Matthew 21 – NIRV & OL

New International Reader’s Version

Matthew 21:1-46

Jesus Comes to Jerusalem as King

1As they all approached Jerusalem, they came to Bethphage. It was on the Mount of Olives. Jesus sent out two disciples. 2He said to them, “Go to the village ahead of you. As soon as you get there, you will find a donkey tied up. Her colt will be with her. Untie them and bring them to me. 3If anyone says anything to you, say that the Lord needs them. The owner will send them right away.”

4This took place so that what was spoken through the prophet would come true. It says,

5“Say to the city of Zion,

‘See, your king comes to you.

He is gentle and riding on a donkey.

He is riding on a donkey’s colt.’ ” (Zechariah 9:9)

6The disciples went and did what Jesus told them to do. 7They brought the donkey and the colt. They placed their coats on them for Jesus to sit on. 8A very large crowd spread their coats on the road. Others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9Some of the people went ahead of him, and some followed. They all shouted,

“Hosanna to the Son of David!”

“Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!” (Psalm 118:26)

“Hosanna in the highest heaven!”

10When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred up. The people asked, “Who is this?”

11The crowds answered, “This is Jesus. He is the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.”

Jesus Clears Out the Temple

12Jesus entered the temple courtyard. He began to drive out all those who were buying and selling there. He turned over the tables of the people who were exchanging money. He also turned over the benches of those who were selling doves. 13He said to them, “It is written that the Lord said, ‘My house will be called a house where people can pray.’ (Isaiah 56:7) But you are making it ‘a den for robbers.’ ” (Jeremiah 7:11)

14Blind people and those who were disabled came to Jesus at the temple. There he healed them. 15The chief priests and the teachers of the law saw the wonderful things he did. They also saw the children in the temple courtyard shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” But when they saw all this, they became angry.

16“Do you hear what these children are saying?” they asked him.

“Yes,” replied Jesus. “Haven’t you ever read about it in Scripture? It says,

“ ‘Lord, you have made sure that children and infants

praise you.’ ” (Psalm 8:2)

17Then Jesus left the people and went out of the city to Bethany. He spent the night there.

Jesus Makes a Fig Tree Dry Up

18Early in the morning, Jesus was on his way back to Jerusalem. He was hungry. 19He saw a fig tree by the road. He went up to it but found nothing on it except leaves. Then he said to it, “May you never bear fruit again!” Right away the tree dried up.

20When the disciples saw this, they were amazed. “How did the fig tree dry up so quickly?” they asked.

21Jesus replied, “What I’m about to tell you is true. You must have faith and not doubt. Then you can do what was done to the fig tree. And you can say to this mountain, ‘Go and throw yourself into the sea.’ It will be done. 22If you believe, you will receive what you ask for when you pray.”

The Authority of Jesus Is Questioned

23Jesus entered the temple courtyard. While he was teaching there, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him. “By what authority are you doing these things?” they asked. “Who gave you this authority?”

24Jesus replied, “I will also ask you one question. If you answer me, I will tell you by what authority I am doing these things. 25Where did John’s baptism come from? Was it from heaven? Or did it come from human authority?”

They talked to one another about it. They said, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will ask, ‘Then why didn’t you believe him?’ 26But what if we say, ‘From human authority’? We are afraid of the people. Everyone believes that John was a prophet.”

27So they answered Jesus, “We don’t know.”

Jesus said, “Then I won’t tell you by what authority I am doing these things either.

The Story of the Two Sons

28“What do you think about this? A man had two sons. He went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work today in the vineyard.’

29“ ‘I will not,’ the son answered. But later he changed his mind and went.

30“Then the father went to the other son. He said the same thing. The son answered, ‘I will, sir.’ But he did not go.

31“Which of the two sons did what his father wanted?”

“The first,” they answered.

Jesus said to them, “What I’m about to tell you is true. Tax collectors and prostitutes will enter the kingdom of God ahead of you. 32John came to show you the right way to live. And you did not believe him. But the tax collectors and the prostitutes did. You saw this. But even then you did not turn away from your sins and believe him.

The Story of the Renters

33“Listen to another story. A man who owned some land planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it. He dug a pit for a winepress in it. He also built a lookout tower. He rented the vineyard out to some farmers. Then he moved to another place. 34When harvest time approached, he sent his slaves to the renters. He told the slaves to collect his share of the fruit.

35“But the renters grabbed his slaves. They beat one of them. They killed another. They threw stones at the third to kill him. 36Then the man sent other slaves to the renters. He sent more than he did the first time. The renters treated them the same way. 37Last of all, he sent his son to them. ‘They will respect my son,’ he said.

38“But the renters saw the son coming. They said to one another, ‘This is the one who will receive all the owner’s property someday. Come, let’s kill him. Then everything will be ours.’ 39So they took him and threw him out of the vineyard. Then they killed him.

40“When the owner of the vineyard comes back, what will he do to those renters?”

41“He will destroy those evil people,” they replied. “Then he will rent the vineyard out to other renters. They will give him his share of the crop at harvest time.”

42Jesus said to them, “Haven’t you ever read what the Scriptures say,

“ ‘The stone the builders didn’t accept

has become the most important stone of all.

The Lord has done it.

It is wonderful in our eyes’? (Psalm 118:22,23)

43“So here is what I tell you. The kingdom of God will be taken away from you. It will be given to people who will produce its fruit. 44Anyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces. But the stone will crush anyone it falls on.”

