1 When they came near to Jerusalem, to
Bethsphage and Bethany, at the Mount of
Olives, he sent two of his disciples
2 and said to them, “Go your way into the
village that is opposite you. Immediately
as you enter into it, you will find a young
donkey tied, on which no one has sat. Untie
him and bring him.
3 If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you doing
this?’ say, ‘The Lord needs him;’ and immediately
he will send him back here.”
4 They went away, and found a young
donkey tied at the door outside in the open
street, and they untied him.
5 Some of those who stood there asked
them, “What are you doing, untying the
young donkey?”
6 They said to them just as Jesus had said,
and they let them go.
7 They brought the young donkey to Jesus
and threw their garments on it, and
Jesus sat on it.
8 Many spread their garments on the
way, and others were cutting down
branches from the trees and spreading
them on the road.
9 Those who went in front and those who
followed cried out, “Hosanna!‡ Blessed is
he who comes in the name of the Lord!*
10 Blessed is the kingdom of our father
David that is coming in the name of the
Lord! Hosanna in the highest!”
11 Jesus entered into the temple in
Jerusalem. When he had looked around at
everything, it being now evening, he went
out to Bethany with the twelve.
12 The next day, when they had come out
from Bethany, he was hungry.
13 Seeing a fig tree afar off having leaves,
he came to see if perhaps he might find
anything on it. When he came to it, he
found nothing but leaves, for it was not the
season for figs.
14 Jesus told it, “May no one ever eat fruit
from you again!” and his disciples heard
it.
15 They came to Jerusalem, and Jesus entered
into the temple and began to throw
out those who sold and those who bought
in the temple, and overthrew the money
changers’ tables and the seats of those who
sold the doves.
16 He would not allow anyone to carry a
container through the temple.
17 He taught, saying to them, “Isn’t it
written, ‘My house will be called a house of
prayer for all the nations’?* But you have
made it a den of robbers!”*
18 The chief priests and the scribes heard
it, and sought how they might destroy him.
For they feared him, because all the multitude
was astonished at his teaching.
19 When evening came, he went out of
the city.
20 As they passed by in the morning, they
saw the fig tree withered away from the
roots.
21 Peter, remembering, said to him,
“Rabbi, look! The fig tree which you cursed
has withered away.”
22 Jesus answered them, “Have faith in
God.
23 For most certainly I tell you, whoever
may tell this mountain, ‘Be taken up and
cast into the sea,’ and doesn’t doubt in
his heart, but believes that what he says
is happening, he shall have whatever he
says.
24 Therefore I tell you, all things whatever
you pray and ask for, believe that you
have received them, and you shall have
them.
25 Whenever you stand praying, forgive,
if you have anything against anyone; so
that your Father, who is in heaven, may
also forgive you your transgressions.
26 But if you do not forgive, neither will
your Father in heaven forgive your transgressions.”
§
27 They came again to Jerusalem, and as
he was walking in the temple, the chief
priests, the scribes, and the elders came to
him,
28 and they began saying to him, “By
what authority do you do these things? Or
who gave you this authority to do these
things?”
29 Jesus said to them, “I will ask you one
question. Answer me, and I will tell you by
what authority I do these things.
30 The baptism of John—was it from
heaven, or from men? Answer me.”
31 They reasoned with themselves, saying,
“If we should say, ‘From heaven;’ he
will say, ‘Why then did you not believe
him?’ 32 If we should say, ‘From men’ ”—they
feared the people, for all held John to really
be a prophet.
33 They answered Jesus, “We don’t
know.”
Jesus said to them, “Neither will I tell you
by what authority I do these things.”
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