Luke 19:28-48

Good News Translation

The Triumphant Approach to Jerusalem^(A)

²⁸ After Jesus said this, he went on in front of them toward Jerusalem. ²⁹ As he came near Bethphage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives, he sent two disciples ahead ³⁰ with these instructions: “Go to the village there ahead of you; as you go in, you will find a colt tied up that has never been ridden. Untie it and bring it here. ³¹ If someone asks you why you are untying it, tell him that the Master^[a] needs it.”

³² They went on their way and found everything just as Jesus had told them. ³³ As they were untying the colt, its owners said to them, “Why are you untying it?”

³⁴ “The Master needs it,” they answered, ³⁵ and they took the colt to Jesus. Then they threw their cloaks over the animal and helped Jesus get on. ³⁶ As he rode on, people spread their cloaks on the road.

³⁷ When he came near Jerusalem, at the place where the road went down the Mount of Olives, the large crowd of his disciples began to thank God and praise him in loud voices for all the great things that they had seen: ^38 (B)“God bless the king who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory to God!”

³⁹ Then some of the Pharisees in the crowd spoke to Jesus. “Teacher,” they said, “command your disciples to be quiet!”

⁴⁰ Jesus answered, “I tell you that if they keep quiet, the stones themselves will start shouting.”

Jesus Weeps over Jerusalem

⁴¹ He came closer to the city, and when he saw it, he wept over it, ⁴² saying, “If you only knew today what is needed for peace! But now you cannot see it! ⁴³ The time will come when your enemies will surround you with barricades, blockade you, and close in on you from every side. ⁴⁴ They will completely destroy you and the people within your walls; not a single stone will they leave in its place, because you did not recognize the time when God came to save you!”

Jesus Goes to the Temple^(C)

⁴⁵ Then Jesus went into the Temple and began to drive out the merchants, ^46 (D)saying to them, “It is written in the Scriptures that God said, ‘My Temple will be a house of prayer.’ But you have turned it into a hideout for thieves!”

^47 (E)Every day Jesus taught in the Temple. The chief priests, the teachers of the Law, and the leaders of the people wanted to kill him, ⁴⁸ but they could not find a way to do it, because all the people kept listening to him, not wanting to miss a single word.