Mark 11
11
Jesus’ Triumphant Entry
1As Jesus and his disciples approached Jerusalem, they came to the towns of Bethphage and Bethany on the Mount of Olives. Jesus sent two of them on ahead. 2“Go into that village over there,” he told them. “As soon as you enter it, you will see a young donkey tied there that no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. 3If anyone asks, ‘What are you doing?’ just say, ‘The Lord needs it and will return it soon.’”
4The two disciples left and found the colt standing in the street, tied outside the front door. 5As they were untying it, some bystanders demanded, “What are you doing, untying that colt?” 6They said what Jesus had told them to say, and they were permitted to take it. 7Then they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their garments over it, and he sat on it.
8Many in the crowd spread their garments on the road ahead of him, and others spread leafy branches they had cut in the fields. 9Jesus was in the center of the procession, and the people all around him were shouting,
“Praise God!#11:9 Greek Hosanna, an exclamation of praise that literally means “save now”; also in 11:10.
Blessings on the one who comes in the name of the Lord!
10Blessings on the coming Kingdom of our ancestor David!
Praise God in highest heaven!”#11:9-10 Pss 118:25-26; 148:1.
11So Jesus came to Jerusalem and went into the Temple. After looking around carefully at everything, he left because it was late in the afternoon. Then he returned to Bethany with the twelve disciples.
Jesus Curses the Fig Tree
12The next morning as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry. 13He noticed a fig tree in full leaf a little way off, so he went over to see if he could find any figs. But there were only leaves because it was too early in the season for fruit. 14Then Jesus said to the tree, “May no one ever eat your fruit again!” And the disciples heard him say it.
Jesus Clears the Temple
15When they arrived back in Jerusalem, Jesus entered the Temple and began to drive out the people buying and selling animals for sacrifices. He knocked over the tables of the money changers and the chairs of those selling doves, 16and he stopped everyone from using the Temple as a marketplace.#11:16 Or from carrying merchandise through the Temple. 17He said to them, “The Scriptures declare, ‘My Temple will be called a house of prayer for all nations,’ but you have turned it into a den of thieves.”#11:17 Isa 56:7; Jer 7:11.
18When the leading priests and teachers of religious law heard what Jesus had done, they began planning how to kill him. But they were afraid of him because the people were so amazed at his teaching.
19That evening Jesus and the disciples left#11:19 Greek they left; other manuscripts read he left. the city.
20The next morning as they passed by the fig tree he had cursed, the disciples noticed it had withered from the roots up. 21Peter remembered what Jesus had said to the tree on the previous day and exclaimed, “Look, Rabbi! The fig tree you cursed has withered and died!”
22Then Jesus said to the disciples, “Have faith in God. 23I tell you the truth, you can say to this mountain, ‘May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and it will happen. But you must really believe it will happen and have no doubt in your heart. 24I tell you, you can pray for anything, and if you believe that you’ve received it, it will be yours. 25But when you are praying, first forgive anyone you are holding a grudge against, so that your Father in heaven will forgive your sins, too.#11:25 Some manuscripts add verse 26, But if you refuse to forgive, your Father in heaven will not forgive your sins. Compare Matt 6:15.”
The Authority of Jesus Challenged
27Again they entered Jerusalem. As Jesus was walking through the Temple area, the leading priests, the teachers of religious law, and the elders came up to him. 28They demanded, “By what authority are you doing all these things? Who gave you the right to do them?”
29 “I’ll tell you by what authority I do these things if you answer one question,” Jesus replied. 30“Did John’s authority to baptize come from heaven, or was it merely human? Answer me!”
31They talked it over among themselves. “If we say it was from heaven, he will ask why we didn’t believe John. 32But do we dare say it was merely human?” For they were afraid of what the people would do, because everyone believed that John was a prophet. 33So they finally replied, “We don’t know.”
And Jesus responded, “Then I won’t tell you by what authority I do these things.”
