Old/New Testament

¹⁹ When evening came, they went back out of the city.

²⁰ As they were returning, early in the morning, they saw the fig tree withered from its roots.

²¹ “Look, Teacher!” said Peter to Jesus, remembering what had happened before. “The fig tree you cursed has withered.”

²² “Have faith in God,” replied Jesus. ²³ “I’m telling you the truth: if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Be off with you—get yourself thrown into the sea,’ if they have no doubt in their heart, but believe that what they say will happen, it will be done for them. ²⁴ That’s why I’m telling you, everything that you request in prayer, everything you ask God for, believe that you receive it, and it will happen for you.

²⁵ “And when you are standing there praying, if you have something against someone else, forgive them—so that your father in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.”

The authority of Jesus is questioned

²⁷ Once more they went into Jerusalem. As Jesus was walking in the Temple he was approached by the chief priests, the legal experts and the elders.

²⁸ “By what right do you do these things?” they asked. “Who gave you the right to do them?”

²⁹ “I have one question for you, too,” replied Jesus, “and if you tell me the answer I shall tell you by what right I do these things. ³⁰ Was the baptism of John from heaven, or was it a human invention? What’s your answer?”

³¹ “Well now,” they muttered to each other, “if we say it was from heaven, he will say, ‘Then why didn’t you believe him?’ ³² But if we say it was a human invention . . .” They were afraid of the crowd, because everyone regarded John as a prophet.

³³ “We don’t know,” they said to Jesus.

“Nor will I tell you,” replied Jesus, “by what right I do these things.”