Matthew 21
English Standard Version
The Triumphal Entry
21 (A)Now when they drew near to Jerusalem and came to Bethphage, to (B)the Mount of Olives, then Jesus (C)sent two disciples, 2 saying to them, “Go into the village in front of you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Untie them and bring them to me. 3 If anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord needs them,’ and he will send them at once.” 4 This took place (D)to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet, saying,
5 (E)“Say to the daughter of Zion,
‘Behold, your king is coming to you,
(F)humble, and mounted on a donkey,
on a colt,[a] the foal of a beast of burden.’”
6 The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them. 7 They brought the donkey and the colt and put on them their cloaks, and he sat on them. 8 Most of the crowd (G)spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9 And the crowds that went before him and that followed him were shouting, (H)“Hosanna to (I)the Son of David! (J)Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna (K)in the highest!” 10 And (L)when he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred up, saying, “Who is this?” 11 And the crowds said, “This is (M)the prophet Jesus, (N)from Nazareth of Galilee.”
Jesus Cleanses the Temple
12 (O)And Jesus entered the temple[b] and drove out all who sold and bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of (P)the money-changers and the seats of those who sold (Q)pigeons. 13 He said to them, “It is written, (R)‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but (S)you make it a den of robbers.”
14 (T)And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple, and he healed them. 15 (U)But when the chief priests and the scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying out in the temple, (V)“Hosanna to the Son of David!” they were indignant, 16 and they said to him, “Do you hear what these are saying?” And Jesus said to them, “Yes; (W)have you never read,
17 And (Z)leaving them, he (AA)went out of the city to (AB)Bethany and lodged there.
Jesus Curses the Fig Tree
18 (AC)In the morning, as he was returning to the city, (AD)he became hungry. 19 (AE)And seeing a fig tree by the wayside, he went to it and found nothing on it but only leaves. And he said to it, “May no fruit ever come from you again!” And the fig tree withered at once.
20 When the disciples saw it, they marveled, saying, “How did the fig tree wither at once?” 21 And Jesus answered them, (AF)“Truly, I say to you, (AG)if you have faith and (AH)do not doubt, you will not only do what has been done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, (AI)‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ it will happen. 22 And (AJ)whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, (AK)if you have faith.”
The Authority of Jesus Challenged
23 (AL)And when he entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came up to him (AM)as he was teaching, and said, (AN)“By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?” 24 Jesus answered them, “I also will ask you one question, and if you tell me the answer, then I also will tell you by what authority I do these things. 25 The baptism of John, (AO)from where did it come? (AP)From heaven or from man?” And they discussed it among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say to us, (AQ)‘Why then did you not believe him?’ 26 But if we say, ‘From man,’ (AR)we are afraid of the crowd, for they all hold that John was (AS)a prophet.” 27 So they answered Jesus, “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 (AT)“What do you think? A man had two sons. And he went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work in (AU)the vineyard today.’ 29 And he answered, ‘I will not,’ but afterward he (AV)changed his mind and went. 30 And he went to the other son and said the same. And he answered, ‘I will, sir,’ but did not go. 31 Which of the two did the will of his father?” They said, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “Truly, I say to you, (AW)the tax collectors and (AX)the prostitutes go into (AY)the kingdom of God before you. 32 For John came to you (AZ)in the way of righteousness, and (BA)you did not believe him, but (BB)the tax collectors and the prostitutes believed him. And even when you saw it, you did not afterward (BC)change your minds and believe him.
The Parable of the Tenants
33 (BD)“Hear another parable. There was a master of a house who planted (BE)a vineyard (BF)and put a fence around it and dug a winepress in it and built a tower and (BG)leased it to tenants, and (BH)went into another country. 34 When the season for fruit drew near, he sent his servants[c] to the tenants (BI)to get his fruit. 35 (BJ)And the tenants took his servants and beat one, killed another, and (BK)stoned another. 36 (BL)Again he sent other servants, more than the first. And they did the same to them. 37 Finally he sent his son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ 38 But when the tenants saw the son, they said to themselves, (BM)‘This is the heir. Come, (BN)let us kill him and have his inheritance.’ 39 And they took him and (BO)threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. 40 (BP)When therefore the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?” 41 They said to him, (BQ)“He will put those wretches to a miserable death and (BR)let out the vineyard to other tenants who will give him the fruits in their seasons.”
