¹⁴ In the Temple [area; ^Cnot in the Temple proper, but in the outer courtyard, the Court of the Gentiles] he found people selling cattle, sheep, and ·doves [or pigeons; ^Cfor sacrifices in the Temple]. ·He saw others sitting at tables, exchanging different kinds of money [^L…and moneychangers sitting; ^Cthe annual temple tax (Ex. 30:11–16) had to be paid in Tyrian shekels, because of their high quality silver]. ¹⁵ Jesus made a whip out of cords and forced all of them, ·both [with] the sheep and cattle, to leave the Temple. He turned over the tables and scattered the money of ·those who were exchanging it [^Lthe moneychangers]. ¹⁶ Then he said to those who were selling ·doves [or pigeons], “Take these things out of here! Don’t make my Father’s house [^Cthe Temple was God’s home on earth; 1 Kin. 8] a ·place for buying and selling [^La house of market/trade]!”

¹⁷ When this happened, the ·followers [disciples] remembered what was written [^Cin the Scriptures]: ·“My strong love for your Temple completely controls me [^L“Zeal for your house will consume me”; Ps. 69:9].”

¹⁸ Some of ·his people [^Lthe Jews] ·said to [responded to; demanded of] Jesus, “Show us a ·miracle [^Lsign] to ·prove you have the right to do these things [justify your actions].”

¹⁹ Jesus ·answered [replied to] them, “Destroy this temple, and I will ·build [^Lraise] it again in three days [^Can allusion to his resurrection; 2:22; Matt. 26:61; 27:40].”

²⁰ ·They [The Jewish leaders; ^LThe Jews] answered, “It took forty-six years [^CHerod the Great began a reconstruction and expansion of the Temple complex in 20 bc, thus dating this statement to about ad 27] to ·build [reconstruct] this Temple! Do you really believe you can ·build [raise] it again in three days?”

²¹ (But the temple Jesus meant was his own body [^CJesus was claiming divinity, his body corresponding with the Temple, the home/dwelling place of God; 1:14]. ²² After Jesus was raised from the dead, his ·followers [disciples] remembered that Jesus had said this. Then they believed the Scripture [compare Ps. 16:10] and the words Jesus had said.)

Jesus Goes to the Temple^(A)

¹² Jesus went into the ·Temple [temple complex; ^Cthe large temple area, not the inner building where only the priests could go] and ·threw [drove] out all the people who were buying and selling there. He turned over the tables of ·those who were exchanging different kinds of money [^Lthe moneychangers], and he upset the benches of those who were selling doves [or pigeons; ^Cmoneychangers provided particular coins needed for the temple tax; doves or pigeons were sold for sacrifices; Lev. 5:7]. ¹³ Jesus said to ·all the people there [^Lthem], “It is written in the Scriptures, ‘My ·Temple [^LHouse] will be called a house for prayer [Is. 56:7].’ But you are ·changing [making] it into a ·hideout for robbers [^Tden of thieves; Jer. 7:11].”

Jesus Goes to the Temple^(A)

¹⁵ When Jesus ·returned [came] to Jerusalem, he went into the ·Temple [temple complex; ^Cthe large temple area, not the inner building where only the priests could go] and began to ·throw [drive] out those who were buying and selling there. He turned over the tables of ·those who were exchanging different kinds of money [^L the moneychangers], and he upset the benches of those who were selling doves [or pigeons; ^Cmoneychangers provided particular coins for the temple tax; doves or pigeons were sold for sacrifices; Lev. 5:7]. ¹⁶ Jesus refused to allow anyone to carry goods through the Temple courts. ¹⁷ Then he taught the people, saying, “It is written in the Scriptures, ‘My ·Temple [^LHouse] will be called a house for prayer for people from all nations’ [Is. 56:7]. But you ·are changing God’s house [^Lhave made it] into a ·‘hideout for robbers’ [^Tden of thieves’; Jer. 7:11].”

Jesus Goes to the Temple^(A)

⁴⁵ Jesus went into the Temple and began to ·throw [drive] out the people who were selling things there. ⁴⁶ He said, “It is written in the Scriptures, ‘My ·Temple [^LHouse] will be a house for prayer [Is. 56:7].’ But you have ·changed [made] it into a ‘·hideout for robbers’ [^Tden of thieves; Jer. 7:11]!”