Jesus Comes to Jerusalem as King(A)(B)

21 As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives,(C) Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and at once you will find a donkey tied there, with her colt by her. Untie them and bring them to me. If anyone says anything to you, say that the Lord needs them, and he will send them right away.”

This took place to fulfill(D) what was spoken through the prophet:

“Say to Daughter Zion,
    ‘See, your king comes to you,
gentle and riding on a donkey,
    and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’”[a](E)

The disciples went and did as Jesus had instructed them. They brought the donkey and the colt and placed their cloaks on them for Jesus to sit on. A very large crowd spread their cloaks(F) on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted,

“Hosanna[b] to the Son of David!”(G)

“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”[c](H)

“Hosanna[d] in the highest heaven!”(I)

10 When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, “Who is this?”

11 The crowds answered, “This is Jesus, the prophet(J) from Nazareth in Galilee.”

Jesus at the Temple(K)

12 Jesus entered the temple courts and drove out all who were buying(L) and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers(M) and the benches of those selling doves.(N) 13 “It is written,” he said to them, “‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’[e](O) but you are making it ‘a den of robbers.’[f](P)

14 The blind and the lame came to him at the temple, and he healed them.(Q) 15 But when the chief priests and the teachers of the law saw the wonderful things he did and the children shouting in the temple courts, “Hosanna to the Son of David,”(R) they were indignant.(S)

16 “Do you hear what these children are saying?” they asked him.

“Yes,” replied Jesus, “have you never read,

“‘From the lips of children and infants
    you, Lord, have called forth your praise’[g]?”(T)

17 And he left them and went out of the city to Bethany,(U) where he spent the night.

Jesus Curses a Fig Tree(V)

18 Early in the morning, as Jesus was on his way back to the city, he was hungry. 19 Seeing 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!” Immediately the tree withered.(W)

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

21 Jesus replied, “Truly I tell you, if you have faith and do not doubt,(X) not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and it will be done. 22 If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for(Y) in prayer.”

The Authority of Jesus Questioned(Z)

23 Jesus entered the temple courts, and, while he was teaching, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him. “By what authority(AA) are you doing these things?” they asked. “And 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 John’s baptism—where did it come from? Was it from heaven, or of human origin?”

They discussed it among themselves and said, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will ask, ‘Then why didn’t you believe him?’ 26 But if we say, ‘Of human origin’—we are afraid of the people, for they all hold that John was a prophet.”(AB)

27 So they answered Jesus, “We don’t know.”

Then he said, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.

The Parable of the Two Sons

28 “What do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work today in the vineyard.’(AC)

29 “‘I will not,’ he answered, but later he changed his mind and went.

30 “Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing. He answered, ‘I will, sir,’ but he did not go.

31 “Which of the two did what his father wanted?”

“The first,” they answered.

Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, the tax collectors(AD) and the prostitutes(AE) are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you. 32 For John came to you to show you the way of righteousness,(AF) and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors(AG) and the prostitutes(AH) did. And even after you saw this, you did not repent(AI) and believe him.

The Parable of the Tenants(AJ)

33 “Listen to another parable: There was a landowner who planted(AK) a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a winepress in it and built a watchtower.(AL) Then he rented the vineyard to some farmers and moved to another place.(AM) 34 When the harvest time approached, he sent his servants(AN) to the tenants to collect his fruit.

35 “The tenants seized his servants; they beat one, killed another, and stoned a third.(AO) 36 Then he sent other servants(AP) to them, more than the first time, and the tenants treated them the same way. 37 Last of all, he sent his son to them. ‘They will respect my son,’ he said.

38 “But when the tenants saw the son, they said to each other, ‘This is the heir.(AQ) Come, let’s kill him(AR) and take his inheritance.’(AS) 39 So they took him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him.

40 “Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?”

41 “He will bring those wretches to a wretched end,”(AT) they replied, “and he will rent the vineyard to other tenants,(AU) who will give him his share of the crop at harvest time.”

42 Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures:

“‘The stone the builders rejected
    has become the cornerstone;
the Lord has done this,
    and it is marvelous in our eyes’[h]?(AV)

43 “Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you(AW) and given to a people who will produce its fruit. 44 Anyone who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; anyone on whom it falls will be crushed.”[i](AX)

45 When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard Jesus’ parables, they knew he was talking about them. 46 They looked for a way to arrest him, but they were afraid of the crowd because the people held that he was a prophet.(AY)

Footnotes

  1. Matthew 21:5 Zech. 9:9
  2. Matthew 21:9 A Hebrew expression meaning “Save!” which became an exclamation of praise; also in verse 15
  3. Matthew 21:9 Psalm 118:25,26
  4. Matthew 21:9 A Hebrew expression meaning “Save!” which became an exclamation of praise; also in verse 15
  5. Matthew 21:13 Isaiah 56:7
  6. Matthew 21:13 Jer. 7:11
  7. Matthew 21:16 Psalm 8:2 (see Septuagint)
  8. Matthew 21:42 Psalm 118:22,23
  9. Matthew 21:44 Some manuscripts do not have verse 44.

