马太福音 21
Chinese Contemporary Bible (Simplified)
光荣进圣城
21 耶稣和门徒离耶路撒冷越来越近了，他们来到橄榄山旁的伯法其。 2 耶稣派两个门徒进村，并对他们说：“你们到前面的村庄去，就会看见一头母驴拴在那里，旁边还有一头驴驹。你们把它们解开，牵到我这里。 3 要是有人问起，你们就说，‘主要用它们’，那人会立刻让你们牵来。” 4 这件事是要应验先知的话：
5 “要对锡安城[a]说，‘看啊，你的君王来了！祂谦卑地骑着驴，骑着一头驴驹。’”
6 两个门徒照着耶稣的吩咐去了， 7 把母驴和驴驹带了回来。他们把自己的衣服盖在驴背上，让耶稣骑上去。 8 许多人把衣服铺在路上，也有些人砍下树枝铺在路上。 9 众人前呼后拥，欢呼着说：
“和散那[b]归于大卫的后裔！
奉主名来的当受称颂！
和散那归于至高之处的上帝！”
10 耶稣进耶路撒冷时，全城轰动，说：“这是谁？”
11 众人说：“祂是先知耶稣，来自加利利的拿撒勒。”
洁净圣殿
12 耶稣进入圣殿，赶走里面做买卖的人，又推翻兑换钱币之人的桌子和卖鸽子之人的凳子。
13 耶稣斥责他们说：“圣经上说，‘我的殿必称为祷告的殿。’你们竟把它变成了贼窝。”
14 殿中的瞎子和瘸子都来到耶稣面前，祂便医好了他们。 15 祭司长和律法教师看见祂所行的奇事，又听见小孩子在圣殿里高声喊着：“和散那归于大卫的后裔！”便十分恼怒。 16 他们责问耶稣说：“你听见这些人说的了吗？”
耶稣说：“我听见了。圣经上说，‘你使孩童和婴儿口中发出颂赞’，你们没有读过吗？” 17 然后，祂便离开他们，出城前往伯大尼，在那里住宿。
咒诅无花果树
18 清早，耶稣在回城的途中饿了。 19 祂看见路旁有一棵无花果树，便走过去，却发现除了叶子外什么也没有。
祂对那棵树说：“你将再不会结果子！”那棵树立刻枯萎了。
20 门徒见了就惊奇地问：“这棵树怎么一下子枯萎了？”
21 耶稣回答说：“我实在告诉你们，如果你们有信心、不怀疑，不但能使无花果树枯萎，就算对这座山说，‘从这里挪开，投进大海里！’也照样可以实现。 22 所以，你们祷告时无论求什么，只要有信心，就必定得到。”
质问耶稣的权柄
23 耶稣进了圣殿，正在教导人的时候，祭司长和民间的长老来质问祂：“你凭什么权柄做这些事？谁授权给你了？”
24 耶稣说：“我也要问你们一个问题，你们回答了，我就告诉你们我凭什么权柄做这些事。 25 约翰的洗礼是从哪里来的？从天上来的，还是从人来的？”
他们便彼此议论说：“如果我们说‘是从天上来的’，祂一定会问我们，‘那你们为什么不信他？’ 26 但如果我们说‘是从人来的’，又怕触怒百姓，因为他们相信约翰是个先知。” 27 于是，他们回答耶稣说：“我们不知道。”
耶稣说：“我也不告诉你们我凭什么权柄做这些事。”
两个儿子的比喻
28 耶稣又说：“你们怎样看这件事？某人有两个儿子。他对大儿子说，‘孩子，你今天到葡萄园工作吧！’
29 “大儿子回答说，‘我不去！’但后来他改变了主意，就去了。
30 “那父亲又对小儿子说，‘你今天到葡萄园工作吧！’小儿子回答说，‘好的，父亲。’他答应了，却没有去。
31 “你们认为这两个儿子，到底哪一个服从父亲呢？”
他们回答道：“大儿子。”
耶稣说：“我实在告诉你们，税吏和娼妓要比你们先进上帝的国。 32 因为约翰来指示你们当行的正路，你们不信他，但税吏和娼妓信了。你们亲眼看见了这些事，竟然还是执迷不悟，不肯信他。
恶毒的佃户
33 “你们再听一个比喻。有个园主栽种了一个葡萄园，在园子的四周建造围墙，又在园中挖了一个榨酒池，建了一座瞭望台，然后把葡萄园租给佃户，就出远门了。 34 到了收获的季节，园主派奴仆到佃户那里收果子。 35 但那些佃户却抓住他的奴仆，打伤一个，杀死一个，又用石头打死了一个。 36 于是，园主又派更多的奴仆去，结果也遭到同样的对待。 37 最后，园主派了自己的儿子去，心想，‘他们肯定会尊重我的儿子。’ 38 然而，那些佃户看见园主的儿子来了，就商量说，‘这是园主的继承人。来吧！我们杀掉他，占了他的产业！’ 39 于是，他们抓住他，把他推出园外杀了。 40 那么，当园主回来的时候，他会怎样处置那些佃户呢？”
41 他们说：“他会毫不留情地除掉那些恶人，然后把葡萄园租给其他按时交果子的佃户。”
42 耶稣说：
“‘工匠丢弃的石头已成了房角石。
这是主的作为，在我们看来奇妙莫测。’
你们难道没有读过这段经文吗？ 43 所以，我告诉你们，将把上帝的国从你们那里夺去，赐给结果子的人。 44 凡跌在这石头上的人，一定粉身碎骨；这石头落在谁身上，就会把谁砸烂。”
45 祭司长和法利赛人听了耶稣的比喻，明白是针对他们讲的。 46 他们试图逮捕耶稣，但又害怕百姓，因为百姓都认为耶稣是先知。
Matthew 21
Contemporary English Version
Jesus Enters Jerusalem
(Mark 11.1-11; Luke 19.28-38; John 12.12-19)
