The Triumphal Entry

21 When they approached Jerusalem^(A) and came to Bethphage at the Mount of Olives,^(B) Jesus then sent two disciples, ² telling them, “Go into the village ahead of you. At once you will find a donkey tied there with her colt. Untie them and bring them to me. ³ If anyone says anything to you, say that the Lord needs them, and he will send them at once.”

⁴ This took place so that what was spoken through the prophet might be fulfilled:

⁶ The disciples went and did just as Jesus directed them. ⁷ They brought the donkey and the colt; then they laid their clothes on them, and he sat on them. ⁸ A very large crowd spread their clothes on the road; others were cutting branches from the trees and spreading them on the road. ⁹ Then the crowds who went ahead of him and those who followed shouted:

¹⁰ When he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was in an uproar, saying, “Who is this?” ¹¹ The crowds were saying, “This is the prophet Jesus^(E) from Nazareth in Galilee.”

Cleansing the Temple

¹² Jesus went into the temple^[c](F) and threw out all those buying and selling. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the chairs of those selling doves.^{(G) 13} He said to them, “It is written, my house will be called a house of prayer,^[d] but you are making it a den of thieves!”^(H)[e]

Children Praise Jesus

¹⁴ The blind and the lame came to him in the temple, and he healed them. ¹⁵ When the chief priests and the scribes saw the wonders that he did and the children shouting in the temple, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” they were indignant ¹⁶ and said to him, “Do you hear what these children are saying?”

Jesus replied, “Yes, have you never read:

¹⁷ Then he left them, went out of the city to Bethany,^(J) and spent the night there.

The Barren Fig Tree

¹⁸ Early in the morning,^(K) as he was returning to the city, he was hungry. ¹⁹ Seeing a lone fig tree by the road, he went up to it and found nothing on it except leaves. And he said to it, “May no fruit ever come from you again!” At once the fig tree withered.

²⁰ When the disciples saw it, they were amazed and said, “How did the fig tree wither so quickly?”

²¹ Jesus answered them, “Truly I tell you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but even if you tell this mountain, ‘Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ it will be done.^{(L) 22} And if you believe, you will receive^(M) whatever you ask for in prayer.”

The Authority of Jesus Challenged

²³ When he entered the temple,^(N) the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him as he was teaching and said, “By what authority are you doing these things? Who gave you this authority?” ^(O)

²⁴ Jesus answered them, “I will also ask you one question, and if you answer it for me, then I will tell you by what authority I do these things. ²⁵ Did John’s baptism come from heaven, or was it of human origin?”

They discussed it among themselves, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say to us, ‘Then why didn’t you believe him?’ ^{(P) 26} But if we say, ‘Of human origin,’ we’re afraid of the crowd,^(Q) because everyone considers John to be a prophet.”^{(R) 27} So they answered Jesus, “We don’t 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 “What do you think? A man had two sons. He went to the first and said, ‘My son, go work in the vineyard today.’^(S)

²⁹ “He answered, ‘I don’t want to,’ but later he changed his mind and went. ³⁰ Then the man went to the other and said the same thing. ‘I will, sir,’ he answered, but he didn’t go. ³¹ Which of the two did his father’s will?”

They said, “The first.”

Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, tax collectors and prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God before you. ³² For John came to you in the way of righteousness,^(T) and you didn’t believe him. Tax collectors and prostitutes did believe him; but you, when you saw it, didn’t even change your minds then and believe him.

The Parable of the Vineyard Owner

³³ “Listen^(U) to another parable:^(V) There was a landowner, who planted a vineyard, put a fence around it, dug a winepress in it, and built a watchtower.^(W) He leased it to tenant farmers and went away.^{(X) 34} When the time came to harvest fruit, he sent his servants to the farmers to collect his fruit. ³⁵ The farmers took his servants, beat one, killed another, and stoned a third.^{(Y) 36} Again, he sent other servants, more than the first group, and they did the same to them. ³⁷ Finally, he sent his son to them. ‘They will respect my son,’ he said.

