The Triumphal Entry

1Whena they approached Jerusalem,b at Bethphage and Bethanyc near the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples 2and 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. 3If anyone says to you, ‘Why are you doing this? ’ say, ‘The Lord needs it and will send it back here right away.’ ”

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

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

Hosanna!

Blessed is he who comes

in the namea of the Lord!b c

10Blessed is the coming kingdoma

of our father David!b

Hosannac in the highest heaven!

11He went into Jerusalema and into the temple.b After looking around at everything, since it was already late, he went out to Bethanyc with the Twelve.

The Barren Fig Tree Is Cursed

12Thea next day when they went out from Bethany, he was hungry. 13Seeing in the distance a figa 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. 14He said to it, “May no one ever eat fruita from you again! ”b And his disciplesc heard it.

Cleansing the Temple

15They came to Jerusalem,a and he went into the templeb and began to throw out those buying and selling. He overturned the tables of the money changersc and the chairs of those selling doves, 16and would not permit anyone to carry goods through the temple. 17He was teaching them: “Is it not written,a My houseb will be called a house of prayerc for all nations?d But you have made it a den of thieves! ”e f

18The chief priests and the scribesa heard it and started looking for a way to kill him. For they were afraidb of him, because the whole crowd was astonished by his teaching.

19Whenever evening came, they would go out of the city.

The Barren Fig Tree Is Withered

20Earlya in the morning, as they were passing by, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots up. 21Then Petera remembered and said to him, “Rabbi,b look! The fig tree that you cursedc has withered.”

22Jesus replied to them, “Have faith in God.a 23Truly I tell you,a if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubtb in his heart, but believesc that what he says will happen, it will be done for him.d 24Therefore I tell you, everything you praya and ask forb — believe that you have receiveda c it and it will be yours. 25And whenever you standa praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgiveb him, so that your Fatherc in heavend will also forgivee you your wrongdoing.”A

The Authority of Jesus Challenged

27Theya came again to Jerusalem.b As he was walking in the temple,c the chief priests, the scribes,d and the elderse came 28and asked him, “By what authoritya are you doing these things? Who gave you this authority to do these things? ”

29Jesus said to them, “I will ask you one question;a then answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things. 30Was John’s baptisma from heaven or of human origin? Answer me.”

31They discussed it among themselves: “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say, ‘Then why didn’t you believea him? ’ 32But if we say, ‘Of human origin’ ” — they were afraid of the crowd, because everyone thought that John was truly a prophet.a 33So they answered Jesus, “We don’t know.”

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