Matthew 21
New International Reader's Version
Jesus Comes to Jerusalem as King
21 As they all approached Jerusalem, they came to Bethphage. It was on the Mount of Olives. Jesus sent out two disciples. 2 He said to them, “Go to the village ahead of you. As soon as you get there, you will find a donkey tied up. Her colt will be with her. Untie them and bring them to me. 3 If anyone says anything to you, say that the Lord needs them. The owner will send them right away.”
4 This took place so that what was spoken through the prophet would come true. It says,
5 “Say to the city of Zion,
‘See, your king comes to you.
He is gentle and riding on a donkey.
He is riding on a donkey’s colt.’ ” (Zechariah 9:9)
6 The disciples went and did what Jesus told them to do. 7 They brought the donkey and the colt. They placed their coats on them for Jesus to sit on. 8 A very large crowd spread their coats on the road. Others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9 Some of the people went ahead of him, and some followed. They all shouted,
“Hosanna to the Son of David!”
“Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!” (Psalm 118:26)
“Hosanna in the highest heaven!”
10 When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred up. The people asked, “Who is this?”
11 The crowds answered, “This is Jesus. He is the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.”
Jesus Clears Out the Temple
12 Jesus entered the temple courtyard. He began to drive out all those who were buying and selling there. He turned over the tables of the people who were exchanging money. He also turned over the benches of those who were selling doves. 13 He said to them, “It is written that the Lord said, ‘My house will be called a house where people can pray.’ (Isaiah 56:7) But you are making it ‘a den for robbers.’ ” (Jeremiah 7:11)
14 Blind people and those who were disabled came to Jesus at the temple. There he healed them. 15 The chief priests and the teachers of the law saw the wonderful things he did. They also saw the children in the temple courtyard shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” But when they saw all this, they became angry.
16 “Do you hear what these children are saying?” they asked him.
“Yes,” replied Jesus. “Haven’t you ever read about it in Scripture? It says,
“ ‘Lord, you have made sure that children and infants
praise you.’ ” (Psalm 8:2)
17 Then Jesus left the people and went out of the city to Bethany. He spent the night there.
Jesus Makes a Fig Tree Dry Up
18 Early in the morning, Jesus was on his way back to Jerusalem. He was hungry. 19 He saw a fig tree by the road. He went up to it but found nothing on it except leaves. Then he said to it, “May you never bear fruit again!” Right away the tree dried up.
20 When the disciples saw this, they were amazed. “How did the fig tree dry up so quickly?” they asked.
21 Jesus replied, “What I’m about to tell you is true. You must have faith and not doubt. Then you can do what was done to the fig tree. And you can say to this mountain, ‘Go and throw yourself into the sea.’ It will be done. 22 If you believe, you will receive what you ask for when you pray.”
The Authority of Jesus Is Questioned
23 Jesus entered the temple courtyard. While he was teaching there, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him. “By what authority are you doing these things?” they asked. “Who gave you this authority?”
24 Jesus replied, “I will also ask you one question. If you answer me, I will tell you by what authority I am doing these things. 25 Where did John’s baptism come from? Was it from heaven? Or did it come from human authority?”
They talked to one another about it. They said, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will ask, ‘Then why didn’t you believe him?’ 26 But what if we say, ‘From human authority’? We are afraid of the people. Everyone believes that John was a prophet.”
27 So they answered Jesus, “We don’t know.”
Jesus said, “Then I won’t tell you by what authority I am doing these things either.
The Story of the Two Sons
28 “What do you think about this? A man had two sons. He went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work today in the vineyard.’
29 “ ‘I will not,’ the son answered. But later he changed his mind and went.
30 “Then the father went to the other son. He said the same thing. The son answered, ‘I will, sir.’ But he did not go.
31 “Which of the two sons did what his father wanted?”
“The first,” they answered.
Jesus said to them, “What I’m about to tell you is true. Tax collectors and prostitutes will enter the kingdom of God ahead of you. 32 John came to show you the right way to live. And you did not believe him. But the tax collectors and the prostitutes did. You saw this. But even then you did not turn away from your sins and believe him.
The Story of the Renters
33 “Listen to another story. A man who owned some land planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it. He dug a pit for a winepress in it. He also built a lookout tower. He rented the vineyard out to some farmers. Then he moved to another place. 34 When harvest time approached, he sent his slaves to the renters. He told the slaves to collect his share of the fruit.
35 “But the renters grabbed his slaves. They beat one of them. They killed another. They threw stones at the third to kill him. 36 Then the man sent other slaves to the renters. He sent more than he did the first time. The renters treated them the same way. 37 Last of all, he sent his son to them. ‘They will respect my son,’ he said.
