Mark 11
New Living Translation
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. 2 “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. 3 If anyone asks, ‘What are you doing?’ just say, ‘The Lord needs it and will return it soon.’”
4 The two disciples left and found the colt standing in the street, tied outside the front door. 5 As they were untying it, some bystanders demanded, “What are you doing, untying that colt?” 6 They said what Jesus had told them to say, and they were permitted to take it. 7 Then they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their garments over it, and he sat on it.
8 Many in the crowd spread their garments on the road ahead of him, and others spread leafy branches they had cut in the fields. 9 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.
Jesus Curses the Fig Tree
12 The next morning as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry. 13 He noticed a fig tree in full leaf a little way off, so he went over to see if he could find any figs. But there were only leaves because it was too early in the season for fruit. 14 Then Jesus said to the tree, “May no one ever eat your fruit again!” And the disciples heard him say it.
Jesus Clears the Temple
15 When they arrived back in Jerusalem, Jesus entered the Temple and began to drive out the people buying and selling animals for sacrifices. He knocked over the tables of the money changers and the chairs of those selling doves, 16 and he stopped everyone from using the Temple as a marketplace.[c] 17 He said to them, “The Scriptures declare, ‘My Temple will be called a house of prayer for all nations,’ but you have turned it into a den of thieves.”[d]
18 When the leading priests and teachers of religious law heard what Jesus had done, they began planning how to kill him. But they were afraid of him because the people were so amazed at his teaching.
19 That evening Jesus and the disciples left[e] the city.
20 The next morning as they passed by the fig tree he had cursed, the disciples noticed it had withered from the roots up. 21 Peter remembered what Jesus had said to the tree on the previous day and exclaimed, “Look, Rabbi! The fig tree you cursed has withered and died!”
22 Then Jesus said to the disciples, “Have faith in God. 23 I tell you the truth, you can say to this mountain, ‘May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and it will happen. But you must really believe it will happen and have no doubt in your heart. 24 I tell you, you can pray for anything, and if you believe that you’ve received it, it will be yours. 25 But when you are praying, first forgive anyone you are holding a grudge against, so that your Father in heaven will forgive your sins, too.[f]”
The Authority of Jesus Challenged
27 Again they entered Jerusalem. As Jesus was walking through the Temple area, the leading priests, the teachers of religious law, and the elders came up to him. 28 They demanded, “By what authority are you doing all these things? Who gave you the right to do them?”
29 “I’ll tell you by what authority I do these things if you answer one question,” Jesus replied. 30 “Did John’s authority to baptize come from heaven, or was it merely human? Answer me!”
31 They talked it over among themselves. “If we say it was from heaven, he will ask why we didn’t believe John. 32 But do we dare say it was merely human?” For they were afraid of what the people would do, because everyone believed that John was a prophet. 33 So they finally replied, “We don’t know.”
And Jesus responded, “Then I won’t tell you by what authority I do these things.”
Footnotes
- 11:9 Greek Hosanna, an exclamation of praise that literally means “save now”; also in 11:10.
- 11:9-10 Pss 118:25-26; 148:1.
- 11:16 Or from carrying merchandise through the Temple.
- 11:17 Isa 56:7; Jer 7:11.
- 11:19 Greek they left; other manuscripts read he left.
- 11:25 Some manuscripts add verse 26, But if you refuse to forgive, your Father in heaven will not forgive your sins. Compare Matt 6:15.
Mark 11
International Children’s Bible
Jesus Enters Jerusalem as a King
11 Jesus and his followers were coming closer to Jerusalem. They came to the towns of Bethphage and Bethany near the Mount of Olives. There Jesus sent two of his followers. 2 He said to them, “Go to the town you see there. When you enter it, you will find a colt tied which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here to me. 3 If anyone asks you why you are doing this, tell him, ‘The Master needs the colt. He will send it back soon.’”