42 Jesus said to them, (BS)“Have you never read in the Scriptures:
(BT)“‘The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone;[d]
this was the Lord's doing,
and it is marvelous in our eyes’?
43 Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God (BU)will be taken away from you and given to a people (BV)producing its fruits. 44 And (BW)the one who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; and (BX)when it falls on anyone, it will crush him.”[e]
45 When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they perceived that he was speaking about them. 46 And (BY)although they were seeking to arrest him, (BZ)they feared the crowds, because they held him to be (CA)a prophet.
Footnotes
- Matthew 21:5 Or donkey, and on a colt
- Matthew 21:12 Some manuscripts add of God
- Matthew 21:34 Or bondservants; also verses 35, 36
- Matthew 21:42 Greek the head of the corner
- Matthew 21:44 Some manuscripts omit verse 44
Matthew 21
Wycliffe Bible
21 And when Jesus came nigh to Jerusalem, and came to Bethphage, at the mount of Olives, then sent he his two disciples, [And when Jesus came nigh to Jerusalem, and came to Bethphage, to the mount of Olives, then Jesus sent his two disciples,]
2 and said to them [saying to them], Go ye into the castle that is against you, and at once [and anon] ye shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her; untie ye, and bring to me.
3 And if any man say to you any thing, say ye, that the Lord hath need to them; and at once he shall let them go [and anon he shall leave them].
4 All this was done, that that thing should be fulfilled, that was said by the prophet, saying,
5 Say ye to the daughter of Sion, Lo! thy king cometh to thee, meek, sitting on an ass, and a foal of an ass under yoke [and a colt of a beast under yoke].
6 And the disciples went, and did as Jesus commanded them.
7 And they brought an ass, and the foal, and laid their clothes on them[a], and made him sit above.
8 And full much people spreaded their clothes in the way; others cutted branches of trees, and strewed in the way. [Forsooth full much company spreaded their clothes in the way; soothly others cut branches of trees, and strowed in the way.]
9 And the people that went before, and that followed, cried, and said [Forsooth the companies that went before, and that followed, cried, saying], Hosanna to the son of David; blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in high things [Hosanna in the highest things].
10 And when he was entered into Jerusalem, all the city was stirred, and said, Who is this? [And when he had entered into Jerusalem, all the city was stirred, saying, Who is this?]
11 But [Forsooth] the people said, This is Jesus, the prophet, of Nazareth of Galilee.
12 And Jesus entered into the temple of God, and cast out of the temple all that bought and sold [and cast out of the temple all men selling and buying]; and he turned upside-down the boards of changers, and the chairs of men that sold culvers.
13 And he said to them, It is written, Mine house shall be called an house of prayer [My house shall be called an house of prayer]; but ye have made it a den of thieves.
14 And blind and crooked came to him in the temple, and he healed them.
15 But the princes of priests and the scribes, seeing the marvelous things that he did, and the children crying in the temple, and saying, Hosanna to the son of David, they had indignation,[b]
16 and said to him, Hearest thou what these say? And Jesus said to them [Soothly Jesus saith to them], Yea; whether ye have never read, That of the mouth of young children, and of suckling children, thou hast made perfect praising?
17 And when he had left them, he went forth out of the city, into Bethany; and there he dwelt, and taught them of the kingdom of God.
18 But on the morrow, he, turning again into the city, hungered.
19 And he saw a fig tree beside the way, and came to it, and found nothing therein [and found nothing thereon] but leaves only. And he said to it, Never fruit come forth of thee [Never be fruit born of thee], into without end. And at once [And anon] the fig tree was dried up.
20 And the disciples saw, and wondered, saying, How at once it dried.[c]
21 And Jesus answered, and said to them, Truly I say to you, if ye have faith, and doubt not, not only ye shall do of the fig tree, but also if ye say to this hill, Take [away thee], and cast thee into the sea, it shall be done so [it shall be done].
22 And all things whatever ye believing shall ask in prayer, ye shall take. [And all things whatever ye shall ask in prayer believing, ye shall take.]