³⁸ “But when the tenant farmers saw the son, they said to each other, ‘This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him and take his inheritance.’^{(Z) 39} So they seized him, threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him. ⁴⁰ Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those farmers?”

⁴¹ “He will completely destroy those terrible men,” they told him, “and lease his vineyard to other farmers who will give him his fruit at the harvest.”^(AA)

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

⁴³ Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people producing its fruit. ⁴⁴ Whoever falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; ^(AC) but on whomever it falls, it will shatter him.”^[j]

⁴⁵ When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables,^(AD) they knew he was speaking about them. ⁴⁶ Although they were looking for a way to arrest him, they feared the crowds, because the people regarded him as a prophet.^(AE)

The Parable of the Wedding Banquet

22 Once more Jesus spoke to them in parables: ² “The kingdom of heaven^(AF) is like a king who gave a wedding banquet for his son.^{(AG) 3} He sent his servants to summon those invited to the banquet,^(AH) but they didn’t want to come. ⁴ Again, he sent out other servants and said, ‘Tell those who are invited: See, I’ve prepared my dinner; my oxen and fattened cattle have been slaughtered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.’^(AI)

⁵ “But they paid no attention and went away, one to his own farm, another to his business, ⁶ while the rest seized his servants, mistreated them, and killed them. ⁷ The king^[k] was enraged, and he sent out his troops, killed those murderers, and burned down their city.

⁸ “Then he told his servants, ‘The banquet is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy.^{(AJ) 9} Go then to where the roads exit the city and invite everyone you find to the banquet.’^{(AK) 10} So those servants went out on the roads and gathered everyone they found, both evil and good. The wedding banquet was filled with guests.^{[l] 11} When the king came in to see the guests, he saw a man there who was not dressed for a wedding.^{(AL) 12} So he said to him, ‘Friend,^(AM) how did you get in here without wedding clothes?’ The man was speechless.

¹³ “Then the king told the attendants, ‘Tie him up hand and foot,^[m] and throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

¹⁴ “For many are invited, but few are chosen.”^(AN)

God and Caesar

¹⁵ Then the Pharisees went and plotted how to trap him by what he said.^{[n](AO) 16} So they sent their disciples to him, along with the Herodians.^(AP) “Teacher,” they said, “we know that you are truthful and teach truthfully the way of God. You don’t care what anyone thinks nor do you show partiality.^{[o](AQ) 17} Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar^(AR) or not?”

¹⁸ Perceiving their malicious intent, Jesus said, “Why are you testing me, hypocrites? ¹⁹ Show me the coin used for the tax.” They brought him a denarius.^{[p] 20} “Whose image and inscription is this?” he asked them.

²¹ “Caesar’s,” they said to him.

Then he said to them, “Give, then, to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”^{(AS) 22} When they heard this, they were amazed. So they left him and went away.

The Sadducees and the Resurrection

²³ That same day some Sadducees,^(AT) who say there is no resurrection, came up to him and questioned him:^{(AU) 24} “Teacher, Moses said, if a man dies, having no children, his brother is to marry his wife and raise up offspring for his brother.^{[q](AV) 25} Now there were seven brothers among us. The first got married and died. Having no offspring, he left his wife to his brother. ²⁶ The same thing happened to the second also, and the third, and so on to all seven. ²⁷ Last of all, the woman died. ²⁸ In the resurrection, then, whose wife will she be of the seven? For they all had married her.”^[r]

²⁹ Jesus answered them, “You are mistaken, because you don’t know the Scriptures or the power of God. ³⁰ For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage but are like^[s] angels in heaven.^{(AW) 31} Now concerning the resurrection of the dead, haven’t you read what was spoken to you by God: ³² I am the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob?^[t](AX) He^[u] is not the God of the dead, but of the living.”

³³ And when the crowds heard this, they were astonished at his teaching.

The Primary Commands

³⁴ When^(AY) the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they came together. ³⁵ And one of them, an expert in the law, asked a question to test him:^{(AZ) 36} “Teacher, which command in the law is the greatest?”

