一個葡萄園，在園子的四周建造圍牆，又在園中挖了一個榨酒池，建了一座瞭望臺，然後把葡萄園租給佃戶，就出遠門了。 34 到了收穫的季節，園主派奴僕到佃戶那裡收果子。 35 但那些佃戶卻抓住他的奴僕，打傷一個，殺死一個，又用石頭打死了一個。 36 於是，園主又派更多的奴僕去，結果也遭到同樣的對待。 37 最後，園主派了自己的兒子去，心想，『他們肯定會尊重我的兒子。』 38 然而，那些佃戶看見園主的兒子來了，就商量說，『這是園主的繼承人。來吧！我們殺掉他，佔了他的產業！』 39 於是，他們抓住他，把他推出園外殺了。 40 那麼，當園主回來的時候，他會怎樣處置那些佃戶呢？」
41 他們說：「他會毫不留情地除掉那些惡人，然後把葡萄園租給其他按時交果子的佃戶。」
42 耶穌說：
「『工匠丟棄的石頭已成了房角石。
這是主的作為，在我們看來奇妙莫測。』
你們難道沒有讀過這段經文嗎？ 43 所以，我告訴你們，將把上帝的國從你們那裡奪去，賜給結果子的人。 44 凡跌在這石頭上的人，一定粉身碎骨；這石頭落在誰身上，就會把誰砸爛。」
45 祭司長和法利賽人聽了耶穌的比喻，明白是針對他們講的。 46 他們試圖逮捕耶穌，但又害怕百姓，因為百姓都認為耶穌是先知。
Matthew 21
New Catholic Bible
Encounters at Jerusalem
Chapter 21
The Entry into Jerusalem.[a] 1 When they drew near Jerusalem and had reached Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent off two disciples, 2 saying to them, “Go to the village directly ahead of you, and as soon as you enter you will find a tethered donkey and a colt with her. Untie them and bring them to me. 3 If anyone says anything to you, tell them, ‘The Lord needs them.’ Then he will let you have them at once.” 4 This was to fulfill what had been spoken by the prophet:
5 “Say to the daughter of Zion:[b]
‘Behold, your king is coming to you,
humble and riding on a donkey,
and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’ ”
6 The disciples went off and did as Jesus had instructed them. 7 They brought the donkey and the colt, and laid their cloaks on their backs, and he sat on them.[c] 8 A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9 The crowds that preceded him and those that followed kept shouting:
“Hosanna to the Son of David!
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord![d]
Hosanna in the highest!”
10 And when he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was filled with excitement. “Who is this?” the people asked, 11 and the crowds replied, “This is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth in Galilee.”
12 Jesus Cleanses the Temple.[e] Then Jesus entered the temple and drove out all those whom he found buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who were selling doves. 13 He said to them, “It is written:
‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’
but you are making it a den of thieves.”[f]
14 The blind and the crippled came to him in the temple, and he cured them. 15 But when the chief priests and the scribes witnessed the wonderful things he was performing and heard the children crying out in the temple area, “Hosanna to the Son of David,” they became infuriated 16 and said to him, “Do you hear what they are saying?” Jesus replied, “Yes. Have you never read the text:
‘Out of the mouths of infants and babies who are nursing
you have received fitting praise’?”
17 Then he left them and went out of the city to Bethany, where he spent the night.
18 The Lesson of the Withered Fig Tree.[g] Early the next morning, as he was returning to the city, he was hungry. 19 Noticing a fig tree by the side of the road, he went over to it but found nothing on its branches except leaves. Then he said to it, “May you never give forth fruit again!” And instantly the fig tree withered away.
20 When the disciples witnessed this, they were stunned, and they asked, “How could that fig tree wither away in an instant?” 21 Jesus answered them, “Amen, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only will you do what has been done to this fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ it will be accomplished. 22 Whatever you ask for in faith-filled prayer, you will receive.”
23 The Authority of Jesus Questioned.[h] When he entered the temple and began to teach, the chief priests and the elders of the people approached him and asked, “By what authority are you doing these things? And who gave you this authority?” 24 Jesus said to them in reply, “I will also ask you one question. If you give me an answer, then I will tell you by what authority I do these things. 25 Where did John’s baptism originate? From heaven or from men?”
They argued among themselves, “If we say: ‘From heaven,’ he will say to us, ‘Then why did you not believe him?’ 26 But if we say, ‘From men,’ we are afraid of the people, for they all regard John as a prophet.”
27 Therefore, they answered Jesus, “We do not know.” And Jesus said to them, “Then neither shall I tell you by what authority I do these things.[i]
28 The Parable of the Two Sons.[j]“What is your opinion about this? A man had two sons. He went to the first and said, ‘My son, go and work in the vineyard today.’ 29 He answered, ‘I will not,’ but later he had a change of heart and went. 30 The father then gave the same instruction to the second son, who answered, ‘Of course I will,’ but then did not go. 31 Which of the two complied with his father’s instruction?” They responded, “The first.”
