MATEO 21
Uspanteco
Kakaj Jesús tioc Jerusalén
21 Cuando xtawtak chi nakaj re Jerusalén, wiˈtakchak Betfagé wich witz ri jbˈij Olivos. Kakaj Jesús xtakbˈi quibˈ rechak yak ajtijol ribˈak chirij, 2 xij rechak: Jattak li man tilmit ri wiˈbˈi chawchak, claˈ tibˈe ateˈtak jun ixok bˈur ximil y wiˈ jun ra jkˈun riqˈuil. Quirtakch man bˈur pach ra jkˈun y cˈamtakch. 3 Wi wiˈ nen atchˈabˈentak chirijak, bˈijtak re: Tike chocon jwiˈl Kajawl y laj orke tiyuk jkˈasaj, atcheˈtak re, xcheˈ Kakaj Jesús rechak.
4 Jilonli xan pire xtaw chiwch ri xcan jtzˈibˈaj jun ajkˈasal Jyolj Kakaj Dios ri tijbˈij jilonri:
5 Bˈijtak rechak yak aj Sión:
Iltak areyak petzal aacˈlak y taˈ tijcoj jkˈij, quejal jun ra bˈur jwiˈl, ticheˈ.
6 Xpetak yak quibˈ ajtijol ribˈak chirij Kakaj Jesucristo, xeˈtak y xeˈ raneˈtak chapcaˈ xijsaj rechak. 7 Xcˈamtakch man ixok bˈur pach man ra jkˈun, xyeˈtakbˈi ritzˈikak ri tijkˈuˈjtak chirij ra kˈun bˈur y Kakaj Jesús xquejajbˈic.
8 Y subˈlaj qˈui cristian bˈesaltak chirij, wiˈ nicˈj xlicˈ ritzˈikak ri tijkˈuˈjtak laj bˈe y nicˈj chic xcˈurtak xak cheˈ y xyeˈtak laj jbˈe. 9 Cristian ri nabˈetak pach ri tixamtak chirij Kakaj Jesús xoctak chi chˈejejem, xijtak:
¡Nim jkˈij Jcˈajol David!
¡Kakaj Dios ri Kajawl wiˈ jkˈabˈ chibˈ ri petzal laj jbˈij!
¡Nim jkˈij Kakaj Dios lecj! xcheˈtak.
10 Cuando xoc Kakaj Jesús Jerusalén juntir cristian xsaach jchˈolak y subˈlaj cristian xtzˈonajtak chiribˈil ribˈak: ¿Nen chiquiˈ chi winak lal ri? xcheˈtak.
11 Y nicˈj cristian xijtak: Riˈ Jesucristo ri ajkˈasal Jyolj Kakaj Dios ri aj Nazaret ri jun tilmit re Galilea, xcheˈtak.
Tiesajbˈi mak ajcˈaybˈ li nimi richoch Kakaj Dios
12 Kakaj Jesús xoc li nimi richoch Kakaj Dios y xruktajbˈi mak ajcˈaybˈ pach mak ajlokˈomanl ri wiˈtak claˈ. Xsolcopij mak jmexak mak ajqˈuexeltak pwak ri wiˈtak claˈ pach mak jtemak mak ajcˈayaltak ut. 13 Y xij rechak: Tzˈibˈaliˈ li wuj re Lokˈlaj Jyolj Kakaj Dios ri tijbˈij jilonri:
Wichoch rechiˈ lamas tibˈan chˈaˈwem wiqˈuil, xcheˈ Kakaj Dios, ticheˈ. Pero atak cojol pi molbˈi ribˈak alkˈom awiˈlak, xcheˈ Kakaj Jesús rechak.
