Jesus Comes to Jerusalem as King
1As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples, 2saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and just as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. 3If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘The Lord needs it and will send it back here shortly.’ ”
4They went and found a colt outside in the street, tied at a doorway. As they untied it, 5some people standing there asked, “What are you doing, untying that colt?” 6They answered as Jesus had told them to, and the people let them go. 7When they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks over it, he sat on it. 8Many people spread their cloaks on the road, while others spread branches they had cut in the fields. 9Those who went ahead and those who followed shouted,
“Hosanna!11:9 A Hebrew expression meaning “Save!” which became an exclamation of praise; also in verse 10”
“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”11:9 Psalm 118:25,26
10“Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David!”
“Hosanna in the highest heaven!”
11Jesus entered Jerusalem and went into the temple courts. He looked around at everything, but since it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the Twelve.
Jesus Curses a Fig Tree and Clears the Temple Courts
12The next day as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry. 13Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to find out if it had any fruit. When he reached it, he found nothing but leaves, because it was not the season for figs. 14Then he said to the tree, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” And his disciples heard him say it.
15On reaching Jerusalem, Jesus entered the temple courts and began driving out those who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves, 16and would not allow anyone to carry merchandise through the temple courts. 17And as he taught them, he said, “Is it not written: ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations’11:17 Isaiah 56:7? But you have made it ‘a den of robbers.’11:17 Jer. 7:11”
18The chief priests and the teachers of the law heard this and began looking for a way to kill him, for they feared him, because the whole crowd was amazed at his teaching.
19When evening came, Jesus and his disciples11:19 Some early manuscripts came, Jesus went out of the city.
20In the morning, as they went along, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots. 21Peter remembered and said to Jesus, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree you cursed has withered!”
22“Have faith in God,” Jesus answered. 23“Truly11:22,23 Some early manuscripts “If you have faith in God,” Jesus answered, 23 “truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them. 24Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. 25And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.” 2611:26 Some manuscripts include here words similar to Matt. 6:15.
The Authority of Jesus Questioned
27They arrived again in Jerusalem, and while Jesus was walking in the temple courts, the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders came to him. 28“By what authority are you doing these things?” they asked. “And who gave you authority to do this?”
29Jesus replied, “I will ask you one question. Answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I am doing these things. 30John’s baptism—was it from heaven, or of human origin? Tell me!”
31They discussed it among themselves and said, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will ask, ‘Then why didn’t you believe him?’ 32But if we say, ‘Of human origin’ …” (They feared the people, for everyone held that John really was a prophet.)
33So they answered Jesus, “We don’t know.”
Jesus said, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.”
騎驢進耶路撒冷
1耶穌和門徒將近耶路撒冷，來到橄欖山的伯法其和伯大尼。耶穌派了兩個門徒， 2並囑咐說：「你們去前面的村莊，一進村就會看見一頭從來沒有人騎過的驢駒拴在那裡，你們把牠解開牽來。 3若有人問你們為什麼這樣做，就說，『主要用牠，很快會把牠送回來。』」 4他們就去了，果然看見有一頭驢駒拴在街道旁一戶人家的門外，就解開牠。 5旁邊站著的幾個人就問他們：「你們解開驢駒幹什麼？」
6門徒依照耶穌的吩咐回答，那些人就讓他們牽走了。 7他們把驢駒牽到耶穌那裡，把自己的外衣搭在驢背上，耶穌就騎了上去。 8許多人把衣服鋪在路上，還有人將田間的樹枝砍下來鋪在路上。 9眾人前呼後擁，高喊道：
「和散那！」11·9 「和散那」原意是「拯救我們」，此處有「讚美」的意思。
「奉主名來的當受稱頌！」11·9 詩篇118·26。
10「那將要來臨的我祖大衛的國度當受稱頌！」
「和散那歸於至高之處的上帝！」
11耶穌進了耶路撒冷，來到聖殿，巡視各處。那時天色已晚，耶穌便和十二使徒出城前往伯大尼。
咒詛無花果樹
12第二天，他們離開伯大尼後，耶穌餓了。 13祂遠遠看見一棵長滿葉子的無花果樹，就走過去看能否找到果子。到了樹下，卻什麼也找不到，只有葉子，因為當時不是收無花果的季節。 14祂對那棵樹說：「願今後無人再吃你的果子！」祂的門徒都聽見了這句話。
潔淨聖殿
15他們來到耶路撒冷後，耶穌進入聖殿，趕走裡面做買賣的人，推翻兌換錢幣之人的桌子和賣鴿子之人的凳子， 16不准人抬著貨物穿過聖殿。 17祂教導他們說：「聖經上不是記載『我的殿必稱為萬民禱告的殿』11·17 以賽亞書56·7。嗎？你們竟把它變成了賊窩。11·17 耶利米書7·11。」
18祭司長和律法教師聽到這番話後，就策劃如何殺害耶穌，只是害怕祂，因為百姓都對祂的教導感到驚奇。 19到了傍晚，耶穌和門徒去了城外。
無花果樹的教訓
20早上，他們經過那棵無花果樹，看見它連根都枯了。 21彼得想起昨天發生的事，就對耶穌說：「老師，你看！你咒詛的無花果樹已經枯了。」
22耶穌說：「你們要對上帝有信心。 23我實在告訴你們，不論何人，只要有信心，毫不疑惑，就是對這座山說，『從這裡挪開，投進大海裡！』也必定為他成就。 24所以我告訴你們，你們無論禱告求什麼，只要相信已經得到了，就必得到。 25你們站著禱告的時候，若想起有人得罪了你們，就要饒恕他。這樣，你們天上的父也會饒恕你們的過犯。 26你們如果不饒恕別人，你們天上的父也不會饒恕你們的過犯。11·26 有古卷無26節。」
質問耶穌的權柄
27他們再次回到耶路撒冷。耶穌在聖殿裡行走的時候，祭司長、律法教師和長老上前質問祂： 28「你憑什麼權柄做這些事？誰授權給你了？」
29耶穌說：「我要問你們一個問題，你們回答了，我就告訴你們我憑什麼權柄做這些事。 30約翰的洗禮是從天上來的，還是從人間來的？請回答我！」
31他們彼此議論說：「如果我們說『是從天上來的』，祂一定會問，『那你們為什麼不信他？』 32但我們如果說『是從人間來的』，又怕觸怒百姓，因為他們都相信約翰真的是先知。」 33於是，他們回答說：「我們不知道。」耶穌說：「我也不告訴你們我憑什麼權柄做這些事。」