21 When Jesus and his disciples came near Jerusalem, he went to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives and sent two of them on ahead. 2 He told them, “Go into the next village, where you will at once find a donkey and her colt. Untie the two donkeys and bring them to me. 3 If anyone asks why you are doing this, just say, ‘The Lord[a] needs them.’ He will at once let you have the donkeys.”
4 So God's promise came true, just as the prophet had said,
5 (A) “Announce to the people
of Jerusalem:
‘Your king is coming to you!
He is humble
and rides on a donkey.
He comes on the colt
of a donkey.’ ”
6 The disciples left and did what Jesus had told them to do. 7 They brought the donkey and its colt and laid some clothes on their backs. Then Jesus got on.
8 Many people spread clothes in the road, while others put down branches[b] which they had cut from trees. 9 (B) Some people walked ahead of Jesus and others followed behind. They were all shouting,
“Hooray[c] for the Son of David![d]
God bless the one who comes
in the name of the Lord.
Hooray for God
in heaven above!”
10 When Jesus came to Jerusalem, everyone in the city was excited and asked, “Who can this be?”
11 The crowds answered, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.”
Jesus in the Temple
(Mark 11.15-19; Luke 19.45-48; John 2.13-22)
12 Jesus went into the temple and chased out everyone who was selling or buying. He turned over the tables of the moneychangers and the benches of the ones who were selling doves. 13 (C) He told them, “The Scriptures say, ‘My house should be called a place of worship.’ But you have turned it into a place where robbers hide.”
14 Blind and lame people came to Jesus in the temple, and he healed them. 15 But the chief priests and the teachers of the Law of Moses were angry when they saw his miracles and heard the children shouting praises to the Son of David.[e] 16 (D) The men said to Jesus, “Don't you hear what those children are saying?”
“Yes, I do!” Jesus answered. “Don't you know that the Scriptures say, ‘Children and infants will sing praises’?” 17 Then Jesus left the city and went out to the village of Bethany, where he spent the night.
Jesus Puts a Curse on a Fig Tree
(Mark 11.12-14,20-24)
18 When Jesus got up the next morning, he was hungry. He started out for the city, 19 and along the way he saw a fig tree. But when he came to it, he found only leaves and no figs. So he told the tree, “You will never again grow any fruit!” Right then the fig tree dried up.
