The Barren Fig Tree

18 Early in the morning,(A) 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, “I assure 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.(B) 22 And if you believe, you will receive(C) whatever you ask for in prayer.”

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A Barren Fig Tree Cursed

18 Now early in the morning, as he[a] was returning to the city, he was hungry. 19 And seeing a single fig tree by the road, he went to it and found nothing on it except leaves only. And he said to it, “May there be no more fruit from you forever,[b] and the fig tree withered at once. 20 And when they[c] saw it,[d] the disciples were astonished, saying, “How did the fig tree wither at once?” 21 And Jesus answered and[e] said to them, “Truly I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will do not only 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[f] believe, you will receive.”

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Footnotes

  1. Matthew 21:18 Here “as” is supplied as a component of the participle (“was returning”) which is understood as temporal
  2. Matthew 21:19 Literally “to the age”
  3. Matthew 21:20 Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“saw”) which is understood as temporal
  4. Matthew 21:20 *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
  5. Matthew 21:21 Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“answered”) has been translated as a finite verb
  6. Matthew 21:22 Here “if” is supplied as a component of the participle (“believe”) which is understood as conditional