Mark 11

Jesus Comes to Jerusalem as King

1As they all approached Jerusalem, they came to Bethphage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives. Jesus sent out two of his disciples, 2telling them, “Go to the village ahead of you. Just as you enter it, you’ll find a donkey’s colt tied there that no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. 3If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘The Lord needs it, but he’ll send it right back.’ ”

4So they went and found a colt out in the street, tied at a doorway. As they were untying it, 5some people standing there asked, “What are you doing? Why are you untying that colt?” 6They answered as Jesus had told them to, and the people let them go. 7They brought the colt to Jesus and threw their coats over it, and he sat on it. 8Many people spread their coats on the road, while others spread branches they’d cut in the fields. 9Some of the people went ahead of him, and some followed behind, and they all shouted,

“Hosanna!”

“Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!”

10“Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David!”

“Hosanna in the highest heaven!”

11Jesus entered Jerusalem and went into the temple courtyard. He looked around at everything, but since it was already late, he went back out to Bethany with the 12 disciples.

Jesus Curses a Fig Tree and Clears Out the Temple Courtyard

12The next day, as they were leaving Bethany, they were hungry. 13Off in the distance Jesus saw a fig tree that was full of leaves. He went over to see if it had any fruit. But when he got there, all he found was leaves, because it wasn’t time for figs to ripen yet. 14Then Jesus said to the tree, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again!” And his disciples heard him say it.

15When Jesus got to Jerusalem, he entered the temple courtyard and began to drive out those who were buying and selling there. He turned over the tables of the people who were exchanging money and the benches of those who were selling doves. 16He wouldn’t allow anyone to carry items for sale through the temple courtyard. 17Then he taught them, saying, “It is written that the Lord said, ‘My house will be called a house where people from all nations can pray.’ But you’ve made it a ‘den for robbers.’ ”

18When the chief priests and the teachers of the law heard about this, they began to look for a way to kill Jesus. They were afraid of him, because the whole crowd was amazed at his teaching.

19When evening came, Jesus and his disciples left the city.

The Dried-Up Fig Tree

20In the morning, as Jesus and his disciples were walking along, they saw the fig tree again. It was dried up all the way down to its roots. 21Peter remembered what had happened the day before, and he said to Jesus, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree you put a curse on has dried up!”

22“Have faith in God,” Jesus said. 23“Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go and throw yourself into the sea,’ if they don’t doubt in their heart but believe that what they say will happen, it will be done for them. 24So I tell you, when you pray for something, believe that you have already received it. Then it will be yours. 25-26And when you stand praying, forgive anyone you have anything against. That way your Father in heaven will forgive your sins.”

The Authority of Jesus Is Questioned

27Jesus came back into Jerusalem with his disciples. As he was walking in the temple courtyard, the chief priests, teachers of the law, and elders came up to him and asked, 28“By what authority are you doing these things? Who gave you authority to do this?”

29Jesus replied, “I’ll ask you a question, and if you answer me, I’ll tell you by what authority I’m doing these things. 30Where did John’s baptism come from? Was it from heaven, or was he acting on human authority? Tell me!”

31They talked this over among themselves and realized, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he’ll ask, ‘Then why didn’t you believe him?’ 32But we can’t say, ‘On human authority’!” (They were afraid of the people, because everyone believed that John really was a prophet.)

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

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

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Mark 11

The King Comes to Jerusalem

(Matthew 21:1–11; Luke 19:29–44; John 12:12–19)

1When they came near Jerusalem, to Bethphage and Bethany, at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples ahead of him. 2He said to them, “Go into the village ahead of you. As you enter it, you will find a young donkey tied there. No one has ever sat on it. Untie it, and bring it. 3If anyone asks you what you are doing, say that the Lord needs it. That person will send it here at once.”

4The disciples found the young donkey in the street. It was tied to the door of a house. As they were untying it, 5some men standing there asked them, “Why are you untying that donkey?” 6The disciples answered them as Jesus had told them. So the men let them go.

7They brought the donkey to Jesus, put their coats on it, and he sat on it. 8Many spread their coats on the road. Others cut leafy branches in the fields and spread them on the road. 9Those who went ahead and those who followed him were shouting,

“Hosanna!

Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!

10Blessed is our ancestor David’s kingdom that is coming!

Hosanna in the highest heaven!”

11Jesus came into Jerusalem and went into the temple courtyard, where he looked around at everything. Since it was already late, he went out with the twelve apostles to Bethany.

Jesus Curses the Fig Tree

(Matthew 21:18–19)

12The next day, when they left Bethany, Jesus became hungry. 13In the distance he saw a fig tree with leaves. He went to see if he could find any figs on it. When he came to it, he found nothing but leaves because it wasn’t the season for figs. 14Then he said to the tree, “No one will ever eat fruit from you again!” His disciples heard this.

Jesus Throws Out the Moneychangers

(Matthew 21:12–17; Luke 19:45–48)

15When they came to Jerusalem, Jesus went into the temple courtyard and began to throw out those who were buying and selling there. He overturned the moneychangers’ tables and the chairs of those who sold pigeons. 16He would not let anyone carry anything across the temple courtyard.

17Then he taught them by saying, “Scripture says, ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations,’ but you have turned it into a gathering place for thieves.”

18When the chief priests and the experts in Moses’ Teachings heard him, they looked for a way to kill him. They were afraid of him because he amazed all the crowds with his teaching.

19(Every evening Jesus and his disciples would leave the city.)

The Fig Tree Dries Up

(Matthew 21:20–22)

20While Jesus and his disciples were walking early in the morning, they saw that the fig tree had dried up. 21Peter remembered ⌞what Jesus had said⌟, so he said to Jesus, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree you cursed has dried up.”

22Jesus said to them, “Have faith in God! 23I can guarantee this truth: This is what will be done for someone who doesn’t doubt but believes what he says will happen: He can say to this mountain, ‘Be uprooted and thrown into the sea,’ and it will be done for him. 24That’s why I tell you to have faith that you have already received whatever you pray for, and it will be yours. 25Whenever you pray, forgive anything you have against anyone. Then your Father in heaven will forgive your failures.” #11:25 Some manuscripts and translations add verse 26: “But if you don’t forgive, your Father in heaven will not forgive your failures.”

Jesus’ Authority Challenged

(Matthew 21:23–27; Luke 20:1–8)

27Jesus and his disciples returned to Jerusalem. As he was walking in the temple courtyard, the chief priests, the experts in Moses’ Teachings, and the leaders came to him. 28They asked him, “What gives you the right to do these things? Who told you that you could do this?”

29Jesus said to them, “I’ll ask you a question. Answer me, and then I’ll tell you why I have the right to do these things. 30Did John’s right to baptize come from heaven or from humans? Answer me!”

31They discussed this among themselves. They said, “If we say, ‘from heaven,’ he will ask, ‘Then why didn’t you believe him?’ 32But if we say, ‘from humans,’ ⌞then what will happen⌟?” They were afraid of the people. All the people thought of John as a true prophet. 33So they answered Jesus, “We don’t know.”

Jesus told them, “Then I won’t tell you why I have the right to do these things.”

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