20 The disciples were shocked when they saw how quickly the tree had dried up. 21 (E) But Jesus said to them, “If you have faith and don't doubt, I promise you can do what I did to this tree. And you will be able to do even more. You can tell this mountain to get up and jump into the sea, and it will. 22 If you have faith when you pray, you will be given whatever you ask for.”
A Question about Jesus' Authority
(Mark 11.27-33; Luke 20.1-8)
23 Jesus had gone into the temple and was teaching when the chief priests and the leaders of the people came up to him. They asked, “What right do you have to do these things? Who gave you this authority?”
24 Jesus answered, “I have just one question to ask you. If you answer it, I will tell you where I got the right to do these things. 25 Who gave John the right to baptize? Was it God in heaven or merely some human being?”
They thought it over and said to each other, “We can't say God gave John this right. Jesus will ask us why we didn't believe John. 26 On the other hand, these people think John was a prophet, and we are afraid of what they might do to us. That's why we can't say it was merely some human who gave John the right to baptize.” 27 So they told Jesus, “We don't know.”
Jesus said, “Then I won't tell you who gave me the right to do what I do.”
A Story about Two Sons
28 Jesus said:
I will tell you a story about a man who had two sons. Then you can tell me what you think. The father went to the older son and said, “Go work in the vineyard today!” 29 His son told him he would not do it, but later he changed his mind and went. 30 The man then told his younger son to go work in the vineyard. The boy said he would, but he didn't go. 31 Which one of the sons obeyed his father?
“The older one,” the chief priests and leaders answered.
Then Jesus told them:
You can be sure tax collectors[f] and prostitutes will get into the kingdom of God before you ever will! 32 (F) When John the Baptist showed you how to do right, you would not believe him. But these evil people did believe. And even when you saw what they did, you still would not change your minds and believe.
Renters of a Vineyard
(Mark 12.1-12; Luke 20.9-19)
33 (G) Jesus told the chief priests and leaders to listen to this story:
A land owner once planted a vineyard. He built a wall around it and dug a pit to crush the grapes in. He also built a lookout tower. Then he rented out his vineyard and left the country.
34 When it was harvest time, the owner sent some servants to get his share of the grapes. 35 But the renters grabbed those servants. They beat up one, killed one, and stoned one of them to death. 36 He then sent more servants than he did the first time. But the renters treated them in the same way.
37 Finally, the owner sent his own son to the renters, because he thought they would respect him. 38 But when they saw the man's son, they said, “Someday he will own the vineyard. Let's kill him! Then we can have it all for ourselves.” 39 So they grabbed him, threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him.
40 Jesus asked, “When the owner of that vineyard comes, what do you suppose he will do to those renters?”
41 The chief priests and leaders answered, “He will kill them in some horrible way. Then he will rent out his vineyard to people who will give him his share of grapes at harvest time.”
42 (H) Jesus replied, “You surely know that the Scriptures say,
‘The stone the builders
tossed aside
is now the most important
stone of all.
This is something
the Lord has done,
and it is amazing to us.’
43 I tell you God's kingdom will be taken from you and given to people who will do what he demands. 44 Anyone who stumbles over this stone will be crushed, and anyone it falls on will be smashed to pieces.”[g]
45 When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard these stories, they knew Jesus was talking about them. 46 So they looked for a way to arrest Jesus. But they were afraid to, because the people thought he was a prophet.
Footnotes
- 21.3 The Lord: Or “The master of the donkeys.”
- 21.8 spread clothes … put down branches: This was one way that the Jewish people welcomed a famous person.
- 21.9 Hooray: This translates a word that can mean “please save us.” But it is most often used as a shout of praise to God.
- 21.9 Son of David: See the note at 9.27.
- 21.15 Son of David: See the note at 9.27.
- 21.31 tax collectors: See the note at 5.46.
- 21.44 pieces: Verse 44 is not in some manuscripts.
Matthew 21
Christian Standard Bible
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 with her colt. Untie them and bring them to me. 3 If anyone says anything to you, say that the Lord needs them, and he will send them at once.”