38 “But the renters saw the son coming. They said to one another, ‘This is the one who will receive all the owner’s property someday. Come, let’s kill him. Then everything will be ours.’ 39 So they took him and threw him out of the vineyard. Then they killed him.
40 “When the owner of the vineyard comes back, what will he do to those renters?”
41 “He will destroy those evil people,” they replied. “Then he will rent the vineyard out to other renters. They will give him his share of the crop at harvest time.”
42 Jesus said to them, “Haven’t you ever read what the Scriptures say,
“ ‘The stone the builders didn’t accept
has become the most important stone of all.
The Lord has done it.
It is wonderful in our eyes’? (Psalm 118:22,23)
43 “So here is what I tell you. The kingdom of God will be taken away from you. It will be given to people who will produce its fruit. 44 Anyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces. But the stone will crush anyone it falls on.”
45 The chief priests and the Pharisees heard Jesus’ stories. They knew he was talking about them. 46 So they looked for a way to arrest him. But they were afraid of the crowd. The people believed that Jesus was a prophet.
Matthew 21
New King James Version
The Triumphal Entry(A)
21 Now (B)when they drew near Jerusalem, and came to [a]Bethphage, at (C)the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, 2 saying to them, “Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Loose them and bring them to Me. 3 And if anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord has need of them,’ and immediately he will send them.”
4 [b]All this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying:
5 “Tell(D) the daughter of Zion,
‘Behold, your King is coming to you,
Lowly, and sitting on a donkey,
A colt, the foal of a donkey.’ ”
6 (E)So the disciples went and did as Jesus commanded them. 7 They brought the donkey and the colt, (F)laid their clothes on them, [c]and set Him on them. 8 And a very great multitude spread their clothes on the road; (G)others cut down branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9 Then the multitudes who went before and those who followed cried out, saying:
“Hosanna to the Son of David!
(H)‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’
Hosanna in the highest!”
10 (I)And when He had come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, “Who is this?”
11 So the multitudes said, “This is Jesus, (J)the prophet from Nazareth of Galilee.”
Jesus Cleanses the Temple(K)
12 (L)Then Jesus went into the temple [d]of God and drove out all those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the (M)money changers and the seats of those who sold doves. 13 And He said to them, “It is written, (N)‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you have made it a (O)‘den of thieves.’ ”
14 Then the blind and the lame came to Him in the temple, and He healed them. 15 But when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that He did, and the children crying out in the temple and saying, “Hosanna to the (P)Son of David!” they were [e]indignant 16 and said to Him, “Do You hear what these are saying?”
And Jesus said to them, “Yes. Have you never read,
(Q)‘Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants
You have perfected praise’?”
17 Then He left them and (R)went out of the city to Bethany, and He lodged there.
The Fig Tree Withered(S)
18 (T)Now in the morning, as He returned to the city, He was hungry. 19 (U)And seeing a fig tree by the road, He came to it and found nothing on it but leaves, and said to it, “Let no fruit grow on you ever again.” Immediately the fig tree withered away.
The Lesson of the Withered Fig Tree(V)
20 (W)And when the disciples saw it, they marveled, saying, “How did the fig tree wither away so soon?”
21 So Jesus answered and said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you, (X)if you have faith and (Y)do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, (Z)but also if you say to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ it will be done. 22 And (AA)whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.”
Jesus’ Authority Questioned(AB)
23 (AC)Now when He came into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people confronted Him as He was teaching, and (AD)said, “By what authority are You doing these things? And who gave You this authority?”
24 But Jesus answered and said to them, “I also will ask you one thing, which if you tell Me, I likewise will tell you by what authority I do these things: 25 The (AE)baptism of (AF)John—where was it from? From heaven or from men?”
And they reasoned among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will say to us, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’ 26 But if we say, ‘From men,’ we (AG)fear the multitude, (AH)for all count John as a prophet.” 27 So they answered Jesus and said, “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 “But what do you think? A man had two sons, and he came to the first and said, ‘Son, go, work today in my (AI)vineyard.’ 29 He answered and said, ‘I will not,’ but afterward he regretted it and went. 30 Then he came to the second and said likewise. And he answered and said, ‘I go, sir,’ but he did not go. 31 Which of the two did the will of his father?”
They said to Him, “The first.”
Jesus said to them, (AJ)“Assuredly, I say to you that tax collectors and harlots enter the kingdom of God before you. 32 For (AK)John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him; (AL)but tax collectors and harlots believed him; and when you saw it, you did not afterward [f]relent and believe him.
