1Now as they approached Jerusalem, near Bethphage and Bethany, at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples

2and said to them, “Go to the village ahead of you. As soon as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there that has never been ridden. Untie it and bring it here.

3If anyone says to you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘The Lord needs it and will send it back here soon.’”

4So they went and found a colt tied at a door, outside in the street, and untied it.

5Some people standing there said to them, “What are you doing, untying that colt?”

6They replied as Jesus had told them, and the bystanders let them go.

7Then they brought the colt to Jesus, threw their cloaks on it, and he sat on it.

8Many spread their cloaks on the road and others spread branches they had cut in the fields.

9Both those who went ahead and those who followed kept shouting, “Hosanna! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!*

10Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David! Hosanna in the highest!”

11Then Jesus entered Jerusalem and went to the temple. And after looking around at everything, he went out to Bethany with the twelve since it was already late.

Cursing of the Fig Tree

12Now the next day, as they went out from Bethany, he was hungry.

13After noticing in the distance a fig tree with leaves, he went to see if he could find any fruit 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 fruit from you again.” And his disciples heard it.

Cleansing the Temple

15Then they came to Jerusalem. Jesus entered the temple area and began to drive out those who were selling and buying in the temple courts. He turned over the tables of the money changers and the chairs of those selling doves,

16and he would not permit anyone to carry merchandise through the temple courts.

17Then he began to teach them and said, “Is it not written: ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations’? But you have turned it into a den of robbers!”

18The chief priests and the experts in the law heard it and they considered how they could assassinate him, for they feared him, because the whole crowd was amazed by his teaching.

19When evening came, Jesus and his disciples went out of the city.

The Withered Fig Tree

20In the morning as they passed by, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots.

21Peter remembered and said to him, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree you cursed has withered.”

22Jesus said to them, “Have faith in God.

23I tell you the truth, if someone 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.

24For this reason I tell you, whatever you pray and ask for, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.

25Whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven will also forgive you your sins.”

26³

27They came again to Jerusalem. While Jesus was walking in the temple courts, the chief priests, the experts in the law, and the elders came up to him

28and said, “By what authority are you doing these things? Or who gave you this authority to do these things?”

29Jesus said to them, “I will ask you one question. Answer me and I will tell you by what authority I do these things:

30John’s baptism – was it from heaven or from people? Answer me.”

31They discussed with one another, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say, ‘Then why did you not believe him?’

32But if we say, ‘From people – ’” (they feared the crowd, for they all considered John to be truly a prophet).

33So they answered Jesus, “We don’t know.” Then Jesus said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.”