4 The followers went into the town. They found a colt tied in the street near the door of a house, and they untied it. 5 Some people were standing there and asked, “What are you doing? Why are you untying that colt?” 6 The followers answered the way Jesus told them to answer. And the people let them take the colt.
7 The followers brought the colt to Jesus. They put their coats on the colt, and Jesus sat on it. 8 Many people spread their coats on the road. Others cut branches in the fields and spread the branches on the road. 9 Some of the people were walking ahead of Jesus. Others were following him. All of them were shouting,
“Praise[a] God!
God bless the One who comes in the name of the Lord! Psalm 118:26
10 God bless the kingdom of our father David!
That kingdom is coming!
Praise to God in heaven!”
11 Jesus entered Jerusalem and went into the Temple. When he had looked at everything, and since it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the 12 apostles.
12 The next day as Jesus was leaving Bethany, he was hungry. 13 He saw a fig tree in leaf. So he went to the tree to see if it had any figs on it. But he found no figs, only leaves. It was not the right season for figs to grow. 14 So Jesus said to the tree, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” Jesus’ followers heard him say this.
Jesus Goes to the Temple
15 Jesus returned to Jerusalem and went into the Temple. He began to throw out those who were buying and selling things there. He overturned the tables that belonged to the men who were exchanging different kinds of money. And he turned over the benches of the men who were selling doves. 16 Jesus refused to allow anyone to carry goods through the Temple courts. 17 Then Jesus taught the people. He said, “It is written in the Scriptures, ‘My Temple will be a house where people from all nations will pray.’[b] But you are changing God’s house into a ‘hideout for robbers.’”[c]
18 The leading priests and the teachers of the law heard all this. They began trying to find a way to kill Jesus. They were afraid of him because all the people were amazed at his teaching. 19 That night, Jesus and his followers[d] left the city.
The Power of Faith
20 The next morning, Jesus was passing by with his followers. They saw the fig tree, and it was dry and dead, even to the roots. 21 Peter remembered the tree and said to Jesus, “Teacher, look! Yesterday, you cursed the fig tree. Now it is dry and dead!”
22 Jesus answered, “Have faith in God. 23 I tell you the truth. You can say to this mountain, ‘Go, mountain, fall into the sea.’ And if you have no doubts in your mind and believe that the thing you say will happen, then God will do it for you. 24 So I tell you to ask for things in prayer. And if you believe that you have received those things, then they will be yours. 25 When you are praying, and you remember that you are angry with another person about something, then forgive him. If you do this, then your Father in heaven will also forgive your sins.” 26 [But if you don’t forgive other people, then your Father in heaven will not forgive your sins.][e]
Leaders Doubt Jesus’ Authority
27 Jesus and his followers went again to Jerusalem. Jesus was walking in the Temple. The leading priests, the teachers of the law, and the Jewish elders came to him. 28 They said to him, “Tell us! What authority do you have to do these things? Who gave you this authority?”
29 Jesus answered, “I will ask you one question. You answer it. Then I will tell you whose authority I use to do these things. 30 Tell me: When John baptized people, was that from God or from man? Answer me!”
31 They 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?’ 32 But if we say, ‘From man,’ then the people will be against us.” (These leaders were afraid of the people. All the people believed that John was a prophet.)
33 So the leaders answered Jesus, “We don’t know.”
Jesus said, “Then I will not tell you what authority I use to do these things.”
Footnotes
- 11:9 Praise Literally, “Hosanna,” a Hebrew word used at first in praying to God for help, but at this time it was probably a shout of joy used in praising God or his Messiah.
- 11:17 ‘My Temple . . . pray.’ Quotation from Isaiah 56:7.
- 11:17 ‘hideout for robbers.’ Quotation from Jeremiah 7:11.
- 11:19 his followers Some Greek copies mention only Jesus here.
- 11:26 But . . . sins. Some Greek copies do not contain the bracketed text.
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
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The Holy Bible, International Children’s Bible® Copyright© 1986, 1988, 1999, 2015 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission.