Then Jesus said to them, “Amen, I say to you, tax collectors and prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you. 32 For John came to show you the path of righteousness, but you did not believe him, whereas the tax collectors and the prostitutes did. Yet even after you realized that, you still refused to change your minds and believe in him.
33 The Parable of the Tenants.[k]“Listen to another parable. There was a landowner who planted a vineyard, fenced it in on all sides, dug a winepress in it, and built a watchtower. Then he leased it to tenants and went off on a journey.
34 “When the time for harvest approached, he sent his servants to the tenants to collect his share of the produce. 35 But the tenants seized his servants and beat one of them, killed another, and stoned a third. 36 Again, he sent more servants, but they treated them in the same manner.
37 “Finally, he sent his son to them, thinking, ‘They will respect my son.’ 38 But when the tenants saw the son, they said to one another, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and get his inheritance.’ 39 And so they seized him, threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him.
40 “Now what do you think the owner of the vineyard will do to those tenants when he comes?” 41 They said to him, “He will kill those evil men, and then he will lease his vineyard to other tenants who will give him the produce at the harvest.”
42 Jesus then said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures:
‘The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone;
by the Lord has this been done,
and it is wonderful in our eyes’?
43 Therefore, I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people that will produce fruit in abundance. [ 44 The one who falls on this stone will be broken into pieces, and the one on whom it falls will be crushed.]”[l]
45 When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they realized that he was speaking about them. 46 They wanted to arrest him, but they were afraid of the crowds, who regarded him as a prophet.
Footnotes
- Matthew 21:1 One of the key events in the life of Jesus. He seemed to be fulfilling what was most attractive in the Old Testament prophecies: here is the Messiah in the midst of his people, God’s messenger in the midst of the human race, and joyous shouts of acclamation arise on every side. Hosanna means “Grant salvation!” but it is above all a shout of applause. Jesus allows himself to be acclaimed as the “Son of David,” the Savior from the royal line, the figure that the believing people had, generation after generation, tried to picture for themselves in light of the promise made to David (2 Sam 7). But the sumptuous display in the courts of princes was of quite a different nature. Once again, Jesus rejects all dreams of prestige; here he is, in the midst of the people, riding the beast of the poor, the donkey, and linking himself in this manner with the Davidic tradition.
- Matthew 21:5 Daughter of Zion: i.e., Jerusalem, which rises on Mount Zion; the citation is from Isa 62:11. There follows the prophecy of Zec 9:9, which describes the Messiah, a humble and meek king taking peaceful possession of his kingdom.
- Matthew 21:7 He sat on them [the cloaks]: from Mark (11:2) and Luke (19:30), we know that Jesus rode on the colt. It was customary for a mother donkey to follow her offspring closely. Hence Matthew mentions two animals.
- Matthew 21:9 Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord: taken from Ps 118:26f, this phrase does not express the customary greeting directed at the pilgrim who had reached the Holy City. Like the Hosanna mentioned above, it is an acclamation to the Messiah who is taking possession of his kingdom.
- Matthew 21:12 As if to stress the authority of the Messiah, the evangelist follows up the entry into Jerusalem with Jesus’ cleansing of the temple. He then adds the acclamation of the children, in whom he sees the fulfillment of another prophecy. John, on the other hand, places the cleansing of the temple at the beginning of Christ’s public ministry. While not ruling out two distinct cleansings, scholars usually prefer the chronology of John, since the Synoptics have chosen to assign the whole of Christ’s activity in Judea to the last period of his life.
- Matthew 21:13 Jesus combines two Old Testament prophecies: Isa 56:7 (“My house shall be called a house of prayer”) and Jer 7:11 (“Has this house, which bears my name become in your eyes a den of thieves?”).
- Matthew 21:18 The cursing of the fig tree is a symbolic act, a kind of parable in action. It signifies the condemnation of Israel, which has now become a sterile plant. The ancient Prophets often had recourse to this type of teaching.
- Matthew 21:23 This is the first of five controversies between Jesus and the religious authorities of Judaism in Mt 21:23—22:46. They are in a question-and-answer form and are interrupted after the first by three parables on the judgment of Israel (Mt 21:28-32; 21:33-46; 22:1-14).
- Matthew 21:27 The religious authorities claim ignorance of the origin of John’s baptism and thereby demonstrate that they cannot speak with authority. Therefore, Jesus refuses to tell them by what authority he acts.
- Matthew 21:28 The parable of the two sons denounces a religion that is content with words and appearances. The facile “Yes” on the lips is a poor disguise for the refusal of the heart. To the hypocrisy of the recognized teachers, Jesus opposes the true faith of the poor. The evangelist utilizes this parable to indicate the end of Israel’s privileges and the entrance of Gentiles into the growing Church.
- Matthew 21:33 The parable repeats, almost word for word, passages from the beautiful, sad song of the vineyard in Isa 5; Jesus is speaking of God and his people. How can we forget the tragic history of the Prophets, who were rejected, tormented, and stoned to death (2 Chr 24:21; Heb 11:37; Lk 13:34)? Is not the son here Jesus himself?