14 Xpetak yak moy pach yak coˈx xtawtak riqˈui Kakaj Jesús li nimi richoch Kakaj Dios y xtzibˈsajtakaˈ jwiˈl Kakaj Jesús. 15 Pero mak jbˈabˈalak yak ajcˈamaltak jbˈeak cristian riqˈui Kakaj Dios pach yak ajtijoltak cristian re Jpixbˈ Kakaj Dios subˈlaj xpe retzalak cuando xriltak mak nimaktak cˈutbˈi jcwinel Kakaj Dios ri xan y xtatak tichˈejejtak mak tral acˈl li nimi richoch Kakaj Dios ri tijbˈijtak:
¡Nim jkˈij Jcˈajol David! ticheˈtak.
16 Rechak xtzˈonajtak re Kakaj Jesús: ¿Ton ataˈ nen tijin tijbˈijtak mak tral acˈl? xcheˈtak re.
Kakaj Jesús xij rechak: Tantaˈn. ¿Taˈcˈu ilan awiˈlak li wuj re Lokˈlaj Jyolj Kakaj Dios ri tijbˈij jilonri?
At xabˈan chi laˈ jbˈixak mak tral acˈl ri aj nuchˈtak pach mak tral acˈl aj tijin tituˈntak tibˈixaj jnimirsaj akˈij, ticheˈ, xcheˈ Kakaj Jesús rechak.
17 Kakaj Jesús xcan jyeˈ mak cristian claˈ xeˈ Betania, claˈ xeˈ waˈxok lakˈabˈ.
Jun jcheˈl higo tichekej
18 Akˈabˈ laj jcabˈ kˈij Kakaj Jesús xkˈaj chic Jerusalén, cuando bˈesal lak bˈe xcˈok jwiˈl wiˈjal. 19 Xrilbˈi chi wiˈ jun jcheˈl higo chiˈ bˈe. Xeˈ rileˈ wi wiˈ jwich, pero taˈ ni jono jwich xeˈ jteˈ. Jwiˈliˈli xchˈabˈej man jcheˈl higo, xij re: Ni jun bˈwelt atwichin chic, xcheˈ re.
Y laj or xchekej man cheˈ. 20 Yak ajtijol ribˈak chirij Kakaj Jesucristo, cuando xriltak xchekej man jcheˈl higo, subˈlaj xsaach jchˈolak xtzˈonajtak re Kakaj Jesús: ¿Nen chac laj or xchekej man jcheˈl higo? xcheˈtak re.
21 Kakaj Jesús xij rechak: Kes tzˈetel tzˈet tambˈij chawechak, atak wi kes tzˈet cubˈul achˈolak chirij Kakaj Dios y taˈ tran quibˈ awanmak, maˈ xitaˈke atcwintak chi jbˈanic chapcaˈ ximbˈan in re man jcheˈl higo. Atak wi tabˈijtak re man witz ri: Elambˈi claˈ, tˈojta aybˈ li mar, atcheˈtak re, ticojoniˈ chawchak. 22 Juntir nen chawajak tatzˈonajtak cuando atchˈaˈwtak riqˈui Kakaj Dios wi kes tzˈet cubˈul achˈolak chirij Kakaj Dios, taculaˈtakaˈn, xcheˈ Kakaj Jesús rechak yak ajtijol ribˈak chirij.
Ticˈotsaj jchiˈ Kakaj Jesús chirij jkˈatbˈitzij
23 Kakaj Jesús xocbˈi li nimi richoch Kakaj Dios. Cuando tijin chi jtijoj cristian claˈ, xpetak mak jbˈabˈalak yak ajcˈamaltak jbˈeak cristian riqˈui Kakaj Dios pach yak ri wiˈ rekleˈnak chijxoˈlak yak rijajl Israel xjutuntak chijcˈulel Kakaj Jesús y xtzˈonajtak re: ¿Nencˈu xattakow chi jbˈanic jilonli? ¿Nen xyeˈw kˈatbˈitzij laj akˈbˈ pire tabˈan jilonli? xcheˈtak re.
