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The Triumphal Entry

11 When(A) they approached Jerusalem,(B) at Bethphage and Bethany(C) near the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples and told them, ‘Go into the village ahead of you. As soon as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, on which no one has ever sat. Untie it and bring it. If anyone says to you, “Why are you doing this? ” say, “The Lord needs it and will send it back here straight away.” ’

So they went and found a colt outside in the street, tied by a door. They untied it, and some of those standing there said to them, ‘What are you doing, untying the colt? ’ They answered them just as Jesus had said; so they let them go.

They brought the colt to Jesus and threw their clothes on it, and he sat on it. Many people spread their clothes on the road,(D) and others spread leafy branches cut from the fields.[a] Those who went ahead and those who followed shouted:

Hosanna!
Blessed is he who comes
in the name(E) of the Lord![b](F)
10 Blessed is the coming kingdom(G)
of our father David!(H)
Hosanna(I) in the highest heaven!

11 He went into Jerusalem(J) and into the temple.(K) After looking around at everything, since it was already late, he went out to Bethany(L) with the Twelve.

The Barren Fig Tree Is Cursed

12 The(M) next day when they went out from Bethany, he was hungry. 13 Seeing in the distance a fig(N) tree with leaves, he went to find out if there was anything on it. When he came to it, he found nothing but leaves; for it was not the season for figs. 14 He said to it, ‘May no one ever eat fruit(O) from you again! ’(P) And his disciples(Q) heard it.

Cleansing the Temple

15 They came to Jerusalem,(R) and he went into the temple(S) and began to throw out those buying and selling. He overturned the tables of the money-changers(T) and the chairs of those selling doves, 16 and would not permit anyone to carry goods through the temple. 17 He was teaching them: ‘Is it not written,(U) My house(V) will be called a house of prayer(W) for all nations?[c] But you have made it a den of thieves! ’[d](X)

18 The chief priests and the scribes(Y) heard it and started looking for a way to kill him. For they were afraid(Z) of him, because the whole crowd was astonished by his teaching.

19 Whenever evening came, they would go out of the city.

The Barren Fig Tree Is Withered

20 Early(AA) in the morning, as they were passing by, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots up. 21 Then Peter(AB) remembered and said to him, ‘Rabbi,(AC) look! The fig tree that you cursed(AD) has withered.’

22 Jesus replied to them, ‘Have faith in God.(AE) 23 Truly I tell you,(AF) if anyone says to this mountain, “Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,” and does not doubt(AG) in his heart, but believes(AH) that what he says will happen, it will be done for him.(AI) 24 Therefore I tell you, everything you pray(AJ) and ask for(AK) #– #believe that you have received[e](AL) it and it will be yours. 25 And whenever you stand(AM) praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive(AN) him, so that your Father(AO) in heaven(AP) will also forgive(AQ) you your wrongdoing.’[f]

The Authority of Jesus Challenged

27 They(AR) came again to Jerusalem.(AS) As he was walking in the temple,(AT) the chief priests, the scribes,(AU) and the elders(AV) came 28 and asked him, ‘By what authority(AW) are you doing these things? Who gave you this authority to do these things? ’

29 Jesus said to them, ‘I will ask you one question;(AX) then answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things. 30 Was John’s baptism(AY) from heaven or of human origin? Answer me.’

31 They discussed it among themselves: ‘If we say, “From heaven,” he will say, “Then why didn’t you believe(AZ) him? ” 32 But if we say, “Of human origin” ’ – they were afraid of the crowd, because everyone thought that John was truly a prophet.(BA) 33 So they answered Jesus, ‘We don’t know.’

And Jesus said to them, ‘Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.’

Footnotes

  1. 11:8 Other mss read others were cutting leafy branches from the trees and spreading them on the road
  2. 11:9 Ps 118:26
  3. 11:17 Is 56:7
  4. 11:17 Jr 7:11
  5. 11:24 Some mss read you receive; other mss read you will receive
  6. 11:25 Some mss include v. 26: ‘But if you don’t forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your wrongdoing.’

Entering Jerusalem on a Colt

11 1-3 When they were nearing Jerusalem, at Bethphage and Bethany on Mount Olives, he sent off two of the disciples with instructions: “Go to the village across from you. As soon as you enter, you’ll find a colt tethered, one that has never yet been ridden. Untie it and bring it. If anyone asks, ‘What are you doing?’ say, ‘The Master needs him, and will return him right away.’”

4-7 They went and found a colt tied to a door at the street corner and untied it. Some of those standing there said, “What are you doing untying that colt?” The disciples replied exactly as Jesus had instructed them, and the people let them alone. They brought the colt to Jesus, spread their coats on it, and he mounted.

8-10 The people gave him a wonderful welcome, some throwing their coats on the street, others spreading out rushes they had cut in the fields. Running ahead and following after, they were calling out,

Hosanna!
Blessed is he who comes in God’s name!
Blessed the coming kingdom of our father David!
Hosanna in highest heaven!

11 He entered Jerusalem, then entered the Temple. He looked around, taking it all in. But by now it was late, so he went back to Bethany with the Twelve.

The Cursed Fig Tree

12-14 As they left Bethany the next day, he was hungry. Off in the distance he saw a fig tree in full leaf. He came up to it expecting to find something for breakfast, but found nothing but fig leaves. (It wasn’t yet the season for figs.) He addressed the tree: “No one is going to eat fruit from you again—ever!” And his disciples overheard him.

15-17 They arrived at Jerusalem. Immediately on entering the Temple Jesus started throwing out everyone who had set up shop there, buying and selling. He kicked over the tables of the bankers and the stalls of the pigeon merchants. He didn’t let anyone even carry a basket through the Temple. And then he taught them, quoting this text:

My house was designated a house of prayer for the nations;
You’ve turned it into a hangout for thieves.

18 The high priests and religion scholars heard what was going on and plotted how they might get rid of him. They panicked, for the entire crowd was carried away by his teaching.

19 At evening, Jesus and his disciples left the city.

20-21 In the morning, walking along the road, they saw the fig tree, shriveled to a dry stick. Peter, remembering what had happened the previous day, said to him, “Rabbi, look—the fig tree you cursed is shriveled up!”

22-25 Jesus was matter-of-fact: “Embrace this God-life. Really embrace it, and nothing will be too much for you. This mountain, for instance: Just say, ‘Go jump in the lake’—no shuffling or hemming and hawing—and it’s as good as done. That’s why I urge you to pray for absolutely everything, ranging from small to large. Include everything as you embrace this God-life, and you’ll get God’s everything. And when you assume the posture of prayer, remember that it’s not all asking. If you have anything against someone, forgive—only then will your heavenly Father be inclined to also wipe your slate clean of sins.”

His Credentials

27-28 Then when they were back in Jerusalem once again, as they were walking through the Temple, the high priests, religion scholars, and leaders came up and demanded, “Show us your credentials. Who authorized you to speak and act like this?”

29-30 Jesus responded, “First let me ask you a question. Answer my question and then I’ll present my credentials. About the baptism of John—who authorized it: heaven or humans? Tell me.”

31-33 They were on the spot, and knew it. They pulled back into a huddle and whispered, “If we say ‘heaven,’ he’ll ask us why we didn’t believe John; if we say ‘humans,’ we’ll be up against it with the people because they all hold John up as a prophet.” They decided to concede that round to Jesus. “We don’t know,” they said.

Jesus replied, “Then I won’t answer your question either.”