The King Enters Jerusalem

(Matthew 21:1-11; Luke 19:28-40; John 12:12-19)

1When they came near Jerusalem, at Bethphage and Bethany, near the Mount of Olives, Jesusa sent two of his disciples on ahead 2and told them, “Go into the village ahead of you. As soon as you go into it, you will find a colt tied up that no one has ever ridden. Untie it, and bring it along. 3If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you doing this?,’ say, ‘The Lord needs it,’ and he will send it back here at once.”

4So they went and found the colt outside in the street tied up next to a doorway. While they were untying it, 5some men standing there asked them, “What are you doing untying that colt?” 6The disciplesb told them what Jesus had said, and the menc let them go.

7They brought the colt to Jesus, threw their coats on it, and he sat on it. 8Many people spread their coats on the road, while others spread leafy branches that they had cut in the fields. 9Those who went ahead and those who followed him were shouting,

“Hosanna!d

How blessed is the one who comes

in the name of the Lord!e

10How blessed is the coming kingdomf

of our ancestor David!

Hosanna in the highest heaven!”g

11Then Jesus went into Jerusalem and into the Temple and looked around at everything. Since it was already late, he went out with the Twelve to Bethany.

Jesus Curses a Fig Tree

(Matthew 21:18-19)

12The next day, as they were leaving Bethany, Jesush became hungry. 13Seeing in the distance a fig tree covered with leaves, he went to see if he could find anything on it. When he came to it, he found nothing except leaves because it wasn’t the season for figs. 14So he told it, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again!” Now his disciples were listening to this.

Confrontation in the Temple over Money

(Matthew 21:12-17; Luke 19:45-48; John 2:13-22)

15When they came to Jerusalem, he went into the Temple and began to throw out those who were selling and those who were buying in the Temple. He overturned the moneychangers’ tables and the chairs of those who sold doves. 16He wouldn’t even let anyone carry a vessel through the Temple. 17Then he began to teach them: “It is written, is it not, ‘My house is to be called a house of prayer for all nations’?i But you’ve turned it into a hideoutj for bandits!” 18When the high priests and elders heard this, they began to look for a way to kill him, because they were afraid of him, since the whole crowd was amazed at his teaching. 19When evening came, Jesus and his disciplesk would leave the city.

The Lesson from the Dried Fig Tree

(Matthew 21:20-22)

20While they were walking along early the next morning, they saw the fig tree dried up to its roots. 21Remembering what Jesus had said,l Peter pointed out to him, “Rabbi,m look! The fig tree you cursed has dried up!”

22Jesus told his disciples,n “Have faith in God! 23I tell all of youo with certainty, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ if he doesn’t doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. 24That is why I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have receivedp it and it will be yours.

25“Whenever you stand up to pray, forgive whatever you have against anyone, so that your Father in heaven will forgive your sins. 26But if you do not forgive, your Father in heaven will not forgive your sins.”q

Jesus’ Authority is Challenged

(Matthew 21:23-27; Luke 20:1-8)

27Then they went into Jerusalem again. While Jesusr was walking in the Temple, the high priests, the scribes, and the elders came to him 28and asked him, “By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority to do them?”

29Jesus told them, “I’ll ask you one question.s Answer me, and then I’ll tell you by what authority I’m doing these things. 30Was John’s authority to baptizet from heaven or from humans? Answer me.”

31They began discussing this among themselves. “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he’ll say, ‘Then why didn’t you believe him?’ 32But if we say, ‘From humans’…?” They were afraid of the crowd, because everyone really thought John was a prophet.

33So they answered Jesus, “We don’t know.”

Then Jesus told them, “Then I won’t tell you by what authority I’m doing these things.”