24 Kakaj Jesús xij rechak: Jilon in chwaj tantzˈonaj jun kelen chawechak: Wi tacˈululajtak inyolj, tambˈijiˈ chawechak nen xyeˈw kˈatbˈitzij laj inkˈbˈ pire tambˈan jilonli. ¿Nencˈu xtakow re Juan Ajbˈanal Jaˈtiox chi jbˈanic jaˈtiox? ¿Kakaj Diosniˈ xtakow re o cristianke? xcheˈ Kakaj Jesús rechak.
25 Rechak xoctak chi jchomorsaj chiribˈil ribˈak nen tijbˈijtak, xijtak: Wi tikabˈij re chi Kakaj Dios xtakowch re Juan Ajbˈanal Jaˈtiox, li tijbˈijiˈ chike: ¿Nencˈu chac taˈ xacojtak jyolj? ticheˈ. 26 Tike tzaak kachˈol pent wiˈ nen trantak cristian chike wi tikabˈij chi cristianke takowinak re, jwiˈl rechak tijbˈijtak chirij Juan Ajbˈanal Jaˈtiox chi ajkˈasal Jyoljiˈ Kakaj Dios, xcheˈtak.
27 Jwiˈliˈli xijtak re Kakaj Jesús: Taˈ ketam nen takowinakch re, xcheˈtak.
Kakaj Jesús xij chic rechak: Jilon in taˈ tambˈij chawechak nen xyeˈw kˈatbˈitzij laj inkˈbˈ chi jbˈanic jilonli, xcheˈ rechak.
Esbˈi noˈj chirij quibˈ alcˈwalixelbˈ
28 Kakaj Jesús xtzˈonaj chic rechak: ¿Nen tabˈij atak chirij ri xantak quibˈ alcˈwalixelbˈ? Wiˈ jun winak wiˈ quibˈ jcˈajol.
Xpe winak li, xij re man nabˈeal: At incˈajol, jat li chac lak uva, xcheˈ re.
29 Man jcˈajol li xij: Taˈ chwaj imbˈec, xcheˈ.
Pero chi usil xqˈuex jnoˈj y xeˈ li chac. 30 Y xpe man winak li, xeˈ chic riqˈui man jcabˈal y xij re chapcaˈ xij re man nabˈeal y man jcabˈal xij: Tziyiˈ li, tat, imbˈiˈn, xcheˈ.
Pero taˈ tzˈet xecˈ. 31 ¿Nencˈu rechak mak quibˈ xanowtak lawiˈ raj jkajak trantak? xcheˈ Kakaj Jesús rechak.
Rechak xijtak re Kakaj Jesús: Riˈ man nabˈeal, xcheˈtak.
Kakaj Jesús xij chic rechak: Kes tzˈetel tzˈet tambˈij chawechak chi riˈ mak ajtzˈonaltak alcabar re Roma pach mak tzˈiˈtaklaj anm tioctak nabˈe lamas titakonwiˈ Kakaj Dios chibˈak cristian chawch atak, 32 jwiˈl Juan Ajbˈanal Jaˈtiox xyukiˈ jbˈij chawechak nen rajwax tabˈantak laj acˈaslemalak pire tran sucˈul awanmak chiwch Kakaj Dios. Pero atak taˈ xacojtak jyolj y yak ajtzˈonaltak alcabar pach mak tzˈiˈtaklaj anm xcojaˈtakaˈn. Atak onque xawilaˈtakaˈ juntir li, pero taˈ xaqˈuex anoˈjak pire tabˈantak lawiˈ raj Kakaj Dios tabˈantak, xcheˈ Kakaj Jesús rechak.
Esbˈi noˈj chirijak mak etzltak ajchac
33 Kakaj Jesús xij chic rechak: Tatak jcholajl jun esbˈi noˈj chic jilonri, wiˈ jun winak xtic uva laj rulew y xcoj corral chirij. Xcˈot jun luwar lamas xan man yetzˈbˈi uva y xan jun ja naj rakˈanebˈ pire tijchajaj jticoˈn. Ajrucˈreˈ xcan jyeˈ man rulew li chi kejom rechak nicˈj ajchac y xeˈ chinaj li jun jalan tilmit chic. 34 Cuando xtaw kˈij tikˈanabˈ jwichak mak uva, xpe man rajw ulew xtakch nicˈj jtakoˈn riqˈuilak chi jtzˈonaj rechak mak ajkejeltak ulew lawiˈ mak jwich uva ri tiyeˈsaj re pire kejbˈire man ulew. 35 Pero xpetak mak ajkejeltak ulew xchaptak mak takoˈn li, jun xchˈiˈtak, jun xcamsajtak y jun chic xcamsajtak chi abˈaj.
