Jesus Stops the Buying and the Selling in the House of God ^(A)

¹⁵ Then they came to Jerusalem. Jesus went into the house of God. He began to make the people leave who were selling and buying in the house of God. He turned over the tables of the men who changed money. He turned over the seats of those who sold doves. ¹⁶ He would not allow anyone to carry a pot or pan through the house of God. ¹⁷ He taught them saying, “Is it not written, ‘My house is to be called a house of prayer for all the nations’? You have made it a place of robbers.”

¹⁸ The teachers of the Law and the religious leaders of the Jews heard it. They tried to find some way to put Jesus to death. But they were afraid of Him because all the people were surprised and wondered about His teaching. ¹⁹ When evening came, Jesus and His followers went out of the city.

Jesus Stops the Buying and Selling in the House of God ^(A)

⁴⁵ Jesus went into the house of God. He made those leave who were buying and selling there. ⁴⁶ He said to them, “It is written, ‘My house is a house of prayer.’ ‘But you have made it a place of robbers.’” ^(B)

⁴⁷ Jesus taught each day in the house of God. But the religious leaders and the teachers of the Law and other leaders of the people tried to think of some way they could kill Him. ⁴⁸ They could not find a way because the people were always near Him listening to Him teach.

Jesus Stops the Buying and the Selling in the House of God ^(A)

¹³ It was time for the special religious gathering to remember how the Jews left Egypt. Jesus went up to Jerusalem. ¹⁴ He went into the house of God and found cattle and sheep and doves being sold. Men were sitting there changing money. ¹⁵ Jesus made a whip of small ropes. He used it to make them all leave the house of God along with the sheep and cattle. He pushed their money off the tables and turned the tables over. ¹⁶ He said to those who sold doves, “Take these things out of here! You must not make My Father’s house a place for buying and selling!” ¹⁷ Then His followers remembered that it was written in the Holy Writings, “I am jealous for the honor of Your house.” ^(B)