³⁷ He said to him, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.^{[v](BA) 38} This is the greatest and most important^[w] command. ³⁹ The second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself.^{[x](BB) 40} All the Law and the Prophets depend^[y] on these two commands.”^(BC)

The Question about the Messiah

⁴¹ While the Pharisees were together, Jesus questioned them,^{(BD) 42} “What do you think about the Messiah? Whose son is he?”

They replied, “David’s.”

⁴³ He asked them, “How is it then that David, inspired by the Spirit,^[z] calls him ‘Lord’:^(BE)

⁴⁵ “If David calls him ‘Lord,’ how, then, can he be his son?” ⁴⁶ No one was able to answer him at all,^[ac] and from that day no one dared to question him anymore.^(BG)

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 ² 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. ³ If anyone says to you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘The Lord needs it and will send it back here right away.’”

⁴ So they went and found a colt outside in the street, tied by a door. They untied it, ⁵ and some of those standing there said to them, “What are you doing, untying the colt?” ⁶ They answered them just as Jesus had said; so they let them go.

⁷ They brought the colt to Jesus and threw their clothes on it, and he sat on it. ⁸ Many people spread their clothes on the road,^(D) and others spread leafy branches cut from the fields.^{[a] 9} Those who went ahead and those who followed shouted:

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.”

The Parable of the Vineyard Owner

12 He^(BB) began to speak to them in parables: “A man planted a vineyard,^(BC) put a fence around it, dug out a pit for a winepress, and built a watchtower. Then he leased it to tenant farmers and went away. ² At harvest time he sent^(BD) a servant^(BE) to the farmers to collect some of the fruit^(BF) of the vineyard from them. ³ But they took him, beat^(BG) him, and sent him away empty-handed.^{(BH) 4} Again he sent another servant to them, and they^[g] hit him on the head and treated him shamefully.^{[h] 5} Then he sent another, and they killed that one. He also sent many others; some they beat, and others they killed. ⁶ He still had one to send, a beloved^(BI) son. Finally^(BJ) he sent him to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ ⁷ But those tenant farmers said to one another, ‘This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’ ⁸ So they seized him, killed him, and threw him out of the vineyard. ⁹ What then will the owner^[i](BK) of the vineyard do? He will come and kill the farmers and give the vineyard to others. ¹⁰ Haven’t you read this Scripture:^(BL)

¹² They were looking for a way to arrest him but feared the crowd because they knew he had spoken this parable against them. So they left him and went away.

God and Caesar

¹³ Then^(BP) they sent some of the Pharisees^(BQ) and the Herodians^(BR) to Jesus to trap him in his words.^{(BS) 14} When they came, they said to him, “Teacher, we know you are truthful and don’t care what anyone thinks, nor do you show partiality^(BT) but teach the way of God truthfully. Is it lawful to pay taxes^(BU) to Caesar or not? Should we pay or shouldn’t we?”

¹⁵ But knowing their hypocrisy,^(BV) he said to them, “Why are you testing^(BW) me? Bring me a denarius^[k](BX) to look at.” ¹⁶ They brought a coin. “Whose image^(BY) and inscription^(BZ) is this?” he asked them.

“Caesar’s,” they replied.

¹⁷ Jesus told them, “Give to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”^(CA) And they were utterly amazed^(CB) at him.

The Sadducees and the Resurrection

¹⁸ Sadducees,^(CC) who say there is no resurrection,^(CD) came to him and questioned him: ¹⁹ “Teacher,^(CE) Moses^(CF) wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies, leaving a wife behind but no child,^(CG) that man should take the wife^(CH) and raise up offspring for his brother.^{[l](CI) 20} There were seven brothers. The first married a woman, and dying, left no offspring. ²¹ The second also took her, and he died, leaving no offspring. And the third likewise. ²² None of the seven^[m] left offspring. Last of all, the woman died too. ²³ In the resurrection, when they rise,^[n] whose wife will she be, since the seven had married her?”