36 Xpe man rajw ulew, xtak chicch mas jtakoˈn chiwch nabˈe bˈwelt chi jtzˈonaj rechak mak ajkejeltak ulew lawiˈ mak jwich uva ri tiyeˈsaj re pire kejbˈire man ulew. Pero mak ajkejeltak ulew xantak chicbˈi rechak chapcaˈ xantak re yak nicˈj.
37 Ajrucˈreˈ man rajw ulew xtakch jcˈajol chi jtzˈonaj rechak lawiˈ mak jwich uva ri tiyeˈsaj re pire kejbˈire man ulew jwiˈl xchomorsaj chi ticojontakaˈ chiwch jcˈajol. 38 Pero mak ajkejeltak ulew cuando xriltak xtaw jcˈajol man rajw ulew xijtak chiribˈil ribˈak: Riˈ re tiechbˈen man ulew, lajori kacamsajtak pire tican man ulew ri pi ke oj, xcheˈtak mak ajkejeltak ulew.
39 Xpetak, xchaptak, xresajtakbˈi lak uva y xcamsajtak. 40 Y cuando tipe man rajw ulew, ¿nencˈu tran rechak mak ri kejewinaktak man ulew? xcheˈ Kakaj Jesús rechak.
41 Rechak xijtak: Taˈ chiquiˈ cˈax laj ranm tijcamsajtak mak etzltak ajkejeltak ulew li. Y tijyeˈ chic rulew chi kejom rechak nicˈj ajchac chic ri tijyeˈtak jwich uva pire kejbˈire man ulew cuando titaw kˈij tikˈanabˈ jwichak mak uva, xcheˈtak re Kakaj Jesús.
42 Kakaj Jesús xtzˈonaj chic rechak: ¿Taˈcˈu ilan awiˈlak li wuj re Lokˈlaj Jyolj Kakaj Dios ri tijbˈij jilonri?
Man abˈaj ri xcan jxuteˈtak yak ajbˈanaltak ja, riˈ xoc pire man nabˈe abˈaj pire jcowil man ja.
Jilonli xan Kakaj Dios ri Kajawl y subˈlaj ojquiˈcot chirij, ticheˈ. 43 Jwiˈliˈli in tambˈij chawechak chi Kakaj Dios taˈ chiquiˈ titakon chabˈak, riˈchak titakon chibˈak jalan cristian chic ri tijyeˈtak jwich ticoˈn pire kejbˈi rulew man rajw ulew. 44 Nen titzaak chibˈ man abˈaj li, tikˈajmajiˈn. Y nen titzaak man abˈaj li chibˈ, tranaˈ pok, xcheˈ Kakaj Jesús rechak.
45 Cuando mak jbˈabˈalak yak ajcˈamaltak jbˈeak cristian riqˈui Kakaj Dios pach mak fariseo xtatak jcholajl chi Kakaj Jesús tijin tijbˈij mak esbˈi noˈj li chirijakiˈ rechak, 46 subˈlaj xpe retzalak rajak roj xchapeˈtakbˈi Kakaj Jesús. Pero tike tzaak jchˈolak jwiˈl subˈlaj qˈui cristian retamakiˈ chi ajkˈasal Jyoljiˈ Kakaj Dios.
Matthew 21
New International Version
Jesus Comes to Jerusalem as King(A)(B)
21 As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives,(C) Jesus sent two disciples, 2 saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and at once you will find a donkey tied there, with her colt by her. 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 right away.”