The Parable of the Wicked Vinedressers(AM)
33 “Hear another parable: There was a certain landowner (AN)who planted a vineyard and set a hedge around it, dug a winepress in it and built a tower. And he leased it to vinedressers and (AO)went into a far country. 34 Now when vintage-time drew near, he sent his servants to the vinedressers, that they might receive its fruit. 35 (AP)And the vinedressers took his servants, beat one, killed one, and stoned another. 36 Again he sent other servants, more than the first, and they did likewise to them. 37 Then last of all he sent his (AQ)son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ 38 But when the vinedressers saw the son, they said among themselves, (AR)‘This is the heir. (AS)Come, let us kill him and seize his inheritance.’ 39 (AT)So they took him and cast him out of the vineyard and killed him.
40 “Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those vinedressers?”
41 (AU)They said to Him, (AV)“He will destroy those wicked men miserably, (AW)and lease his vineyard to other vinedressers who will [g]render to him the fruits in their seasons.”
42 Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures:
(AX)‘The stone which the builders rejected
Has become the chief cornerstone.
This was the Lord’s doing,
And it is marvelous in our eyes’?
43 “Therefore I say to you, (AY)the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it. 44 And (AZ)whoever falls on this stone will be broken; but on whomever it falls, (BA)it will grind him to powder.”
45 Now when the chief priests and Pharisees heard His parables, they [h]perceived that He was speaking of them. 46 But when they sought to lay hands on Him, they (BB)feared the multitudes, because (BC)they took Him for a prophet.
Footnotes
- Matthew 21:1 M Bethsphage
- Matthew 21:4 NU omits All
- Matthew 21:7 NU and He sat
- Matthew 21:12 NU omits of God
- Matthew 21:15 angry
- Matthew 21:32 regret it
- Matthew 21:41 give
- Matthew 21:45 knew
Mattityahu 21
Orthodox Jewish Bible
21 When they came near to Yerushalayim and arrived at Beit-Pagey on the Mount of Olives, then Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach sent two talmidim,
2 saying to them, Go into the shtetl ahead of you, and immediately you will find a donkey having been tied and a colt with her; untie them and bring them to me.
3 And if anyone should say to you anything, you say, HaAdon has need of them. And he will send them immediately.
4 And this took place in order that might be fulfilled the thing spoken by the Navi (Prophet), saying:
5 IMRU LBAT TZIYON! (Tell the Daughter of Zion!) Hinei! Your Melech comes, ANI VROCHEV AL CHAMOR VAL AYIR BEN ATONOT (poor, humble and riding on a donkey and upon a colt, the foal of donkeys YESHAYAH 62:11; ZECHARYAH 9:9).
6 And having accomplished just what Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach had commanded them,
7 they brought the donkey and the colt and they put their garments upon them, and Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach sat upon them.
8 And the very large multitudes spread out their garments on the road, and others were cutting lulavim from the trees, and were spreading them out on the road.
9 And the multitudes going before him and the multitudes following after him were crying out, saying, HOSHAN NAH (Save now, TEHILLIM 118:25-26) to Ben Dovid! BARUCH HABAH BSHEM ADONOI! Hoshannah in the Highest!
10 And when Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach had entered into Yerushalayim, the whole city was stirred, saying, Who is this!?!
11 And the multitudes were saying, This is Yehoshua HaNavi! From Natzeret in the Galil.
12 And Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach arrived at the Beis Hamikdash and expelled the ones selling and buying in the Beis Hamikdash. And he turned over the tishen (tables) of the machalifei hakesafim (money changers) and the chairs of those selling the yonim (doves).
13 And Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach says to them, It has been written, BEITI BEIT TEFILLAH YIKAREI (My House shall be called a House of Prayer, YESHAYAH 56:7), but you are making it into a MEARAT PARITZIM (den of robbers, YIRMEYAH 7:11).
14 And ivrim (blind persons) and pisechim (lame persons) came to Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach in the Beis Hamikdash, and he brought refuah to them.
15 And the Rashei Hakohanim and the Sofrim were indignant, having seen the niflaot (wonders) which Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach accomplished and the yeladim shouting in the Beis Hamikdash, Hoshannah to the Ben Dovid [Moshiach].
16 And they said to Moshiach, Do you hear what these are saying? And Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach says to them, Ken. Have you never read, MIPI OLLELIM VYONKIM YISSADETAH OZ (From the lips of children and infants You ordained strength, praise, TEHILLIM 8:3[2])?