21 And when they drew nigh unto Jerusalem, and were come to Bethphage, unto the mount of Olives, then sent Jesus two disciples,

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.

And if any man say ought unto you, ye shall say, The Lord hath need of them; and straightway he will send them.

All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying,

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.

And the disciples went, and did as Jesus commanded them,

And brought the ass, and the colt, and put on them their clothes, and they set him thereon.

And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way; others cut down branches from the trees, and strawed them in the way.

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.

21 Da sie nun nahe an Jerusalem kamen, gen Bethphage an den Ölberg, sandte Jesus seiner Jünger zwei

und sprach zu ihnen: Gehet hin in den Flecken, der vor euch liegt, und alsbald werdet ihr eine Eselin finden angebunden und ihr Füllen bei ihr; löset sie auf und führet sie zu mir!

Und so euch jemand etwas wird sagen, so sprecht: Der HERR bedarf ihrer; sobald wird er sie euch lassen.

Das geschah aber alles, auf daß erfüllt würde, was gesagt ist durch den Propheten, der da spricht:

"Saget der Tochter Zion: Siehe, dein König kommt zu dir sanftmütig und reitet auf einem Esel und auf einem Füllen der lastbaren Eselin."

Die Jünger gingen hin und taten, wie ihnen Jesus befohlen hatte,

und brachten die Eselin und das Füllen und legten ihre Kleider darauf und setzten ihn darauf.

Aber viel Volks breitete die Kleider auf den Weg; die andern hieben Zweige von den Bäumen und streuten sie auf den Weg.

Das Volk aber, das vorging und nachfolgte, schrie und sprach: Hosianna dem Sohn Davids! Gelobt sei, der da kommt in dem Namen des HERRN! Hosianna in der Höhe!

10 Und als er zu Jerusalem einzog, erregte sich die ganze Stadt und sprach: Wer ist der?

11 Das Volk aber sprach: Das ist der Jesus, der Prophet von Nazareth aus Galiläa.

12 Und Jesus ging zum Tempel Gottes hinein und trieb heraus alle Verkäufer und Käufer im Tempel und stieß um der Wechsler Tische und die Stühle der Taubenkrämer

13 und sprach zu ihnen: Es steht geschrieben: "Mein Haus soll ein Bethaus heißen"; ihr aber habt eine Mördergrube daraus gemacht.

14 Und es gingen zu ihm Blinde und Lahme im Tempel, und er heilte sie.

15 Da aber die Hohenpriester und Schriftgelehrten sahen die Wunder, die er tat, und die Kinder, die im Tempel schrieen und sagten: Hosianna dem Sohn Davids! wurden sie entrüstet

16 und sprachen zu ihm: Hörst du auch, was diese sagen? Jesus sprach zu ihnen: Ja! Habt ihr nie gelesen: "Aus dem Munde der Unmündigen und Säuglinge hast du Lob zugerichtet"?

17 Und er ließ sie da und ging zur Stadt hinaus gen Bethanien und blieb daselbst.

18 Als er aber des Morgens wieder in die Stadt ging, hungerte ihn;

19 und er sah einen Feigenbaum am Wege und ging hinzu und fand nichts daran denn allein Blätter und sprach zu ihm: Nun wachse auf dir hinfort nimmermehr eine Frucht! Und der Feigenbaum verdorrte alsbald.

20 Und da das die Jünger sahen, verwunderten sie sich und sprachen: Wie ist der Feigenbaum so bald verdorrt?

21 Jesus aber antwortete und sprach zu ihnen: Wahrlich ich sage euch: So ihr Glauben habt und nicht zweifelt, so werdet ihr nicht allein solches mit dem Feigenbaum tun, sondern, so ihr werdet sagen zu diesem Berge: Hebe dich auf und wirf dich ins Meer! so wird's geschehen.