4 This took place to fulfill(D) what was spoken through the prophet:
5 “Say to Daughter Zion,
‘See, your king comes to you,
gentle and riding on a donkey,
and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’”[a](E)
6 The disciples went and did as Jesus had instructed them. 7 They brought the donkey and the colt and placed their cloaks on them for Jesus to sit on. 8 A very large crowd spread their cloaks(F) on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9 The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted,
10 When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, “Who is this?”
11 The crowds answered, “This is Jesus, the prophet(J) from Nazareth in Galilee.”
Jesus at the Temple(K)
12 Jesus entered the temple courts and drove out all who were buying(L) and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers(M) and the benches of those selling doves.(N) 13 “It is written,” he said to them, “‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’[e](O) but you are making it ‘a den of robbers.’[f]”(P)
14 The blind and the lame came to him at the temple, and he healed them.(Q) 15 But when the chief priests and the teachers of the law saw the wonderful things he did and the children shouting in the temple courts, “Hosanna to the Son of David,”(R) they were indignant.(S)
16 “Do you hear what these children are saying?” they asked him.
“Yes,” replied Jesus, “have you never read,
17 And he left them and went out of the city to Bethany,(U) where he spent the night.
Jesus Curses a Fig Tree(V)
18 Early in the morning, as Jesus was on his way back to the city, he was hungry. 19 Seeing a fig tree by the road, he went up to it but found nothing on it except leaves. Then he said to it, “May you never bear fruit again!” Immediately the tree withered.(W)
20 When the disciples saw this, they were amazed. “How did the fig tree wither so quickly?” they asked.
21 Jesus replied, “Truly I tell you, if you have faith and do not doubt,(X) not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and it will be done. 22 If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for(Y) in prayer.”
The Authority of Jesus Questioned(Z)
23 Jesus entered the temple courts, and, while he was teaching, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him. “By what authority(AA) are you doing these things?” they asked. “And who gave you this authority?”
24 Jesus replied, “I will also ask you one question. If you answer me, I will tell you by what authority I am doing these things. 25 John’s baptism—where did it come from? Was it from heaven, or of human origin?”
They discussed it among themselves and said, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will ask, ‘Then why didn’t you believe him?’ 26 But if we say, ‘Of human origin’—we are afraid of the people, for they all hold that John was a prophet.”(AB)
27 So they answered Jesus, “We don’t know.”
Then he said, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.
The Parable of the Two Sons
28 “What do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work today in the vineyard.’(AC)
29 “‘I will not,’ he answered, but later he changed his mind and went.
30 “Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing. He answered, ‘I will, sir,’ but he did not go.
31 “Which of the two did what his father wanted?”
“The first,” they answered.
Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, the tax collectors(AD) and the prostitutes(AE) are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you. 32 For John came to you to show you the way of righteousness,(AF) and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors(AG) and the prostitutes(AH) did. And even after you saw this, you did not repent(AI) and believe him.
The Parable of the Tenants(AJ)
33 “Listen to another parable: There was a landowner who planted(AK) a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a winepress in it and built a watchtower.(AL) Then he rented the vineyard to some farmers and moved to another place.(AM) 34 When the harvest time approached, he sent his servants(AN) to the tenants to collect his fruit.
35 “The tenants seized his servants; they beat one, killed another, and stoned a third.(AO) 36 Then he sent other servants(AP) to them, more than the first time, and the tenants treated them the same way. 37 Last of all, he sent his son to them. ‘They will respect my son,’ he said.
38 “But when the tenants saw the son, they said to each other, ‘This is the heir.(AQ) Come, let’s kill him(AR) and take his inheritance.’(AS) 39 So they took him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him.
40 “Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?”
41 “He will bring those wretches to a wretched end,”(AT) they replied, “and he will rent the vineyard to other tenants,(AU) who will give him his share of the crop at harvest time.”