Scholars believe that some allegorical elements have been added herein to a basic parable originally spoken by Christ. One reason for their belief is the newly found apocryphal Gospel of Thomas, which contains (#65) a more primitive form of the parable. - Matthew 21:44 Some manuscripts do not have this verse, which indicates that both hostility and apathy are wrong responses to Christ. It may be an early addition to this Gospel based on Lk 20:18.
Matthew 21
New King James Version
The Triumphal Entry(A)
21 Now (B)when they drew near Jerusalem, and came to [a]Bethphage, at (C)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 [b]All this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying:
5 “Tell(D) the daughter of Zion,
‘Behold, your King is coming to you,
Lowly, and sitting on a donkey,
A colt, the foal of a donkey.’ ”
6 (E)So the disciples went and did as Jesus commanded them. 7 They brought the donkey and the colt, (F)laid their clothes on them, [c]and set Him on them. 8 And a very great multitude spread their clothes on the road; (G)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:
“Hosanna to the Son of David!
(H)‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’
Hosanna in the highest!”
10 (I)And when He had come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, “Who is this?”
11 So the multitudes said, “This is Jesus, (J)the prophet from Nazareth of Galilee.”
Jesus Cleanses the Temple(K)
12 (L)Then Jesus went into the temple [d]of God and drove out all those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the (M)money changers and the seats of those who sold doves. 13 And He said to them, “It is written, (N)‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you have made it a (O)‘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 (P)Son of David!” they were [e]indignant 16 and said to Him, “Do You hear what these are saying?”
And Jesus said to them, “Yes. Have you never read,
(Q)‘Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants
You have perfected praise’?”
17 Then He left them and (R)went out of the city to Bethany, and He lodged there.
The Fig Tree Withered(S)
18 (T)Now in the morning, as He returned to the city, He was hungry. 19 (U)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(V)
20 (W)And when the disciples saw it, they marveled, saying, “How did the fig tree wither away so soon?”
21 So Jesus answered and said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you, (X)if you have faith and (Y)do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, (Z)but also if you say to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ it will be done. 22 And (AA)whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.”
Jesus’ Authority Questioned(AB)
23 (AC)Now when He came into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people confronted Him as He was teaching, and (AD)said, “By what authority are You doing these things? And who gave You this authority?”
24 But Jesus answered and said to them, “I also will ask you one thing, which if you tell Me, I likewise will tell you by what authority I do these things: 25 The (AE)baptism of (AF)John—where was it from? From heaven or from men?”
And they reasoned among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will say to us, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’ 26 But if we say, ‘From men,’ we (AG)fear the multitude, (AH)for all count John as a prophet.” 27 So they answered Jesus and said, “We do not know.”
And He said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.
The Parable of the Two Sons
28 “But what do you think? A man had two sons, and he came to the first and said, ‘Son, go, work today in my (AI)vineyard.’ 29 He answered and said, ‘I will not,’ but afterward he regretted it and went. 30 Then he came to the second and said likewise. And he answered and said, ‘I go, sir,’ but he did not go. 31 Which of the two did the will of his father?”
They said to Him, “The first.”
Jesus said to them, (AJ)“Assuredly, I say to you that tax collectors and harlots enter the kingdom of God before you. 32 For (AK)John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him; (AL)but tax collectors and harlots believed him; and when you saw it, you did not afterward [f]relent and believe him.
The Parable of the Wicked Vinedressers(AM)
33 “Hear another parable: There was a certain landowner (AN)who planted a vineyard and set a hedge around it, dug a winepress in it and built a tower. And he leased it to vinedressers and (AO)went into a far country. 34 Now when vintage-time drew near, he sent his servants to the vinedressers, that they might receive its fruit. 35 (AP)And the vinedressers took his servants, beat one, killed one, and stoned another. 36 Again he sent other servants, more than the first, and they did likewise to them. 37 Then last of all he sent his (AQ)son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ 38 But when the vinedressers saw the son, they said among themselves, (AR)‘This is the heir. (AS)Come, let us kill him and seize his inheritance.’ 39 (AT)So they took him and cast him out of the vineyard and killed him.
40 “Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those vinedressers?”
41 (AU)They said to Him, (AV)“He will destroy those wicked men miserably, (AW)and lease his vineyard to other vinedressers who will [g]render to him the fruits in their seasons.”
42 Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures:
(AX)‘The stone which the builders rejected
Has become the chief cornerstone.
This was the Lord’s doing,
And it is marvelous in our eyes’?
43 “Therefore I say to you, (AY)the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it. 44 And (AZ)whoever falls on this stone will be broken; but on whomever it falls, (BA)it will grind him to powder.”
45 Now when the chief priests and Pharisees heard His parables, they [h]perceived that He was speaking of them. 46 But when they sought to lay hands on Him, they (BB)feared the multitudes, because (BC)they took Him for a prophet.
Footnotes
- Matthew 21:1 M Bethsphage
- Matthew 21:4 NU omits All
- Matthew 21:7 NU and He sat
- Matthew 21:12 NU omits of God
- Matthew 21:15 angry
- Matthew 21:32 regret it
- Matthew 21:41 give
- Matthew 21:45 knew
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