22 Und alles, was ihr bittet im Gebet, so ihr glaubet, werdet ihr's empfangen.

23 Und als er in den Tempel kam, traten zu ihm, als er lehrte, die Hohenpriester und die Ältesten im Volk und sprachen: Aus was für Macht tust du das? und wer hat dir die Macht gegeben?

24 Jesus aber antwortete und sprach zu ihnen: Ich will euch auch ein Wort fragen; so ihr mir das sagt, will ich euch auch sagen aus was für Macht ich das tue:

25 Woher war die Taufe des Johannes? War sie vom Himmel oder von den Menschen? Da dachten sie bei sich selbst und sprachen: Sagen wir, sie sei vom Himmel gewesen, so wird er zu uns sagen: Warum glaubtet ihr ihm denn nicht?

26 Sagen wir aber, sie sei von Menschen gewesen, so müssen wir uns vor dem Volk fürchten; denn sie halten alle Johannes für einen Propheten.

27 Und sie antworteten Jesu und sprachen: Wir wissen's nicht. Da sprach er zu ihnen: So sage ich euch auch nicht, aus was für Macht ich das tue.

28 Was dünkt euch aber? Es hatte ein Mann zwei Söhne und ging zu dem ersten und sprach: Mein Sohn, gehe hin und arbeite heute in meinem Weinberg.

29 Er antwortete aber und sprach: Ich will's nicht tun. Darnach reute es ihn und er ging hin.

30 Und er ging zum andern und sprach gleichalso. Er antwortete aber und sprach: Herr, ja! -und ging nicht hin.

31 Welcher unter den zweien hat des Vaters Willen getan? Sie sprachen zu ihm: Der erste. Jesus sprach zu ihnen: Wahrlich ich sage euch: Die Zöllner und Huren mögen wohl eher ins Himmelreich kommen denn ihr.

32 Johannes kam zu euch und lehrte euch den rechten Weg, und ihr glaubtet ihm nicht; aber die Zöllner und Huren glaubten ihm. Und ob ihr's wohl sahet, tatet ihr dennoch nicht Buße, daß ihr ihm darnach auch geglaubt hättet.

33 Höret ein anderes Gleichnis: Es war ein Hausvater, der pflanzte einen Weinberg und führte einen Zaun darum und grub eine Kelter darin und baute einen Turm und tat ihn den Weingärtnern aus und zog über Land.

34 Da nun herbeikam die Zeit der Früchte, sandte er seine Knechte zu den Weingärtnern, daß sie seine Früchte empfingen.

35 Da nahmen die Weingärtner seine Knechte; einen stäupten sie, den andern töteten sie, den dritten steinigten sie.

36 Abermals sandte er andere Knechte, mehr denn der ersten waren; und sie taten ihnen gleichalso.

37 Darnach sandte er seinen Sohn zu ihnen und sprach: Sie werden sich vor meinem Sohn scheuen.

38 Da aber die Weingärtner den Sohn sahen, sprachen sie untereinander: Das ist der Erbe; kommt laßt uns ihn töten und sein Erbgut an uns bringen!

39 Und sie nahmen ihn und stießen ihn zum Weinberg hinaus und töteten ihn.

40 Wenn nun der Herr des Weinberges kommen wird, was wird er diesen Weingärtnern tun?

41 Sie sprachen zu ihm: Er wird die Bösewichte übel umbringen und seinen Weinberg anderen Weingärtnern austun, die ihm die Früchte zur rechten Zeit geben.

42 Jesus sprach zu ihnen: Habt ihr nie gelesen in der Schrift: "Der Stein, den die Bauleute verworfen haben, der ist zum Eckstein geworden. Von dem HERRN ist das geschehen, und es ist wunderbar vor unseren Augen"?

43 Darum sage ich euch: Das Reich Gottes wird von euch genommen und einem Volke gegeben werden, das seine Früchte bringt.

44 Und wer auf diesen Stein fällt, der wird zerschellen; auf wen aber er fällt, den wird er zermalmen.

45 Und da die Hohenpriester und Pharisäer seine Gleichnisse hörten, verstanden sie, daß er von ihnen redete.

46 Und sie trachteten darnach, wie sie ihn griffen; aber sie fürchteten sich vor dem Volk, denn es hielt ihn für einen Propheten.

Baruch Ha-Ba! Blessed Is He Who Comes!

21 Now as they drew near to Jerusalem and came to Bethphage, to the Mount of Olives, then Yeshua sent two disciples, saying to them, “Go into the village before you. Right away, you’ll find a donkey tied up and a colt with her. Untie them and bring them to Me. If anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Master needs them.’ And right away he will send them.”