42 Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures:
“‘The stone the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone;
the Lord has done this,
and it is marvelous in our eyes’[h]?(AV)
43 “Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you(AW) and given to a people who will produce its fruit. 44 Anyone who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; anyone on whom it falls will be crushed.”[i](AX)
45 When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard Jesus’ parables, they knew he was talking about them. 46 They looked for a way to arrest him, but they were afraid of the crowd because the people held that he was a prophet.(AY)
Footnotes
- Matthew 21:5 Zech. 9:9
- Matthew 21:9 A Hebrew expression meaning “Save!” which became an exclamation of praise; also in verse 15
- Matthew 21:9 Psalm 118:25,26
- Matthew 21:9 A Hebrew expression meaning “Save!” which became an exclamation of praise; also in verse 15
- Matthew 21:13 Isaiah 56:7
- Matthew 21:13 Jer. 7:11
- Matthew 21:16 Psalm 8:2 (see Septuagint)
- Matthew 21:42 Psalm 118:22,23
- Matthew 21:44 Some manuscripts do not have verse 44.
Matthew 21
International Children’s Bible
Jesus Enters Jerusalem as a King
21 Jesus and his followers were coming closer to Jerusalem. But first they stopped at Bethphage at the hill called the Mount of Olives. From there Jesus sent two of his followers into the town. 2 He said to them, “Go to the town you can see there. When you enter it, you will find a donkey tied there with its colt. Untie them and bring them to me. 3 If anyone asks you why you are taking the donkeys, tell him, ‘The Master needs them. He will send them back soon.’” 4 This was to make clear the full meaning of what the prophet said:
5 “Tell the people of Jerusalem,
‘Your king is coming to you.
He is gentle and riding on a donkey.
He is on the colt of a donkey.’” Isaiah 62:11; Zechariah 9:9
6 The followers went and did what Jesus told them to do. 7 They brought the donkey and the colt to Jesus. They laid their coats on the donkeys, and Jesus sat on them. 8 Many people spread their coats on the road before Jesus. Others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9 Some of the people were walking ahead of Jesus. Others were walking behind him. All the people were shouting,
“Praise[a] to the Son of David!
God bless the One who comes in the name of the Lord! Psalm 118:26
Praise to God in heaven!”
10 Then Jesus went into Jerusalem. The city was filled with excitement. The people asked, “Who is this man?”
11 The crowd answered, “This man is Jesus. He is the prophet from the town of Nazareth in Galilee.”
Jesus Goes to the Temple
12 Jesus went into the Temple. He threw out all the people who were buying and selling there. He turned over the tables that belonged to the men who were exchanging different kinds of money. And he upset the benches of those who were selling doves. 13 Jesus said to all the people there, “It is written in the Scriptures, ‘My Temple will be a house where people will pray.’[b] But you are changing God’s house into a ‘hideout for robbers.’”[c]
14 The blind and crippled people came to Jesus in the Temple, and Jesus healed them. 15 The leading priests and the teachers of the law saw that Jesus was doing wonderful things. They saw the children praising him in the Temple. The children were saying, “Praise[d] to the Son of David.” All these things made the priests and the teachers of the law very angry.
16 They asked Jesus, “Do you hear the things these children are saying?”
Jesus answered, “Yes. Haven’t you read in the Scriptures, ‘You have taught children and babies to sing praises’?”[e]
17 Then Jesus left and went out of the city to Bethany, where he spent the night.
The Power of Faith
18 Early the next morning, Jesus was going back to the city. He was very hungry. 19 He saw a fig tree beside the road. Jesus went to it, but there were no figs on the tree. There were only leaves. So Jesus said to the tree, “You will never again have fruit!” The tree immediately dried up.
20 His followers saw this and were amazed. They asked, “How did the fig tree dry up so quickly?”
21 Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth. If you have faith and do not doubt, you will be able to do what I did to this tree. And you will be able to do more. You will be able to say to this mountain, ‘Go, mountain, fall into the sea.’ And if you have faith, it will happen. 22 If you believe, you will get anything you ask for in prayer.”
