Readings for Lent and Easter

Jesus rides into Jerusalem

21 When they came near to Jerusalem, and arrived at Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of the disciples on ahead.

² “Go into the village over there,” he said, “and at once you’ll find a donkey tied up, and a foal beside it. Untie them and bring them to me. ³ And if anyone says anything to you, say, ‘The master needs them, and he’ll send them back straight away.’ ”

He sent them off at once.

⁴ This happened so that the prophet’s words might be fulfilled:

⁶ So the disciples went off and did as Jesus had told them. ⁷ They brought the donkey and its foal, and put their cloaks on them, and Jesus sat on them.

⁸ The huge crowd spread their cloaks on the road. Others cut branches from the trees and scattered them on the road. ⁹ The crowds who went on ahead of him, and those who were following behind, shouted out,

¹⁰ When they came into Jerusalem, the whole city was gripped with excitement.

“Who is this?” they were saying.

¹¹ “This is the prophet, Jesus,” replied the crowds, “from Nazareth in Galilee!”

The Temple and the fig tree

¹² Jesus went into the Temple and threw out all the people who were buying and selling in the Temple. He overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of the dove-sellers.

¹³ “This is what the Bible says,” he said to them,

¹⁴ The blind and the lame came to him in the Temple, and he healed them. ¹⁵ But when the chief priests and the scribes saw the remarkable things he was doing, and the children shouting out “Hosanna to David’s son!” in the Temple, they were very cross.

¹⁶ “Do you hear what they’re saying?” they asked Jesus.

“Yes,” said Jesus. “Did you never read what it says,