Jesus Enters Jerusalem as a King^(A)

11 As Jesus and his ·followers [disciples] were coming closer to Jerusalem, they came to the towns of Bethphage and Bethany near the Mount of Olives. From there Jesus sent two of his ·followers [disciples] ² and said to them, “Go to the town ·you can see there [ahead of you; or opposite you ^Ceither Bethphage, Bethany, or another village]. When you enter it, you will ·quickly [immediately] find a ·colt [young donkey] tied, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here to me. ³ If anyone asks you why you are doing this, tell him ·its Master [the Lord; or its Owner] needs the colt and ·he will send it at once [or he will return it soon; ^C“he” could be either Jesus or the colt’s owner].”

⁴ They went into the town, found a colt tied in the street near the door of a house, and untied it. ⁵ Some people were standing there and asked, “What are you doing? Why are you untying that colt?” ⁶ They answered the way Jesus told them to answer, and the people let them take the colt.

⁷ They brought the colt to Jesus and put their coats on it, and Jesus sat on it [Zech. 9:9]. ⁸ Many people spread their coats on the road. Others cut [leafy] branches in the fields and spread them on the road. ⁹ The people were walking ahead of Jesus and behind him, shouting,

¹¹ Jesus entered Jerusalem and went into the Temple. After he had looked [around] at everything, since it was already late, he went out to Bethany with ·the twelve apostles [the Twelve].

¹² The next day as Jesus was leaving Bethany, he became hungry. ¹³ Seeing a fig tree in leaf from far away, he went to see if it had any figs on it. But he found no figs, only leaves, because it was not the right season for figs. ¹⁴ So Jesus said to the tree, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” And Jesus’ ·followers [disciples] heard him say this.

Jesus Enters Jerusalem as a King^(A)

21 As Jesus and his ·followers [disciples] ·were coming closer to [approached] Jerusalem, they ·stopped at [^Lcame to] Bethphage ·at [or on] the Mount of Olives. From there Jesus sent two of his ·followers [disciples] ² and said to them, “Go to the town ·you can see there [ahead of you; or opposite you]. When you enter it, you will ·quickly [immediately] find a donkey tied there with its colt. Untie them and bring them to me. ³ If anyone asks you ·why you are taking the donkeys [^Lanything], say that ·the Master [the Lord; or its Owner] needs them, and ·he will send them at once [or the Lord will return it soon; see Mark 11:3].”

⁴ This was to ·bring about [fulfill] what ·the prophet had said [^Lhad been spoken through the prophet]:

⁶ [So] The ·followers [disciples] went and did what Jesus ·told them to do [instructed; commanded]. ⁷ They brought the donkey and the colt to Jesus and laid their ·coats [cloaks] on them, ·and Jesus sat on them. ⁸ ·Many people [A very large crowd; or Most of the crowd] spread their coats on the road. Others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. ⁹ The ·people [crowds] were walking ahead of Jesus and ·behind [following] him, shouting,

¹⁰ When Jesus entered Jerusalem, all the city was ·filled with excitement [stirred up; in an uproar]. The people asked, “Who is this man?”

¹¹ The crowd said, “This man is Jesus, the prophet from the town of Nazareth in Galilee.”

Jesus Goes to the Temple^(B)

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].”

¹⁴ The blind and ·crippled people [lame] came to Jesus in the Temple [courts; v. 12], and he healed them. ¹⁵ [^LBut when] The ·leading [^Tchief] priests and the ·teachers of the law [scribes] saw that Jesus was doing wonderful things and that the children were praising him in the Temple [courts; v. 12], saying, “·Praise [^LHosanna; v. 9] to the Son of David [^Ca title for the Messiah; v. 9].” All these things made the priests and the ·teachers of the law [scribes] ·very angry [indignant].

¹⁶ They asked Jesus, “Do you hear the things these children are saying?”

Jesus answered, “Yes. Haven’t you read in the Scriptures, ·‘You have taught children and babies to sing praises’ [^L‘From the mouths of infants and nursing babes you have prepared/created praise’; Ps. 8:2 LXX]?”

¹⁷ Then Jesus left and went out of the city to Bethany, where he spent the night.

The Power of Faith^(C)

¹⁸ Early the next morning, as Jesus was going back to the city, he became hungry. ¹⁹ Seeing a fig tree beside the road, Jesus went to it, but ·there were no figs [^Lhe found nothing] on the tree, only leaves [Is. 5:1–7]. So Jesus said to the tree, “·You will [May you] never again have fruit.” The tree immediately ·dried up [withered].

Jesus Enters Jerusalem as a King^(A)

²⁸ After Jesus said this, he went on [^Lahead, going up] toward Jerusalem. ²⁹ As Jesus came near Bethphage and Bethany, towns near the hill called the Mount of Olives, he sent out two of his ·followers [disciples]. ³⁰ He said, “Go to the town ·you can see there [ahead of you; or opposite you; ^Cunclear whether Bethphage or Bethany]. When you enter it, you will find a ·colt [young donkey] tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here to me. ³¹ If anyone asks you why you are untying it, say that ·the Master [the Lord; or its Owner] needs it.”

³² The two ·followers [^Lwho were sent] went into town and found ·the colt [or the situation] just as Jesus had told them. ³³ As they were untying it, its ·owners [masters] came out and asked the followers, “Why are you untying our ·colt [young donkey]?”

³⁴ The followers answered, “·The Master [The Lord; Its Owner] needs it.” ³⁵ So they brought it to Jesus, threw their ·coats [garments] on the ·colt’s [young donkey’s] back, and put Jesus on it. ³⁶ As Jesus rode toward Jerusalem, others spread their coats on the ·road [path; way] before him.

³⁷ As he was coming close to Jerusalem, on the way down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of ·followers [disciples] began joyfully shouting praise to God for all the ·miracles [mighty works] they had seen. ³⁸ They said,

³⁹ Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, ·tell your followers not to say these things [^Lrebuke your disciples].”

⁴⁰ But Jesus answered, “I tell you, if ·my followers didn’t say these things [^Lthey remained silent], then the stones would ·cry out [start shouting].”

Jesus Cries for Jerusalem

⁴¹ As Jesus came near Jerusalem, he saw the city and ·cried for [wept over] it, ⁴² saying, “·I wish you [^LIf you, even you,] ·knew [recognized] today what would bring you peace. But now it is hidden from ·you [^Lyour eyes]. ⁴³ ·The time is coming [^LFor the days will come upon you] when your enemies will build ·a wall around you [ramparts against your walls] and will ·hold you in [^Lsurround and close you in] on all sides. ⁴⁴ They will ·destroy you [level you; smash you to the ground] and all your ·people [^Lchildren within your walls], and not one stone will be left on another. All this will happen because you did not recognize the time ·when God came to save you [^Lof your visitation; ^Cthe failure to recognize God’s “visit” in Jesus (see 1:68, 78) will result in a divine “visit” in judgment].”

Jesus Goes to the Temple^(B)

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]!”