23 And when he came into the temple, the princes of priests and elder men of the people came to him that taught, and said [And when he came into the temple, the princes of priests and the elder men of the people came nigh to him teaching, and said], In what power doest thou these things? and who gave thee this power?
24 Jesus answered, and said to them, And I shall ask you one word, the which if ye tell me [which if ye shall say to me], I shall say to you, in what power I do these things.
25 Of whence was the baptism of John; of heaven, or of men? And they thought within themselves, saying, If we [shall] say of heaven, he shall say to us, Why then believe ye not to him?
26 [Soothly] If we [shall] say of men, we dread the people, for all had John as a prophet.
27 And they answered to Jesus, and said, We know not. And he said to them, Neither I say to you, in what power I do these things.
28 But what seemeth to you? A man had two sons [Some man had two sons]; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work this day [to day] in my vineyard.
29 And he answered, and said, I will not; but afterward he repented, and went forth [but afterward he stirred by penance, or repenting, went].
30 But he came to the other, and said in like manner. And he answered, and said, Lord, I go; and he went not.
31 Who of the twain did the father's will? They say to him, The first. Jesus saith to them, Truly I say to you, for publicans and whores shall go before you into the kingdom of God.
32 For John came to you in the way of rightwiseness, and ye believed not to him; but publicans and whores believed to him. But ye saw, and had no repenting after, that ye believed to him [But ye seeing, had not penance afterward, that ye should believe to him].
33 Hear ye another parable. There was an husbandman, that planted a vineyard, and hedged it about, and delved a presser therein, and builded a tower [and built a tower], and hired it to earth-tillers, and went far in pilgrimage.
34 And when the time of fruits approached, he sent his servants to the earth-tillers, to take fruits of it.[d]
35 And the earth-tillers took his servants, and they beat one, they slew another, and stoned another. [And, his servants taken, the earth-tillers beat one, they killed another, forsooth they stoned another.]
36 Again he sent other servants, more than the first, and in like manner they did to them [and they did to them in like manner].
37 And at the last he sent his son to them, and said [saying], They shall dread my son.
38 But the earth-tillers, seeing the son, said within themselves, This is the heir; come ye, slay we him, and we shall have his heritage.
39 And they took him, and casted [cast] him out of the vineyard, and slew him.
40 Therefore when the lord of the vineyard shall come, what shall he do to those earth-tillers?
41 They say to him, He shall destroy evil the evil men, and he shall set to hire his vineyard to other earth-tillers, which shall yield to him fruit in their times.[e]
42 Jesus saith to them, Read ye never in scriptures, The stone which the builders reproved, this is made into the head of the corner? Of the Lord this thing is done, and it is marvelous in our eyes.
43 Therefore I say to you, that the kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and shall be given to a folk doing [the] fruits of it.[f]
44 And he that shall fall on this stone, shall be broken; but on whom it shall fall, it shall bruise him all to pieces [it shall pound him all to pieces].
45 And when the princes of priests and [the] Pharisees had heard his parables, they knew that he [had] said of them.
46 And they sought to hold him, but they dreaded the people [And they, seeking to hold him, dreaded the companies], for they had him as a prophet.
Footnotes
- Matthew 21:7 And they brought a she ass, and the colt, and put their clothes on them
- Matthew 21:15 Forsooth the princes of priests and scribes, seeing the wonderful things that he did, and children crying in the temple, and saying, Hosanna to the son of David, they had disdain,
- Matthew 21:20 And the disciples seeing, wondered, saying, How anon it dried/How it dried up anon.
- Matthew 21:34 Forsooth when the time of fruits nighed, he sent his servants to the earth-tillers, that they should take the fruits of it.
- Matthew 21:41 They said to him, He shall lose evil the evil men, and set to hire his vineyard to other earth-tillers, the which shall yield to him fruits in their times.
- Matthew 21:43 Therefore I say to you, for the kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and it shall be given to a folk doing the fruits thereof.
Matthew 21
King James Version
21 And when they drew nigh unto Jerusalem, and were come to Bethphage, unto the mount of Olives, then sent Jesus two disciples,
2 Saying unto them, Go into the village over against you, and straightway ye shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her: loose them, and bring them unto me.
