The Cleansing of the Temple^(A)

¹⁵ And they came to Jerusalem. Jesus went into the temple and began to drive out those who sold and bought in the temple, and He overturned the tables of the moneychangers and the seats of those who sold doves. ¹⁶ And He would not allow anyone to carry any vessel through the temple. ¹⁷ And He taught them, and said, “Is it not written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations’^[a]? But you have made it a ‘den of thieves.’^[b] ”

¹⁸ The scribes and chief priests heard it and looked for a way to kill Him. For they feared Him, because all the people were astonished at His teaching.

¹⁹ When evening came, He went out of the city.

The Lesson From the Fig Tree^(B)

²⁰ In the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots. ²¹ Peter, calling to remembrance, said to Him, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree which You cursed has withered away.”

²² Jesus answered them, “Have faith in God. ²³ For truly I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, he will have whatever he says. ²⁴ Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you will receive them, and you will have them. ²⁵ And when you stand praying, forgive if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father who is in heaven may also forgive you your sins.