Currently Selected:
Mark 11: NLT
Highlight
Copy
Compare
Share
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
Holy Bible, New Living Translation copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation.
For more information about the NLT:
Mark 11
11
The Triumphal Entry
1Now #Matt. 21:1–9; Luke 19:29; John 2:13when they drew near Jerusalem, to Bethphage and Bethany, at the Mount of Olives, He sent two of His disciples; 2and He said to them, “Go into the village opposite you; and as soon as you have entered it you will find a colt tied, on which no one has sat. Loose it and bring it. 3And if anyone says to you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘The Lord has need of it,’ and immediately he will send it here.”
4So they went their way, and found the colt tied by the door outside on the street, and they loosed it. 5But some of those who stood there said to them, “What are you doing, loosing the colt?”
6And they spoke to them just as Jesus had commanded. So they let them go. 7Then they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their clothes on it, and He sat on it. 8#Matt. 21:8And many spread their clothes on the road, and others cut down leafy branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9Then those who went before and those who followed cried out, saying:
“Hosanna!
#Ps. 118:25, 26; Matt. 21:9‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’
10Blessed is the kingdom of our father David
That comes in the name of the Lord!
#Ps. 148:1Hosanna in the highest!”
11#Matt. 21:12And Jesus went into Jerusalem and into the temple. So when He had looked around at all things, as the hour was already late, He went out to Bethany with the twelve.
The Fig Tree Withered
12#Matt. 21:18–22Now the next day, when they had come out from Bethany, He was hungry. 13#Matt. 21:19And seeing from afar a fig tree having leaves, He went to see if perhaps He would find something on it. When He came to it, He found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. 14In response Jesus said to it, “Let no one eat fruit from you ever again.”
And His disciples heard it.
Jesus Cleanses the Temple
15#Mal. 3:1; Matt. 21:12–16; Luke 19:45–47; John 2:13–16So they came to Jerusalem. Then Jesus went into the temple and began to drive out those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold #Lev. 14:22doves. 16And He would not allow anyone to carry wares through the temple. 17Then He taught, saying to them, “Is it not written, #Is. 56:7‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations’? But you have made it a #Jer. 7:11‘den of thieves.’ ”
18And #Ps. 2:2; Matt. 21:45, 46; Luke 19:47the scribes and chief priests heard it and sought how they might destroy Him; for they feared Him, because #Matt. 7:28; Mark 1:22; 6:2; Luke 4:32all the people were astonished at His teaching. 19When evening had come, He went out of the city.
The Lesson of the Withered Fig Tree
20#Matt. 21:19–22Now in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots. 21And Peter, remembering, said to Him, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree which You cursed has withered away.”
22So Jesus answered and said to them, “Have faith in God. 23For #Matt. 17:20; 21:21; Luke 17:6assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. 24Therefore I say to you, #Matt. 7:7; Luke 11:9; (John 14:13; 15:7; 16:24; James 1:5, 6)whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.
Forgiveness and Prayer
25“And whenever you stand praying, #Matt. 6:14; 18:23–35; Eph. 4:32; (Col. 3:13)if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses. 26But #Matt. 6:15; 18:35if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses.”
Jesus’ Authority Questioned
27Then they came again to Jerusalem. #Matt. 21:23–27; Luke 20:1–8And as He was walking in the temple, the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders came to Him. 28And they said to Him, “By what #John 5:27authority are You doing these things? And who gave You this authority to do these things?”
29But Jesus answered and said to them, “I also will ask you one question; then answer Me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things: 30The #(Mark 1:4, 5, 8); Luke 7:29, 30baptism of John—was it from heaven or from men? Answer Me.”
31And they reasoned among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will say, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’ 32But if we say, ‘From men’ ”—they feared the people, for #Matt. 3:5; 14:5; Mark 6:20all counted John to have been a prophet indeed. 33So they answered and said to Jesus, “We do not know.”
And Jesus answered and said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.”
The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.