Mark 11
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
11
Entering Jerusalem on a Colt
1-3When they were nearing Jerusalem, at Bethphage and Bethany on Mount Olives, he sent off two of the disciples with instructions: “Go to the village across from you. As soon as you enter, you’ll find a colt tethered, one that has never yet been ridden. Untie it and bring it. If anyone asks, ‘What are you doing?’ say, ‘The Master needs him, and will return him right away.’”
4-7They went and found a colt tied to a door at the street corner and untied it. Some of those standing there said, “What are you doing untying that colt?” The disciples replied exactly as Jesus had instructed them, and the people let them alone. They brought the colt to Jesus, spread their coats on it, and he mounted.
8-10The people gave him a wonderful welcome, some throwing their coats on the street, others spreading out rushes they had cut in the fields. Running ahead and following after, they were calling out,
Hosanna!
Blessed is he who comes in God’s name!
Blessed the coming kingdom of our father David!
Hosanna in highest heaven!
11He entered Jerusalem, then entered the Temple. He looked around, taking it all in. But by now it was late, so he went back to Bethany with the Twelve.
The Cursed Fig Tree
12-14As they left Bethany the next day, he was hungry. Off in the distance he saw a fig tree in full leaf. He came up to it expecting to find something for breakfast, but found nothing but fig leaves. (It wasn’t yet the season for figs.) He addressed the tree: “No one is going to eat fruit from you again—ever!” And his disciples overheard him.
15-17They arrived at Jerusalem. Immediately on entering the Temple Jesus started throwing out everyone who had set up shop there, buying and selling. He kicked over the tables of the bankers and the stalls of the pigeon merchants. He didn’t let anyone even carry a basket through the Temple. And then he taught them, quoting this text:
My house was designated a house of prayer for the nations;
You’ve turned it into a hangout for thieves.
18The high priests and religion scholars heard what was going on and plotted how they might get rid of him. They panicked, for the entire crowd was carried away by his teaching.
19At evening, Jesus and his disciples left the city.
20-21In the morning, walking along the road, they saw the fig tree, shriveled to a dry stick. Peter, remembering what had happened the previous day, said to him, “Rabbi, look—the fig tree you cursed is shriveled up!”
22-25Jesus was matter-of-fact: “Embrace this God-life. Really embrace it, and nothing will be too much for you. This mountain, for instance: Just say, ‘Go jump in the lake’—no shuffling or hemming and hawing—and it’s as good as done. That’s why I urge you to pray for absolutely everything, ranging from small to large. Include everything as you embrace this God-life, and you’ll get God’s everything. And when you assume the posture of prayer, remember that it’s not all asking. If you have anything against someone, forgive—only then will your heavenly Father be inclined to also wipe your slate clean of sins.”
His Credentials
27-28Then when they were back in Jerusalem once again, as they were walking through the Temple, the high priests, religion scholars, and leaders came up and demanded, “Show us your credentials. Who authorized you to speak and act like this?”
29-30Jesus responded, “First let me ask you a question. Answer my question and then I’ll present my credentials. About the baptism of John—who authorized it: heaven or humans? Tell me.”
31-33They were on the spot, and knew it. They pulled back into a huddle and whispered, “If we say ‘heaven,’ he’ll ask us why we didn’t believe John; if we say ‘humans,’ we’ll be up against it with the people because they all hold John up as a prophet.” They decided to concede that round to Jesus. “We don’t know,” they said.
Jesus replied, “Then I won’t answer your question either.”
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THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson. All rights reserved. Used by permission of NavPress. Represented by Tyndale House Publishers.