17 And having left them, he went out of the city to Beit-Anyah (Bethany) and spent the night there.
18 Now going up early into the city, he was hungry.
19 And observing the etz teenah (fig tree) on the way, he went up to it and found nothing on it, except leaves, and he says to it, No longer from you will there ever be pri (fruit)! And the etz teenah withered then and there.
20 And observing this, the talmidim were astounded, saying, How did the etz teenah instantly wither?
21 And he said in reply, Omein, I say to you, if you have emunah and do not doubt, not only will you do what was done to the etz teenah, but also if you say to this mountain, Be lifted up and be thrown into the sea, it will happen.
22 And, when you daven, all things whatever for which you may make techinnah (petition, supplication) with emunah, you will receive.
23 And after Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach had gone into the Beis Hamikdash, while he was bringing forth his torah, the Rashei Hakohanim and the Zekenim of the people approached him, saying, By what samchut (authority) do you do these things? And who granted you this samchut?
24 And Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach said in reply to them, I also will ask you a question, which, if you will tell me, I also will tell you by what samchut I do these things...
25 The tevilah in the mikveh mayim of Yochanan...it was from where, from Shomayim or from Bnei Adam? And they were discussing it among themselves, saying, If we say, From Shomayim, he will say to us, Why then do you not believe him?
26 But if we say, From Bnei Adam, we fear the multitude, for everyone considers Yochanan a Navi.
27 And in reply to him, they said, We do not have daas. And Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach said to them, Neither will I tell you by what samchut I do these things.
28 What do you think? A man had two banim (sons). And having approached the rishon (first), the man said, Beni (my son), go today and work in the kerem (vineyard).
29 But the first son said in reply, I will not. But later, having changed his mind, he went.
30 And having approached the other son, the man spoke similarly. But the second son, in reply, said, I will go, Adoni. Yet he did not go.
31 Which of the two did the ratzon haAv (the will of the Father)? They say, The rishon (the first). Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach says to them, Omein, I say to you, that the mochesim (tax-collectors) and the zonot (prostitutes) are going in ahead of you into the Malchut Hashem.
32 For Yochanan of the tevilah of teshuva came to you in the Derech Tzidkat Hashem (Way of Righteousness), and you did not believe him. But the mochesim and the zonot believed him. But you, even after you saw, did not change your mind [i.e., make teshuva] and believe him.
33 Listen to another mashal. There was a man, a Baal Bayit, who planted a kerem (vineyard). And he put a fence around it, and he dug a yekev (winepress) in it, and built a migdal (tower) and leased it to koremim (vinekeepers) and departed.
34 And when the time of the Katsir (Harvest) came, the Baal Bayit sent his servants to the koremim to receive the pri (fruit).
35 And the koremim, having seized his servants, one they beat, another they killed, and another they stoned.
36 And the Baal Bayit sent other servants, more than the rishonim (first ones), and the koremim did the same thing to them.
37 Lemaskana (finally, at last), the Baal Bayit sent to the koremim his Ben, saying, They will respect my Ben.
38 And when the koremim saw the Ben, they said among themselves, This is the Bechor (Firstborn), the Yoresh (Heir). Come, let us kill him and let us take possession of his bechorah (inheritance).
39 And having seized the Ben, they threw the Ben out of the kerem and they killed him.
40 Therefore, when the Baal HaKerem (Owner of the Vineyard) comes, what will he do to those koremim (vine keepers)?
41 They say to Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach, Those reshaim (evil-doers) the Baal HaKerem will bring to a terrible mavet, and the Kerem the Baal HaKerem will lease to other koremim, who will render unto the Baal HaKerem the PRI BITO (fruit in its season, TEHILLIM 1:3).
42 Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach says to them, Have you never heard in the Kitvei Hakodesh (Holy Scriptures), EVEN MAASU HABONIM HAYTAH LEROSH PINAH; MEIES HASHEM HAYTAH ZOT HI NIFLAT BEINEINU (The Stone which the Builders rejected, this one has become Head of the Corner; this came about from the L-rd, and it is marvelous in our eyes, TEHILLIM 118:22-23)?
43 For this reason, I say to you, the Malchut Hashem will be taken from you and it will be given to a people that produces its pri.
44 And the one having fallen on this EVEN (Stone, [Moshiach] DANIEL 2:35; YESHAYAH 8:14-15) will be crushed; and it will crush anyone on whom it falls.
45 And having heard Moshiach’s mashal, the Rashei Hakohanim and the Perushim understood that he spoke about them.
46 And seeking to arrest him, they were afraid of the multitudes, vi-bahlt (since) the multitudes considered him a Navi.
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