The Triumphal Entry

11 When(A) they approached Jerusalem,(B) at Bethphage and Bethany(C) near the Mount of Olives, He sent two of His disciples and told them, “Go into the village ahead of you. As soon as you enter it, you will find a young donkey tied there, on which no one has ever sat. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone says to you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘The Lord needs it and will send it back here right away.’”

So they went and found a young donkey outside in the street, tied by a door. They untied it, and some of those standing there said to them, “What are you doing, untying the donkey?” They answered them just as Jesus had said, so they let them go. Then they brought the donkey to Jesus and threw their robes on it, and He sat on it.

Many people spread their robes on the road,(D) and others spread leafy branches cut from the fields.[a] Then those who went ahead and those who followed kept shouting:

Hosanna!
He who comes in the name(E)
of the Lord is the blessed One!(F)[b]
10 The coming kingdom(G)
of our father David(H) is blessed!
Hosanna(I) in the highest heaven!

11 And He went into Jerusalem(J) and into the temple complex.(K) After looking around at everything, since it was already late, He went out to Bethany(L) with the Twelve.

The Barren Fig Tree Is Cursed

12 The(M) next day when they came out from Bethany, He was hungry. 13 After seeing in the distance a fig(N) tree with leaves, He went to find out if there was anything on it. When He came to it, He found nothing but leaves, because it was not the season for figs. 14 He said to it, “May no one ever eat fruit(O) from you again!”(P) And His disciples(Q) heard it.

Cleansing the Temple Complex

15 They came to Jerusalem,(R) and He went into the temple complex(S) and began to throw out those buying and selling in the temple. He overturned the money changers’(T) tables and the chairs of those selling doves, 16 and would not permit anyone to carry goods through the temple complex.

17 Then He began to teach them: “Is it not written,(U) My house(V) will be called a house of prayer(W) for all nations?[c] But you have made it a den of thieves!”(X)[d] 18 Then the chief priests and the scribes(Y) heard it and started looking for a way to destroy Him. For they were afraid(Z) of Him, because the whole crowd was astonished by His teaching.

19 And whenever evening came, they would go out of the city.

The Barren Fig Tree Is Withered

20 Early(AA) in the morning, as they were passing by, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots up. 21 Then Peter(AB) remembered and said to Him, “Rabbi,(AC) look! The fig tree that You cursed(AD) is withered.”

22 Jesus replied to them, “Have faith in God.(AE) 23 I assure you:(AF) If anyone says to this mountain, ‘Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt(AG) in his heart, but believes(AH) that what he says will happen, it will be done for him.(AI) 24 Therefore I tell you, all the things you pray(AJ) and ask for(AK)—believe that you have received[e](AL) them, and you will have them. 25 And whenever you stand(AM) praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive(AN) him, so that your Father(AO) in heaven(AP) will also forgive(AQ) you your wrongdoing. [26 But if you don’t forgive, neither will your Father in heaven(AR) forgive your wrongdoing.]”[f][g]

Messiah’s Authority Challenged

27 They(AS) came again to Jerusalem.(AT) As He was walking in the temple complex,(AU) the chief priests, the scribes,(AV) and the elders(AW) came 28 and asked Him, “By what authority(AX) are You doing these things? Who gave You this authority to do these things?”

29 Jesus said to them, “I will ask you one question;(AY) then answer Me, and I will tell you by what authority I am doing these things. 30 Was John’s baptism(AZ) from heaven or from men? Answer Me.”

31 They began to argue among themselves: “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will say, ‘Then why didn’t you believe(BA) him?’ 32 But if we say, ‘From men’”—they were afraid of the crowd, because everyone thought that John was a genuine prophet.(BB) 33 So they answered Jesus, “We don’t know.”

And Jesus said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.”

Footnotes

  1. Mark 11:8 Other mss read others were cutting leafy branches from the trees and spreading them on the road
  2. Mark 11:9 Ps 118:26
  3. Mark 11:17 Is 56:7
  4. Mark 11:17 Jr 7:11
  5. Mark 11:24 Some mss read you receive; other mss read you will receive
  6. Mark 11:26 Other mss omit bracketed text
  7. Mark 11:26 These are the only uses of this word in Mk. It means “the violation of the Law” or “stepping over a boundary” or “departing from the path” or “trespass.”

11 And when they came nigh to Jerusalem, unto Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount of Olives, he sendeth forth two of his disciples,

And saith unto them, Go your way into the village over against you: and as soon as ye be entered into it, ye shall find a colt tied, whereon never man sat; loose him, and bring him.

And if any man say unto you, Why do ye this? say ye that the Lord hath need of him; and straightway he will send him hither.

And they went their way, and found the colt tied by the door without in a place where two ways met; and they loose him.

And certain of them that stood there said unto them, What do ye, loosing the colt?

And they said unto them even as Jesus had commanded: and they let them go.

And they brought the colt to Jesus, and cast their garments on him; and he sat upon him.

And many spread their garments in the way: and others cut down branches off the trees, and strawed them in the way.

And they that went before, and they that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna; Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord:

10 Blessed be the kingdom of our father David, that cometh in the name of the Lord: Hosanna in the highest.

11 And Jesus entered into Jerusalem, and into the temple: and when he had looked round about upon all things, and now the eventide was come, he went out unto Bethany with the twelve.

12 And on the morrow, when they were come from Bethany, he was hungry:

13 And seeing a fig tree afar off having leaves, he came, if haply he might find any thing thereon: and when he came to it, he found nothing but leaves; for the time of figs was not yet.

14 And Jesus answered and said unto it, No man eat fruit of thee hereafter for ever. And his disciples heard it.

15 And they come to Jerusalem: and Jesus went into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves;

16 And would not suffer that any man should carry any vessel through the temple.

17 And he taught, saying unto them, Is it not written, My house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer? but ye have made it a den of thieves.

18 And the scribes and chief priests heard it, and sought how they might destroy him: for they feared him, because all the people was astonished at his doctrine.

19 And when even was come, he went out of the city.

20 And in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots.

21 And Peter calling to remembrance saith unto him, Master, behold, the fig tree which thou cursedst is withered away.

22 And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God.

23 For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.

24 Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.

25 And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.

26 But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.

27 And they come again to Jerusalem: and as he was walking in the temple, there come to him the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders,

28 And say unto him, By what authority doest thou these things? and who gave thee this authority to do these things?

29 And Jesus answered and said unto them, I will also ask of you one question, and answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things.

30 The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or of men? answer me.

31 And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say, Why then did ye not believe him?

32 But if we shall say, Of men; they feared the people: for all men counted John, that he was a prophet indeed.

33 And they answered and said unto Jesus, We cannot tell. And Jesus answering saith unto them, Neither do I tell you by what authority I do these things.