3 And if any man say ought unto you, ye shall say, The Lord hath need of them; and straightway he will send them.
4 All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying,
5 Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass.
6 And the disciples went, and did as Jesus commanded them,
7 And brought the ass, and the colt, and put on them their clothes, and they set him thereon.
8 And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way; others cut down branches from the trees, and strawed them in the way.
9 And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest.
10 And when he was come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, Who is this?
11 And the multitude said, This is Jesus the prophet of Nazareth of Galilee.
12 And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves,
13 And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves.
14 And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple; and he healed them.
15 And when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying in the temple, and saying, Hosanna to the son of David; they were sore displeased,
16 And said unto him, Hearest thou what these say? And Jesus saith unto them, Yea; have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise?
17 And he left them, and went out of the city into Bethany; and he lodged there.
18 Now in the morning as he returned into the city, he hungered.
19 And when he saw a fig tree in the way, he came to it, and found nothing thereon, but leaves only, and said unto it, Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward for ever. And presently the fig tree withered away.
20 And when the disciples saw it, they marvelled, saying, How soon is the fig tree withered away!
21 Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done.
22 And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.
23 And when he was come into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came unto him as he was teaching, and said, By what authority doest thou these things? and who gave thee this authority?
24 And Jesus answered and said unto them, I also will ask you one thing, which if ye tell me, I in like wise will tell you by what authority I do these things.
25 The baptism of John, whence was it? from heaven, or of men? And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say unto us, Why did ye not then believe him?
26 But if we shall say, Of men; we fear the people; for all hold John as a prophet.
27 And they answered Jesus, and said, We cannot tell. And he said unto them, Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things.
28 But what think ye? A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work to day in my vineyard.
29 He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went.
30 And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir: and went not.
31 Whether of them twain did the will of his father? They say unto him, The first. Jesus saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you.
32 For John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and ye believed him not: but the publicans and the harlots believed him: and ye, when ye had seen it, repented not afterward, that ye might believe him.
33 Hear another parable: There was a certain householder, which planted a vineyard, and hedged it round about, and digged a winepress in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country:
34 And when the time of the fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the husbandmen, that they might receive the fruits of it.
35 And the husbandmen took his servants, and beat one, and killed another, and stoned another.
36 Again, he sent other servants more than the first: and they did unto them likewise.
37 But last of all he sent unto them his son, saying, They will reverence my son.
38 But when the husbandmen saw the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance.
39 And they caught him, and cast him out of the vineyard, and slew him.
40 When the lord therefore of the vineyard cometh, what will he do unto those husbandmen?
41 They say unto him, He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall render him the fruits in their seasons.
42 Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?
43 Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.
44 And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.
45 And when the chief priests and Pharisees had heard his parables, they perceived that he spake of them.
46 But when they sought to lay hands on him, they feared the multitude, because they took him for a prophet.
Matthew 21
New English Translation
The Triumphal Entry
21 Now[a] when they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage,[b] at the Mount of Olives,[c] Jesus sent two disciples, 2 telling them, “Go to the village ahead of you.[d] Right away you will find a donkey tied there, and a colt with her. Untie them and bring them to me. 3 If anyone says anything to you, you are to say, ‘The Lord needs them,’[e] and he will send them at once.” 4 This[f] took place to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet:[g]
5 “Tell the people of Zion,[h]
‘Look, your king is coming to you,
unassuming and seated on a donkey,
and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’”[i]
6 So[j] the disciples went and did as Jesus had instructed them. 7 They brought the donkey and the colt and placed their cloaks[k] on them, and he sat on them. 8 A[l] very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road. Others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9 The crowds that went ahead of him and those following kept shouting,[m] “Hosanna[n] to the Son of David! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord![o] Hosanna in the highest!” 10 As he entered Jerusalem the whole city was thrown into an uproar,[p] saying, “Who is this?” 11 And the crowds were saying, “This is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth in Galilee.”