²⁴ Jesus spoke to them, “Isn’t this the reason why you’re mistaken: you don’t know the Scriptures^(CJ) or the power^(CK) of God?^{(CL) 25} For when they rise^(CM) from the dead,^(CN) they neither marry nor are given in marriage^(CO) but are like angels^(CP) in heaven. ²⁶ And as for the dead being raised—haven’t you read in the book of Moses, in the passage about the burning bush, how God said to him: I^(CQ) am the God of Abraham^(CR) and the God of Isaac^(CS) and the God of Jacob?^{[o](CT) 27} He is not the God of the dead but of the living. You are badly mistaken.”

The Primary Commands

²⁸ One^(CU) of the scribes^(CV) approached. When he heard them debating and saw that Jesus answered them well, he asked him, “Which command is the most important of all?”

²⁹ Jesus answered, “The most important^[p] is Listen, Israel! The Lord^(CW) our God, the Lord^(CX) is one.^{[q] 30} Love^(CY) the Lord your God^(CZ) with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind,^(DA) and with all your strength.^{[r][s](DB) 31} The second is, Love your neighbor^(DC) as yourself.^[t](DD) There is no other command^(DE) greater than these.”

³² Then the scribe said to him, “You are right, teacher. You have correctly said that he is one, and there is no one^(DF) else except him.^{(DG) 33} And to love^(DH) him with all your heart, with all your understanding,^[u] and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself, is far more important than all the burnt offerings and sacrifices.”^(DI)

³⁴ When Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.”^(DJ) And no one dared^(DK) to question him any longer.

The Question about the Messiah

³⁵ While^(DL) Jesus was teaching in the temple, he asked,^(DM) “How can the scribes^(DN) say that the Messiah^(DO) is the son of David?^{(DP) 36} David^(DQ) himself says by the Holy Spirit: ^(DR)

³⁷ David himself calls him ‘Lord.’ How, then, can he be his son?” And the large crowd was listening to him with delight.

Warning against the Scribes

³⁸ He^(DV) also said in his teaching, “Beware of the scribes, who want to go around in long robes^(DW) and who want greetings in the marketplaces,^{(DX) 39} the best seats^(DY) in the synagogues,^(DZ) and the places of honor^(EA) at banquets.^{(EB) 40} They devour^(EC) widows’^(ED) houses and say long prayers^(EE) just for show. These will receive harsher judgment.”

The Widow’s Gift

⁴¹ Sitting^(EF) across from the temple treasury,^(EG) he watched how the crowd dropped money into the treasury. Many rich^(EH) people were putting in large sums. ⁴² Then a poor^(EI) widow came and dropped in two tiny coins worth very little. ⁴³ Summoning his disciples,^(EJ) he said to them, “Truly I tell you,^(EK) this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others.^{(EL) 44} For they all gave out of their surplus,^(EM) but she out of her poverty^(EN) has put in everything she had^(EO) —all she had to live on.”^(EP)

Cleansing the Temple

⁴⁵ He^(A) went into the temple and began to throw out those who were selling,^{[a] 46} and he said, “It is written, my house will be a house of prayer,^(B) but you have made it a den of thieves!”^[b](C)

⁴⁷ Every day he was teaching^(D) in the temple. The chief priests, the scribes, and the leaders of the people were looking for a way to kill^(E) him, ⁴⁸ but they could not find a way to do it, because all the people^(F) were captivated by what they heard.

The Authority of Jesus Challenged

20 One^(G) day as he was teaching^(H) the people in the temple and proclaiming the good news,^(I) the chief priests and the scribes, with the elders,^(J) came ² and said to him, “Tell us, by what authority are you doing these things? Who is it who gave you this authority?”

³ He answered them, “I will also ask you a question. Tell me, ⁴ was the baptism of John from heaven or of human origin?”

⁵ They discussed it among themselves: “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say, ‘Why didn’t you believe him?’ ⁶ But if we say, ‘Of human origin,’ all the people^(K) will stone us, because they are convinced that John was a prophet.”^{(L) 7} So they answered that they did not know its origin.

⁸ And Jesus said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.”

