1When they were nearing Jerusalem, at Bethphage and Bethany near the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of His disciples,

2saying to them, “Go into the Probably Bethphage.village in front of you, and immediately as you enter it, you will find a [donkey’s] A colt that had not been used was considered holy by the Jews and was fit to carry a king.colt tied, which has never been ridden by anyone; untie it and bring it here.

3If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘The Lord needs it’; and immediately he will send it here.”

4So they went away [to the village] and found a colt tied outside at a gate in the street, and they untied it.

5Some of the people who were standing there said to them, “What are you doing, untying the colt?”

6They replied to them just as Jesus had directed, and they allowed them to go.

7They brought the colt to Jesus and put their coats on it, and He sat on it.

8And many [of the people] spread their coats on the road [as an act of tribute and homage before a new king], and others [scattered a layer of] leafy branches which they had cut from the fields [honoring Him as Messiah].

9Those who went in front and those who were following [Him] were shouting [in joy and praise],

11Jesus entered Jerusalem and went to the temple [enclosure]; and after looking around at everything, He left for Bethany with the twelve [disciples], because it was already late [in the day].

12On the next day, when they had left Bethany, He was hungry.

13Seeing at a distance a fig tree in leaf, He went to see if He would find anything on it. But He found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs.

14He said to it, “No one will ever eat fruit from you again!” And His disciples were listening [to what He said].

15Then they came to Jerusalem. And He entered the temple [grounds] and began driving out [with force] the people who were These vendors could charge pilgrims inflated prices for animals designated for sacrifice because OT law forbade the use of animals with blemishes or defects (Deut 17:1 etc.), and the religious leaders had dictated even more stringent requirements. For example, they ruled that a blemish on an eyelid disqualified an animal for sacrifice (according to the Talmud).selling and buying [animals for sacrifice] in the temple area, and overturned the tables of the moneychangers [who made a profit exchanging foreign money for temple coinage] and the seats of those who were selling doves;

16and He would not permit anyone to carry Lit a vessel. The Mishnah declared that one should not enter the temple mount with his staff (walking stick) or wallet, or with his shoes on, or with dust on his feet (according to the Talmud). Carrying merchandise through the temple showed even greater disrespect.merchandise or household wares through the temple [grounds, using the temple area irreverently as a shortcut].

17He began to teach and say to them, “Is it not written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations’? But you have made it a robbers’ den.”

18The chief priests and the scribes heard this and began searching for a way to destroy Him; for they were afraid of Him, since the entire crowd was struck with astonishment at His teaching.

19When evening came, Jesus and His disciples would leave the city.

20In the morning, as they were passing by, the disciples saw that the fig tree had withered away from the roots up.

21And remembering, Peter said to Him, “Rabbi (Master), look! The fig tree which You cursed has withered!”

22Jesus replied, “Have faith in God [constantly].

23I assure you and most solemnly say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be lifted up and thrown into the sea!’ and Jesus used this moment to emphasize to the disciples that a person’s confident, abiding faith combined with God’s power can produce absolutely amazing results, if the request is in harmony with God’s will. God is fully capable of doing that which man regards as impossible (cf 14:36; James 4:3).does not doubt in his heart [in God’s unlimited power], but believes that what he says is going to take place, it will be done for him [in accordance with God’s will].

24For this reason I am telling you, whatever things you ask for in prayer [in accordance with God’s will], believe [with confident trust] that you have received them, and they will be given to you.

25Whenever you Standing was a common posture for prayer among the Jews (see Matt 6:5).stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him [drop the issue, let it go], so that your Father who is in heaven will also forgive you your transgressions and wrongdoings [against Him and others].

27They came again to Jerusalem. And as Jesus was walking in the [courts and porches of the] temple, the These three groups composed the Sanhedrin, the Jewish High Court.chief priests, the scribes, and the elders came to Him,

28and began saying to Him, “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, and you answer Me, and then I will tell you by what authority I do these things.

30Was the baptism of John [the Baptist] from heaven [that is, ordained by God] or from men? Answer Me.”

31They began discussing it with each other, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will say, ‘Then why did you not believe him?’

32But Or if we say.shall we say, ‘From men?’ ” —they were afraid [to answer because] of the crowd, for everyone considered John to have been a real prophet.

33So they replied to Jesus, “We do not know.” And Jesus said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.”