Cleansing the Temple
12 Then[q] Jesus entered the temple area[r] and drove out all those who were selling and buying in the temple courts,[s] and turned over the tables of the money changers and the chairs of those selling doves. 13 And he said to them, “It is written, ‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’[t] but you are turning it into a den[u] of robbers!”[v]
14 The blind and lame came to him in the temple courts, and he healed them. 15 But when the chief priests and the experts in the law[w] saw the wonderful things he did and heard the children crying out in the temple courts,[x] “Hosanna to the Son of David,” they became indignant 16 and said to him, “Do you hear what they are saying?” Jesus said to them, “Yes. Have you never read, ‘Out of the mouths of children and nursing infants you have prepared praise for yourself’?”[y] 17 And leaving them, he went out of the city to Bethany and spent the night there.
The Withered Fig Tree
18 Now early in the morning, as he returned to the city, he was hungry. 19 After noticing a fig tree[z] by the road he went to it, but found nothing on it except leaves. He said to it, “Never again will there be fruit from you!” And the fig tree withered at once. 20 When the disciples saw it they were amazed, saying, “How did the fig tree wither so quickly?” 21 Jesus[aa] answered them, “I tell you the truth,[ab] if you have faith and do not doubt, not only will you do what was done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ it will happen. 22 And whatever you ask in prayer, if you believe,[ac] you will receive.”
The Authority of Jesus
23 Now after Jesus[ad] entered the temple courts,[ae] the chief priests and elders of the people came up to him as he was teaching and said, “By what authority[af] are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?” 24 Jesus[ag] answered them, “I will also ask you one question. If you answer me then I will also tell you by what authority I do these things. 25 Where did John’s baptism come from? From heaven or from people?”[ah] They discussed this among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say, ‘Then why did you not believe him?’ 26 But if we say, ‘From people,’ we fear the crowd, for they all consider John to be a prophet.” 27 So[ai] they answered Jesus,[aj] “We don’t know.”[ak] Then he said to them, “Neither will I tell you[al] by what authority[am] I am doing these things.
The Parable of the Two Sons
28 “What[an] do you think? A man had two sons. He went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work in the vineyard today.’ 29 The boy answered,[ao] ‘I will not.’ But later he had a change of heart[ap] and went. 30 The father[aq] went to the other son and said the same thing. This boy answered,[ar] ‘I will, sir,’ but did not go. 31 Which of the two did his father’s will?” They said, “The first.”[as] Jesus said to them, “I tell you the truth,[at] tax collectors[au] and prostitutes will go ahead of you into the kingdom of God! 32 For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him. But the tax collectors and prostitutes did believe. Although[av] you saw this, you did not later change your minds[aw] and believe him.
The Parable of the Tenants
33 “Listen to another parable: There was a landowner[ax] who planted a vineyard.[ay] He put a fence around it, dug a pit for its winepress, and built a watchtower. Then[az] he leased it to tenant farmers[ba] and went on a journey. 34 When the harvest time was near, he sent his slaves[bb] to the tenants to collect his portion of the crop.[bc] 35 But the tenants seized his slaves, beat one,[bd] killed another, and stoned another. 36 Again he sent other slaves, more than the first, and they treated them the same way. 37 Finally he sent his son to them,[be] saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ 38 But when the tenants saw the son, they said to themselves, ‘This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him and get his inheritance!’ 39 So[bf] they seized him,[bg] threw him out of the vineyard,[bh] and killed him. 40 Now when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?” 41 They said to him, “He will utterly destroy those evil men! Then he will lease the vineyard to other tenants who will give him his portion at the harvest.”
42 Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the scriptures:
‘The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.[bi]
This is from the Lord, and it is marvelous in our eyes’?[bj]
43 For this reason I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a people[bk] who will produce its fruit. 44 The one who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces, and the one on whom it falls will be crushed.”[bl] 45 When[bm] the chief priests and the Pharisees[bn] heard his parables, they realized that he was speaking about them. 46 They wanted to arrest him, but they were afraid of the crowds, because the crowds[bo] regarded him as a prophet.
Footnotes
- Matthew 21:1 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.
- Matthew 21:1 sn The exact location of the village of Bethphage is not known. Most put it on the southeast side of the Mount of Olives and northwest of Bethany, about 1.5 miles (3 km) east of Jerusalem.
- Matthew 21:1 sn “Mountain” in English generally denotes a higher elevation than it often does in reference to places in Palestine. The Mount of Olives is really a ridge running north to south about 3 kilometers (1.8 miles) long, east of Jerusalem across the Kidron Valley. Its central elevation is about 30 meters (100 ft) higher than Jerusalem. It was named for the large number of olive trees which grew on it.