This happened to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet, saying,

“Say to the daughter of Zion,
‘See, your King is coming to you,
humble and sitting on a donkey,
a colt, the foal of a donkey.’”[a]

The disciples went and did as Yeshua had directed them. They brought the donkey and colt and put their clothing on them, and He sat on the clothing. Most of the crowd spread their clothing on the road, and others began cutting branches from the trees and spreading them on the road. The crowds going before Him and those following kept shouting, saying,

Hoshia-na to Ben-David!
    Baruch ha-ba b’shem Adonai!
Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!
Hoshia-na in the highest!”[b]

10 When He entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred up, saying, “Who is this?” 11 And the crowds kept saying, “This is the prophet Yeshua, from Natzeret in the Galilee.”

12 Then Yeshua entered the Temple[c] and drove out all those selling and buying in the Temple. He overturned the tables of the moneychangers[d] and the seats of those selling doves. [e] 13 And He said to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’[f] but you are making it ‘a den of thieves’!”[g]

14 The blind and lame came to Him in the Temple, and He healed them. 15 But when the ruling kohanim and Torah scholars saw the wonders He performed, and the children crying out in the Temple and saying, “Hoshia-na to Ben-David,” they became indignant. 16 And they said to Him, “Do You hear what these children are saying?” “Yes,” Yeshua said to them. “Haven’t you ever read,

‘Out of the mouth of babes and nursing toddlers
You have prepared praise for Yourself’?”[h]

17 Then He left them and went out of the city to Bethany, and He spent the night there.

Faith Moves Mountains

18 Now early in the morning, as He was returning to the city, He became hungry. 19 Seeing a lone fig tree by the road, He came up to it and found nothing on it except leaves only. And He said to it, “May no fruit ever come from you again!” And the fig tree shriveled up at once.

20 When the disciples saw it they were astonished. “How did the fig tree shrivel on the spot?” they asked.

21 Yeshua answered them, “Amen, I tell you, 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 taken up and thrown into the sea,’ it will happen. 22 And whatever you ask in prayer, trusting, you shall receive.”

Questions about Yeshua’s Authority

23 Now when He entered the Temple, the ruling kohanim and the elders of the people came to Him while He was teaching, saying, “By what authority are You doing these things? Who gave You this authority?”

24 Yeshua replied to them, “I also will ask you one question. If you tell Me, I likewise will tell you by what authority I do these things. 25 John’s immersion, where was it from? From heaven or from men?”

They began to dialogue among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will say to us, ‘Then why didn’t you believe him?’ 26 But if we say, ‘From men,’ we fear the crowd, for all hold up John as a prophet.” 27 So answering Yeshua, they said, “We don’t know.”

Then He said to them, “Neither am I telling you by what authority I do these things.”

A Parable about Intentions and Actions

28 “Now what do you think? A man had two sons, and he went to the first and said, ‘Son, go work in the vineyard today.’ 29 The son answered, ‘I won’t,’ but afterward he had a change of heart and went. 30 The man went to the second son and said the same thing. But he answered, ‘I will, sir,’ and didn’t go. 31 Which of the two did the will of the father?”

“The first,” they said.

Yeshua said to them, “Amen, I tell you, the tax collectors and prostitutes are going 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 him; and even after you saw this, you had no change of heart to believe him.”

Parable of the Vineyard

33 “Listen to another parable. There was a master of a household who planted a vineyard. He put a hedge around it, dug a winepress in it, and built a tower.[i] Then He leased it to some tenant farmers and went on a journey. 34 Now when fruit season drew near, he sent his servants to the tenants to collect his fruit. 35 But grabbing his servants, the tenants beat up one, killed another, and stoned still another. 36 Again the master sent other servants, even more than the first, and they did the same thing 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 among themselves, ‘This is the heir! Come on, let’s kill him and get his inheritance!’ 39 So grabbing him, they threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. 40 Therefore when the master of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?”

41 “He will bring those miserable men to a miserable end,” they said to Him, “and will lease the vineyard to other tenants, who will give him his share of the fruits in their seasons.” 42 Yeshua said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures[j]?

‘The stone which the builders rejected,
    this has become the chief cornerstone.
This came from Adonai,
    and it is marvelous in our eyes.’[k]

43 Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to people producing its fruits. 44 Whoever falls on this stone will be shattered; but the one upon whom it falls, it will crush him.”[l]

45 When the ruling kohanim and Pharisees heard Yeshua’s parables, they realized He was talking about them. 46 Although they were trying to seize Him, they feared the crowds, because they regarded Him as a prophet.