4 This took place so that what was spoken through the prophet might be fulfilled:
5 Tell Daughter Zion,
“See, your King is coming to you,
gentle, and mounted on a donkey,
and on a colt,
the foal of a donkey.”[a](C)
6 The disciples went and did just as Jesus directed them. 7 They brought the donkey and the colt; then they laid their clothes on them, and he sat on them. 8 A very large crowd spread their clothes 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 shouted:
Hosannato the Son of David!
Blessed is he who comes in the name
of the Lord![b]
Hosannain the highest heaven!(D)
10 When he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was in an uproar, saying, “Who is this?” 11 The crowds were saying, “This is the prophet Jesus(E) from Nazareth in Galilee.”
Cleansing the Temple
12 Jesus went into the temple[c](F) and threw out all those buying and selling. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the chairs of those selling doves.(G) 13 He said to them, “It is written, my house will be called a house of prayer,[d] but you are making it a den of thieves!”(H)[e]
Children Praise Jesus
14 The blind and the lame came to him in the temple, and he healed them. 15 When the chief priests and the scribes saw the wonders that he did and the children shouting in the temple, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” they were indignant 16 and said to him, “Do you hear what these children are saying?”
Jesus replied, “Yes, have you never read:
17 Then he left them, went out of the city to Bethany,(J) and spent the night there.
The Barren Fig Tree
18 Early in the morning,(K) as he was returning to the city, he was hungry. 19 Seeing a lone fig tree by the road, he went up to it and found nothing on it except leaves. And he said to it, “May no fruit ever come from you again!” At once the fig tree withered.
20 When the disciples saw it, they were amazed and said, “How did the fig tree wither so quickly?”
21 Jesus answered them, “Truly I tell you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but even if you tell this mountain, ‘Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ it will be done.(L) 22 And if you believe, you will receive(M) whatever you ask for in prayer.”
The Authority of Jesus Challenged
23 When he entered the temple,(N) the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him as he was teaching and said, “By what authority are you doing these things? Who gave you this authority?” (O)
24 Jesus answered them, “I will also ask you one question, and if you answer it for me, then I will tell you by what authority I do these things. 25 Did John’s baptism come from heaven, or was it of human origin?”
They discussed it among themselves, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say to us, ‘Then why didn’t you believe him?’ (P) 26 But if we say, ‘Of human origin,’ we’re afraid of the crowd,(Q) because everyone considers John to be a prophet.”(R) 27 So they answered Jesus, “We don’t 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 “What do you think? A man had two sons. He went to the first and said, ‘My son, go work in the vineyard today.’(S)
29 “He answered, ‘I don’t want to,’ but later he changed his mind and went. 30 Then the man went to the other and said the same thing. ‘I will, sir,’ he answered, but he didn’t go. 31 Which of the two did his father’s will?”
They said, “The first.”
Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, tax collectors and prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God before you. 32 For John came to you in the way of righteousness,(T) and you didn’t believe him. Tax collectors and prostitutes did believe him; but you, when you saw it, didn’t even change your minds then and believe him.
The Parable of the Vineyard Owner
33 “Listen(U) to another parable:(V) There was a landowner, who planted a vineyard, put a fence around it, dug a winepress in it, and built a watchtower.(W) He leased it to tenant farmers and went away.(X) 34 When the time came to harvest fruit, he sent his servants to the farmers to collect his fruit. 35 The farmers took his servants, beat one, killed another, and stoned a third.(Y) 36 Again, he sent other servants, more than the first group, and they did the same to them. 37 Finally, he sent his son to them. ‘They will respect my son,’ he said.
38 “But when the tenant farmers saw the son, they said to each other, ‘This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him and take his inheritance.’(Z) 39 So they seized him, threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him. 40 Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those farmers?”
41 “He will completely destroy those terrible men,” they told him, “and lease his vineyard to other farmers who will give him his fruit at the harvest.”(AA)
42 Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures:
The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone.[h]
This is what the Lord has done
and it is wonderful in our eyes?[i](AB)
43 Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people producing its fruit. 44 Whoever falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; (AC) but on whomever it falls, it will shatter him.”[j]
45 When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables,(AD) they knew he was speaking about them. 46 Although they were looking for a way to arrest him, they feared the crowds, because the people regarded him as a prophet.(AE)
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