- Matthew 21:2 tn Grk “the village lying before you” (BDAG 530 s.v. κατέναντι 2.b).
- Matthew 21:3 sn The custom called angaria allowed the impressment of animals for service to a significant figure.
- Matthew 21:4 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
- Matthew 21:4 tn Grk “what was spoken by the prophet, saying.” The present participle λέγοντος (legontos) is redundant and has not been translated.
- Matthew 21:5 tn Grk “Tell the daughter of Zion” (the phrase “daughter of Zion” is an idiom for the inhabitants of Jerusalem: “people of Zion”). The idiom “daughter of Zion” has been translated as “people of Zion” because the original idiom, while firmly embedded in the Christian tradition, is not understandable to most modern English readers.
- Matthew 21:5 tn Grk “the foal of an animal under the yoke,” i.e., a hard-working animal. This is a quotation from Zech 9:9.
- Matthew 21:6 tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of Jesus’ instructions in vv. 2-3.
- Matthew 21:7 tn Grk “garments”; but this refers in context to their outer cloaks. The action is like 2 Kgs 9:13.
- Matthew 21:8 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
- Matthew 21:9 tn Grk “were shouting, saying.” The participle λέγοντας (legontas) is redundant here in contemporary English and has not been translated.
- Matthew 21:9 tn The expression ῾Ωσαννά (hōsanna, literally in Hebrew, “O Lord, save”) in the quotation from Ps 118:25-26 was probably by this time a familiar liturgical expression of praise, on the order of “Hail to the king,” although both the underlying Aramaic and Hebrew expressions meant “O Lord, save us.” In words familiar to every Jew, the author is indicating that at this point every messianic expectation is now at the point of realization. It is clear from the words of the psalm shouted by the crowd that Jesus is being proclaimed as messianic king. See E. Lohse, TDNT 9:682-84.sn Hosanna is an Aramaic expression that literally means, “help, I pray,” or “save, I pray.” By Jesus’ time it had become a strictly liturgical formula of praise, however, and was used as an exclamation of praise to God.
- Matthew 21:9 sn A quotation from Ps 118:25-26.
- Matthew 21:10 tn Grk “was shaken.” The translation “thrown into an uproar” is given by L&N 25.233.
- Matthew 21:12 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
- Matthew 21:12 tn Grk “the temple.”sn The merchants (those who were selling) would have been located in the Court of the Gentiles.
- Matthew 21:12 tn Grk “the temple.”sn Matthew (here, 21:12-27), Mark (11:15-19) and Luke (19:45-46) record this incident of the temple cleansing at the end of Jesus’ ministry. John (2:13-16) records a cleansing of the temple at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry. See the note on the word temple courts in John 2:14 for a discussion of the relationship of these accounts to one another.
- Matthew 21:13 sn A quotation from Isa 56:7.
- Matthew 21:13 tn Or “a hideout” (see L&N 1.57).
- Matthew 21:13 sn A quotation from Jer 7:11. The meaning of Jesus’ statement about making the temple courts a den of robbers probably operates here at two levels. Not only were the religious leaders robbing the people financially, but because of this they had also robbed them spiritually by stealing from them the opportunity to come to know God genuinely. It is possible that these merchants had recently been moved to this location for convenience.
- Matthew 21:15 tn Or “and the scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 2:4.
- Matthew 21:15 tn Grk “crying out in the temple [courts] and saying.” The participle λέγοντας (legontas) is somewhat redundant here in contemporary English and has not been translated.
- Matthew 21:16 sn A quotation from Ps 8:2.
- Matthew 21:19 tn Grk “one fig tree.”sn The fig tree is a variation on the picture of a vine as representing the nation; see Isa 5:1-7.
- Matthew 21:21 tn Grk “And answering, Jesus said.” This is somewhat redundant and has been simplified in the translation.
- Matthew 21:21 tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amēn), I say to you.”
- Matthew 21:22 tn Grk “believing”; the participle here is conditional.
- Matthew 21:23 tn Grk “he.”
- Matthew 21:23 tn Grk “the temple.”