Leaders Doubt Jesus’ Authority
23 Jesus went to the Temple. While he was teaching there, the leading priests and the elders of the people came to Jesus. They said to him, “Tell us! What authority do you have to do these things? Who gave you this authority?”
24 Jesus answered, “I will ask you a question, too. If you answer me, then I will tell you what authority I have to do these things. 25 Tell me: When John baptized people, did that come from God or from man?”
The priests and the leaders argued about Jesus’ question. They said to each other, “If we answer, ‘John’s baptism was from God,’ then Jesus will say, ‘Then why didn’t you believe John?’ 26 But if we say, ‘It was from man,’ we are afraid of what the people will do because they all believe that John was a prophet.”
27 So they answered Jesus, “We don’t know.”
Then Jesus said, “Then I won’t tell you what authority I have to do these things!
A Story About Two Sons
28 “Tell me what you think about this: There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first son and said, ‘Son, go and work today in my vineyard.’ 29 The son answered, ‘I will not go.’ But later the son decided he should go, and he went. 30 Then the father went to the other son and said, ‘Son, go and work today in my vineyard.’ The son answered, ‘Yes, sir, I will go and work.’ But he did not go. 31 Which of the two sons obeyed his father?”
The priests and leaders answered, “The first son.”
Jesus said to them, “I tell you the truth. The tax collectors and the prostitutes will enter the kingdom of God before you do. 32 John came to show you the right way to live. And you did not believe him. But the tax collectors and prostitutes believed John. You saw this, but you still refused to change and believe him.
God Sends His Son
33 “Listen to this story: There was a man who owned a vineyard. He put a wall around the vineyard and dug a hole for a winepress. Then he built a tower. He leased the land to some farmers and left for a trip. 34 Later, it was time for the grapes to be picked. So the man sent his servants to the farmers to get his share of the grapes. 35 But the farmers grabbed the servants, beat one, killed another, and then killed a third servant with stones. 36 So the man sent some other servants to the farmers. He sent more servants than he sent the first time. But the farmers did the same thing to the servants that they had done before. 37 So the man decided to send his son to the farmers. He said, ‘The farmers will respect my son.’ 38 But when the farmers saw the son, they said to each other, ‘This is the owner’s son. This vineyard will be his. If we kill him, then his vineyard will be ours!’ 39 So the farmers grabbed the son, threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him. 40 So what will the owner of the vineyard do to these farmers when he comes?”
41 The priests and leaders said, “He will surely kill those evil men. Then he will lease the vineyard to some other farmers. They will give him his share of the crop at harvest time.”
42 Jesus said to them, “Surely you have read this in the Scriptures:
‘The stone that the builders did not want
became the cornerstone.
The Lord did this,
and it is wonderful to us.’ Psalm 118:22-23
43 “So I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you. It will be given to people who do the things God wants in his kingdom. 44 The person who falls on this stone will be broken. But if the stone falls on him, he will be crushed.”[f]
45 The leading priests and the Pharisees heard these stories that Jesus told. They knew he was talking about them. 46 They wanted to arrest him. But they were afraid of the people, because the people believed that Jesus was a prophet.
Footnotes
- 21:9, 15 Praise Literally, “Hosanna,” a Hebrew word used at first in praying to God for help. At this time it was probably a shout of joy used in praising God or his Messiah.
- 21:13 ‘My Temple . . . pray.’ Quotation from Isaiah 56:7.
- 21:13 ‘hideout for robbers.’ Quotation from Jeremiah 7:11.
- 21:9, 15 Praise Literally, “Hosanna,” a Hebrew word used at first in praying to God for help. At this time it was probably a shout of joy used in praising God or his Messiah.
- 21:16 ‘You . . . praises’ Quotation from the Septuagint (Greek) version of Psalm 8:2.
- 21:44 The . . . crushed. Some Greek copies do not have verse 44.
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
Copyright © 1999 by Wycliffe Bible Translators International
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The Holy Bible, International Children’s Bible® Copyright© 1986, 1988, 1999, 2015 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

