Jesus’ Triumphant Entry

11 As Jesus and his disciples approached Jerusalem, they came to the towns of Bethphage and Bethany on the Mount of Olives. Jesus sent two of them on ahead. “Go into that village over there,” he told them. “As soon as you enter it, you will see a young donkey tied there that no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone asks, ‘What are you doing?’ just say, ‘The Lord needs it and will return it soon.’”

The two disciples left and found the colt standing in the street, tied outside the front door. As they were untying it, some bystanders demanded, “What are you doing, untying that colt?” They said what Jesus had told them to say, and they were permitted to take it. Then they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their garments over it, and he sat on it.

Many in the crowd spread their garments on the road ahead of him, and others spread leafy branches they had cut in the fields. Jesus was in the center of the procession, and the people all around him were shouting,

“Praise God![a]
    Blessings on the one who comes in the name of the Lord!
10 Blessings on the coming Kingdom of our ancestor David!
    Praise God in highest heaven!”[b]

11 So Jesus came to Jerusalem and went into the Temple. After looking around carefully at everything, he left because it was late in the afternoon. Then he returned to Bethany with the twelve disciples.

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Footnotes

  1. 11:9 Greek Hosanna, an exclamation of praise that literally means “save now”; also in 11:10.
  2. 11:9-10 Pss 118:25-26; 148:1.

The Triumphal Entry

11 When they were nearing Jerusalem, at Bethphage and Bethany near the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of His disciples,(A) saying to them, “Go into the [a]village in front of you, and immediately as you enter it, you will find a [donkey’s] [b]colt tied, which has never been ridden by anyone; untie it and bring it here. If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘The Lord needs it’; and immediately he will send it here.” So they went away [to the village] and found a colt tied outside at a gate in the street, and they untied it. Some of the people who were standing there said to them, “What are you doing, untying the colt?” They replied to them just as Jesus had directed, and they allowed them to go. They brought the colt to Jesus and put their coats on it, and He sat on it. And many [of the people] spread their coats on the road [as an act of tribute and homage before a new king], and others [scattered a layer of] leafy branches which they had cut from the fields [honoring Him as Messiah].(B) Those who went in front and those who were following [Him] were shouting [in joy and praise],

“Hosanna ([c]Save, I pray)!
Blessed (praised, glorified) is He who comes in the name of the Lord!(C)
10 
“Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David!
Hosanna in the highest [heaven]!”

11 Jesus entered Jerusalem and went to the temple [enclosure]; and after looking around at everything, He left for Bethany with the twelve [disciples], because it was already late [in the day].

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Footnotes

  1. Mark 11:2 Probably Bethphage.
  2. Mark 11:2 A colt that had not been used was considered holy by the Jews and was fit to carry a king.
  3. Mark 11:9 Or Save now.