- Matthew 21:23 tn On this phrase, see BDAG 844 s.v. ποῖος 2.a.γ.1
- Matthew 21:24 tn Grk “answering, Jesus said to them.” This is somewhat redundant and has been simplified in the translation. Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
- Matthew 21:25 tn The plural Greek term ἀνθρώπων (anthrōpōn) is used here (and in v. 26) in a generic sense, referring to both men and women (cf. NAB, NRSV, “of human origin”; TEV, “from human beings”; NLT, “merely human”).sn The question is whether John’s ministry was of divine or human origin.
- Matthew 21:27 tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “So” to indicate that the clause is a result of the deliberations of the leaders.
- Matthew 21:27 tn Grk “answering Jesus, they said.” This construction is somewhat awkward in English and has been simplified in the translation.
- Matthew 21:27 sn Very few questions could have so completely revealed the wicked intentions of the religious leaders. Jesus’ question revealed the motivation of the religious leaders and exposed them for what they really were—hypocrites. They indicted themselves when they cited only two options and chose neither of them (“We do not know”). The point of Matt 21:23-27 is that no matter what Jesus said in response to their question, they were not going to believe it and would in the end use it against him.
- Matthew 21:27 sn Neither will I tell you. Though Jesus gave no answer, the analogy he used to their own question makes his view clear. His authority came from heaven.
- Matthew 21:27 tn On this phrase, see BDAG 844 s.v. ποῖος 2.a.γ. This is exactly the same phrase as in v. 23.
- Matthew 21:28 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
- Matthew 21:29 tn Grk “And answering, he said.” This is somewhat redundant and has been simplified in the translation. Here the referent (“the boy”) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
- Matthew 21:29 tn The Greek text reads here μεταμέλομαι (metamelomai): “to change one’s mind about something, with the probable implication of regret” (L&N 31.59); cf. also BDAG 639 s.v. The idea in this context involves more than just a change of mind, for the son regrets his initial response. The same verb is used in v. 32.
- Matthew 21:30 tn “And he”; here δέ (de) has not been translated.
- Matthew 21:30 tn Grk “And answering, he said.” This is somewhat redundant and has been simplified in the translation. Here δέ (de) has not been translated. Here the referent (“this boy”) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
- Matthew 21:31 tc Verses 29-31 involve a rather complex and difficult textual problem. The variants cluster into three different groups: (1) The first son says “no” and later has a change of heart, and the second son says “yes” but does not go. The second son is called the one who does his father’s will. This reading is found in the Western witnesses (D it). But the reading is so hard as to be nearly impossible. One can only suspect some tampering with the text, extreme carelessness on the part of the scribe, or possibly a recognition of the importance of not shaming one’s parent in public. (Any of these reasons is not improbable with this group of witnesses, and with codex D in particular.) The other two major variants are more difficult to assess. Essentially, the responses make sense (the son who does his father’s will is the one who changes his mind after saying “no”): (2) The first son says “no” and later has a change of heart, and the second son says “yes” but does not go. But here, the first son is called the one who does his father’s will (unlike the Western reading). This is the reading found in א C L W (Z) Δ 0102 0281 ƒ1 33 565 579 1241 1424*,c M and several versional witnesses. (3) The first son says “yes” but does not go, and the second son says “no” but later has a change of heart. This is the reading found in B Θ ƒ13 700 and several versional witnesses. Both of these latter two variants make good sense and have significantly better textual support than the first reading. The real question, then, is this: Is the first son or the second the obedient one? If one were to argue simply from the parabolic logic, the second son would be seen as the obedient one (hence, the third reading). The first son would represent the Pharisees (or Jews) who claim to obey God, but do not (cf. Matt 23:3). This accords well with the parable of the prodigal son (in which the oldest son represents the unbelieving Jews). Further, the chronological sequence of the second son being obedient fits well with the real scene: Gentiles, tax collectors, and prostitutes were not, collectively, God’s chosen people, but they did repent and come to God, while the Jewish leaders claimed to be obedient to God but did nothing. At the same time, the external evidence is weaker for this reading (though stronger than the first reading), not as widespread, and certainly suspect because of how neatly it fits. One suspects scribal manipulation at this point. Thus the second reading looks to be superior to the other two on both external and transcriptional grounds. But what about intrinsic evidence? One can surmise that Jesus didn’t always give predictable responses. In this instance, he may well have painted a picture in which the Pharisees saw themselves as the first son, only to stun them with his application (v. 32). For more discussion see TCGNT 44-46.