The Parable of the Vineyard Owner

⁹ Now^(M) he began to tell the people this parable: “A man planted a vineyard,^(N) leased it to tenant farmers, and went away for a long time. ¹⁰ At harvest time he sent a servant to the farmers so that they might give him some fruit from the vineyard. But the farmers beat him and sent him away empty-handed. ¹¹ He sent yet another servant, but they beat that one too, treated him shamefully, and sent him away empty-handed. ¹² And he sent yet a third, but they wounded this one too and threw him out.

¹³ “Then the owner of the vineyard said, ‘What should I do? I will send my beloved^(O) son. Perhaps^[c] they will respect him.’

¹⁴ “But when the tenant farmers saw him, they discussed it among themselves and said, ‘This is the heir. Let’s kill him, so that the inheritance will be ours.’^{(P) 15} So they threw him out of the vineyard and killed him.

“What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them? ¹⁶ He will come and kill^(Q) those farmers and give the vineyard to others.”

But when they heard this they said, “That must never happen!” ^(R)

¹⁷ But he looked at them and said, “Then what is the meaning of this Scripture:^[d](S)

¹⁸ Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces, but on whomever it falls, it will shatter him.”^(U)

¹⁹ Then the scribes and the chief priests^(V) looked for a way to get their hands on him^(W) that very hour, because they knew he had told this parable against them, but they feared the people.^(X)

God and Caesar

²⁰ They^(Y) watched closely^(Z) and sent spies^(AA) who pretended to be righteous,^[f] so that they could catch him in what he said,^(AB) to hand him^(AC) over to the governor’s^(AD) rule and authority. ²¹ They questioned him, “Teacher, we know that you speak and teach correctly,^(AE) and you don’t show partiality^[g](AF) but teach truthfully the way of God.^{(AG) 22} Is it lawful^(AH) for us to pay taxes^(AI) to Caesar^(AJ) or not?”

²³ But detecting their craftiness, he said to them,^{[h] 24} “Show me a denarius.^[i] Whose image and inscription does it have?”

“Caesar’s,” they said.

²⁵ “Well then,” he told them, “give to Caesar^(AK) the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”

²⁶ They were not able to catch him in what he said in public, and being amazed at his answer, they became silent.^(AL)

The Sadducees and the Resurrection

²⁷ Some^(AM) of the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection,^(AN) came up and questioned him: ²⁸ “Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother has a wife, and dies childless, his brother should take the wife and produce offspring for his brother.^{[j](AO) 29} Now there were seven brothers. The first took a wife and died without children. ³⁰ Also the second^{[k] 31} and the third took her. In the same way, all seven died and left no children. ³² Finally, the woman died too. ³³ In the resurrection, therefore, whose wife will the woman be? For all seven had married her.”

³⁴ Jesus told them, “The children of this age^(AP) marry and are given in marriage.^{(AQ) 35} But those who are counted worthy^(AR) to take part in that age^(AS) and in the resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage. ³⁶ For they can no longer die,^(AT) because they are like angels and are children of God,^(AU) since they are children of the resurrection. ³⁷ Moses even indicated in the passage about the burning bush that the dead are raised, where he calls the Lord the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.^{[l](AV) 38} He is not the God of the dead but of the living, because all are living to^[m] him.”^(AW)

³⁹ Some of the scribes answered, “Teacher, you have spoken well.” ⁴⁰ And they no longer dared to ask him anything.

The Question about the Messiah

⁴¹ Then^(AX) he said to them, “How can they say that the Messiah is the son of David?^{(AY) 42} For David himself says in the Book of Psalms:^(AZ)

⁴⁴ David calls him ‘Lord.’ How, then, can he be his son?”^(BB)

Warning against the Scribes

⁴⁵ While^(BC) all the people were listening, he said to his disciples, ⁴⁶ “Beware^(BD) of the scribes, who want to go around in long robes and who love greetings in the marketplaces, the best seats in the synagogues, and the places of honor at banquets.^{(BE) 47} They devour widows’ houses and say long prayers just for show. These will receive harsher judgment.”