Add parallel Print Page Options

Jesus Clears the Temple

12 Jesus entered the Temple and began to drive out all the people buying and selling animals for sacrifice. He knocked over the tables of the money changers and the chairs of those selling doves. 13 He said to them, “The Scriptures declare, ‘My Temple will be called a house of prayer,’ but you have turned it into a den of thieves!”[a]

14 The blind and the lame came to him in the Temple, and he healed them. 15 The leading priests and the teachers of religious law saw these wonderful miracles and heard even the children in the Temple shouting, “Praise God for the Son of David.”

But the leaders were indignant. 16 They asked Jesus, “Do you hear what these children are saying?”

“Yes,” Jesus replied. “Haven’t you ever read the Scriptures? For they say, ‘You have taught children and infants to give you praise.’[b] 17 Then he returned to Bethany, where he stayed overnight.

Jesus Curses the Fig Tree

18 In the morning, as Jesus was returning to Jerusalem, he was hungry, 19 and he noticed a fig tree beside the road. He went over to see if there were any figs, but there were only leaves. Then he said to it, “May you never bear fruit again!” And immediately the fig tree withered up.

20 The disciples were amazed when they saw this and asked, “How did the fig tree wither so quickly?”

21 Then Jesus told them, “I tell you the truth, if you have faith and don’t doubt, you can do things like this and much more. You can even say to this mountain, ‘May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and it will happen. 22 You can pray for anything, and if you have faith, you will receive it.”

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. 21:13 Isa 56:7; Jer 7:11.
  2. 21:16 Ps 8:2 (Greek version).

Cleansing the Temple

12 (A)And Jesus entered the temple area and drove out all those who were selling and buying on the temple grounds, and He overturned the tables of the (B)money changers and the seats of those who were selling (C)doves. 13 And He *said to them, “It is written: ‘(D)My house will be called a house of prayer’; but you are making it a (E)den of robbers.”

14 And those who were blind and those who limped came to Him in the temple area, and (F)He healed them. 15 But when the chief priests and the scribes saw the wonderful things that He had done, and the children who were shouting in the temple area, “[a]Hosanna to the (G)Son of David,” they became indignant, 16 and they said to Him, “Do You hear what these children are saying?” And Jesus *said to them, “Yes. Have you never read, ‘(H)From the mouths of infants and nursing babies You have prepared praise for Yourself’?” 17 And He left them and went out of the city to (I)Bethany, and spent the night there.

The Barren Fig Tree

18 (J)Now in the early morning, when He was returning to the city, He became hungry. 19 And seeing a lone (K)fig tree by the road, He came to it and found nothing on it except leaves alone; and He *said to it, “No longer shall there ever be any fruit from you.” And at once the fig tree withered.

20 Seeing this, the disciples were amazed and [b]asked, “How did the fig tree wither all at once?” 21 And Jesus answered and said to them, “Truly I say to you, (L)if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and cast into the sea,’ it will happen. 22 And (M)whatever you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive it all.”

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Matthew 21:15 Aramaic for Save, we pray
  2. Matthew 21:20 Lit said