- Matthew 21:31 tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amēn), I say to you.”
- Matthew 21:31 sn See the note on tax collectors in 5:46.
- Matthew 21:32 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
- Matthew 21:32 sn The word translated change your minds is the same verb used in v. 29 (there translated had a change of heart). Jesus is making an obvious comparison here, in which the religious leaders are viewed as the disobedient son.
- Matthew 21:33 tn The term here refers to the owner and manager of a household.
- Matthew 21:33 sn The vineyard is a figure for Israel in the OT (Isa 5:1-7). The nation and its leaders are the tenants, so the vineyard here may well refer to the promise that resides within the nation. The imagery is like that in Rom 11:11-24.
- Matthew 21:33 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
- Matthew 21:33 sn The leasing of land to tenant farmers was common in this period.
- Matthew 21:34 tn See the note on the word “slave” in 8:9.sn These slaves represent the prophets God sent to the nation, who were mistreated and rejected.
- Matthew 21:34 tn Grk “to collect his fruits.”
- Matthew 21:35 sn The image of the tenants mistreating the owner’s slaves pictures the nation’s rejection of the prophets and their message.
- Matthew 21:37 sn The owner’s decision to send his son represents God sending Jesus.
- Matthew 21:39 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of the tenants’ decision to kill the son in v. 38.
- Matthew 21:39 tn Grk “seizing him.” The participle λαβόντες (labontes) has been translated as attendant circumstance.
- Matthew 21:39 sn Throwing the heir out of the vineyard pictures Jesus’ death outside of Jerusalem.
- Matthew 21:42 tn Or “capstone,” “keystone.” Although these meanings are lexically possible, the imagery in Eph 2:20-22 and 1 Cor 3:11 indicates that the term κεφαλὴ γωνίας (kephalē gōnias) refers to a cornerstone, not a capstone.sn The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. The use of Ps 118:22-23 and the “stone imagery” as a reference to Christ and his suffering and exaltation is common in the NT (see also Mark 12:10; Luke 20:17; Acts 4:11; 1 Pet 2:6-8; cf. also Eph 2:20). The irony in the use of Ps 118:22-23 here is that in the OT, Israel was the one rejected (or perhaps her king) by the Gentiles, but in the NT it is Jesus who is rejected by Israel.
- Matthew 21:42 sn A quotation from Ps 118:22-23.
- Matthew 21:43 tn Or “to a nation” (so KJV, NASB, NLT).
- Matthew 21:44 tc A few witnesses, especially of the Western text (D 33 it sys Irlat Or Eussyr), do not contain 21:44. However, the verse is found in א B C L W Z Δ (Θ) 0102 ƒ1, 13 565 579 700 1241 1424 M lat syc,p,h co. The NA27 and NA28 put this verse in brackets, which normally indicates some doubt as to its authenticity, but Metzger’s Textual Commentary claims that the committee concluded that the verse was an “accretion,” including it not because of authenticity but because of its longstanding role in the textual tradition (TCGNT 47). Some scholars see the verse as scribally borrowed from the parallel in Luke 20:18, but both the wording and word order are different enough that such an imperfect assimilation cannot account for the great variety of witnesses that have a uniform reading here. In light of the lack of adequate explanation for the rise of this verse as it is written, the longer reading should be preferred.tn Grk “on whomever it falls, it will crush him.”sn This proverb basically means that the stone crushes, without regard to whether it falls on someone or someone falls on it. On the stone as a messianic image, see Isa 28:16 and Dan 2:44-45.
- Matthew 21:45 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.
- Matthew 21:45 sn See the note on Pharisees in 3:7.
- Matthew 21:46 tn Grk “they”; the referent (the crowds) has been specified in the translation for clarity. Both previous occurrences of “they” in this verse refer to the chief priests and the Pharisees.
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
2001 by Terence P. Noble
NET Bible® copyright ©1996-2017 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. http://netbible.com All rights reserved.