⁹ Indeed, how can we thank God enough for you in return for all the joy we have before God on account of you? ¹⁰ Night and day we are praying earnestly to see you in person and to supply what is lacking in your faith.

¹¹ May God our Father himself and our Lord Jesus direct our way to you. ¹² And may the Lord increase your love and make it overflow for each other and for all people, just as ours does for you, ¹³ so that he may establish your hearts as blameless in holiness before our God and Father, when our Lord Jesus comes with all his saints.^[a]

Jesus’ Triumphal Entry Into Jerusalem

²⁸ After Jesus had said these things, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. ²⁹ As he came near to Bethphage and Bethany, at the place called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples ahead, ³⁰ saying, “Go to the village ahead of you. When you enter it, you will find a colt tied, on which no one has ever sat. Untie it and bring it here. ³¹ And if anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ you will say this: ‘The Lord needs it.’”

³² Those who were sent ahead went and found things just as he had told them. ³³ As they were untying the colt, its owners said to them, “Why are you untying the colt?”

³⁴ They said, “The Lord needs it.”

³⁵ Then they brought the colt to Jesus. They threw their robes on the colt and set Jesus on it. ³⁶ As he went along, people spread their robes on the road. ³⁷ As he was approaching the slope of the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began to praise God joyfully, with a loud voice, for all the miracles they had seen, ³⁸ saying, “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord!^[a] Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”

³⁹ Some of the Pharisees from the crowd said to him, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!”

⁴⁰ He replied, “I tell you, if these people would be silent, the stones would cry out.”