The Son Rides Into Jerusalem
11 1 As they drew near to Jerusalem, to Bethphage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples ahead, 2 telling them, "Go into the village ahead of you, and as soon as you enter it you will find a colt tied there, one that no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here." 3 "And if anyone asks you, 'Why are you doing this?' say, 'The Lord needs it and will send it back here right away.'"
4 So they went and found a colt tied at a doorway outside in the street, and they untied it. 5 Some of those standing there asked them, "What are you doing, untying that colt?" 6 They answered as Jesus had told them, and the people let them go. 7 They brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks over it, and he sat on it. 8 Many people spread their cloaks on the road, and others spread leafy branches they had cut from the fields. 9 Those who went ahead and those who followed were shouting, "Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of our Father! 10 Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David! Hosanna in the highest!"
11 Then Jesus entered Jerusalem and went into the temple. He looked around at everything, but since it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the Twelve.
Jesus Curses the Fig Tree
12 The next day, as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry. 13 Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to see if he could find anything on it. But when he reached it, he found nothing but leaves, because it was not the season for figs. 14 So he said to it, "May no one ever eat fruit from you again." And his disciples heard him say it.
Jesus Cleanses His Father's House
15 When they came to Jerusalem, Jesus entered the temple and began driving out those who were selling and buying there. He overturned the tables of the money-changers and the benches of those selling doves, 16 and he would not allow anyone to carry merchandise through the temple courts. 17 And he taught them, saying, "Is it not 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 this and began looking for a way to destroy him, for they feared him, because the whole crowd was amazed at his teaching.
19 And when evening came, they went out of the city.
20 In the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree withered from its roots. 21 Peter remembered and said to him, "Rabbi, look! The fig tree you cursed has withered."
22 Jesus answered them, "Have faith in our Father." 23 "Truly I tell you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen — it will be done for him." 24 "Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours." 25 "And whenever you stand praying, forgive anyone you hold anything against, so that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your sins." 26 a a v26 This verse is not in the earliest manuscripts; later copies add: “But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses.”
By Whose Authority?
27 They came again to Jerusalem. As Jesus was walking in the temple courts, the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders came to him, 28 and asked, "By what authority are you doing these things? And who gave you the authority to do this?"
29 Jesus said to them, "I will ask you one question. Answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I am doing these things." 30 "John's baptism — was it from heaven, or of human origin? Answer me."
31 They discussed it among themselves, saying, "If we say, 'From heaven,' he will ask, 'Then why didn't you believe him?' 32 But if we say, 'Of human origin'" — they were afraid of the crowd, for everyone held that John really was a prophet. 33 So they answered Jesus, "We don't know." And Jesus said to them, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things."