45The chief priests and the Pharisees heard Jesus’ stories. They knew he was talking about them. 46So they looked for a way to arrest him. But they were afraid of the crowd. The people believed that Jesus was a prophet.

O Livro

Mateus 21:1-46

A entrada de Jesus em Jerusalém

(Mc 11.1-10; Lc 19.28-38; Jo 12.12-15)

1Quando se aproximavam de Jerusalém e chegavam perto de Betfagé, ao monte das Oliveiras, Jesus então enviou dois dos discípulos à frente. 2Disse-lhes: “Vão até àquela aldeia além e logo à entrada encontrarão uma jumenta amarrada com a sua cria. Soltem-nas e tragam-mas. 3Se alguém vos perguntar alguma coisa, respondam-lhe: ‘O Senhor precisa delas e em breve as devolverá.’ ” 4Assim ia cumprir-se a antiga profecia:

5“Digam à filha de Sião: ‘Vê, o teu Rei aproxima-se de ti!

Manso, montado numa cria de jumento,

num pequeno jumentinho.’ ”21.5 Zc 9.9.

6Os dois discípulos fizeram como Jesus lhes ordenou. 7Trouxeram-lhe a jumenta e a cria. Puseram os mantos sobre o lombo dos animais e ele sentou-se em cima.

8Muita gente estendeu os seus mantos no caminho, enquanto outros cortaram ramos das árvores e os espalharam no caminho. 9As multidões iam tanto à frente como atrás, exclamando:

“Hossana ao Filho de David!

Bendito aquele que vem em nome do Senhor!

Hossana nas alturas!”

10Entrou em Jerusalém e toda a cidade ficou em alvoroço. E perguntavam: “Quem é este?”

11E o povo respondia: “É Jesus, o profeta de Nazaré da Galileia!”

Jesus no templo

(Mc 11.15-19; Lc 19.45-47; Jo 2.13-16)

12Jesus entrou no templo e expulsou todos os negociantes e compradores que ali havia; derrubou as mesas dos cambistas e as bancas dos vendedores de pombos. 13E disse-lhes: “As Escrituras afirmam: ‘O meu templo será chamado casa de oração’, mas vocês transformaram-no num covil de ladrões!”21.13 Is 56.7; Jr 7.11.

14Entretanto, os cegos e os aleijados vinham ter com ele e curava-os ali no templo. 15Mas quando os principais sacerdotes e especialistas na Lei viram aqueles milagres espantosos, e ouviram as próprias crianças a gritar no templo, “Hossana ao Filho do rei David!”, ficaram inquietos e indignados. 16E perguntaram-lhe: “Ouves o que dizem estas crianças?”21.16 Sl 8.2.

“Ouço, sim. Nunca leram as Escrituras que dizem: ‘Da boca dos pequenos e das criancinhas de peito tirarei o louvor?’ ” 17Depois disto, voltou para Betânia, onde passou a noite.

A figueira mirra

(Mc 11.12-14, 20-24)

18De manhã, quando ia de novo para Jerusalém, sentiu fome. 19Vendo uma figueira à beira da estrada, aproximou-se dela e nada achou nela, senão folhas. E disse à figueira: “Nunca mais nasça fruto de ti, para sempre!” E logo secou.

20Os discípulos ficaram pasmados: “Como foi que a figueira secou tão depressa?”

21Respondeu-lhes Jesus: “É realmente como vos digo: se tiverem fé e não duvidarem, farão não só o que se fez a esta figueira, como dirão a este monte: ‘Levanta-te e atira-te ao mar!’, e assim sucederá. 22Podem pedir seja o que for em oração que, se crerem, recebê-lo-ão.”

A autoridade de Jesus contestada

(Mc 11.27-33; Lc 20.1-8)

23Tendo ele entrado no templo, os principais sacerdotes e outros anciãos do povo foram ter com ele, enquanto estava a ensinar, e perguntaram-lhe: “Com que autoridade fazes essas coisas? Quem te deu tal autoridade?”

24Em resposta, retorquiu-lhes: “Di-lo-ei, se me responderem a uma pergunta: 25O batismo de João é de inspiração celeste ou humana?”

Eles puseram-se a falar entre si: “Se dissermos que é de inspiração celeste, ele perguntará: ‘Então, porque não acreditaram nele?’ 26Mas se dissermos que é de inspiração humana, temos receio da multidão, pois todos têm João na conta de um profeta.” 27Por fim, responderam: “Não sabemos!”

E Jesus respondeu: “Então também não respondo à vossa pergunta!

A parábola dos dois filhos

28Que acham disto? Um homem que tinha dois filhos disse ao mais velho: ‘Filho, vai trabalhar hoje na herdade.’ 29‘Não vou’, respondeu. Mas pensando melhor, acabou por ir. 30Depois, disse ao mais novo: ‘Vai tu também!’ E ele respondeu: ‘Sim senhor, vou já’, acabando por não ir. 31Qual dos dois obedeceu ao pai?” Responderam: “O primeiro, sem dúvida.”

Jesus disse-lhes: “É realmente como vos digo: os cobradores de impostos e as mulheres de má vida entrarão antes de vocês no reino de Deus. 32Porque João Batista disse-vos para se arrependerem e se voltarem para Deus, e não quiseram; no entanto, muitos cobradores de impostos e mulheres mal afamadas arrependeram-se. Apesar de terem visto estas coisas, não se arrependeram e nunca chegaram a crer.

A parábola dos lavradores desonestos

(Mc 12.1-12; Lc 20.9-19)

33Agora ouçam outra parábola: Certo proprietário plantou uma vinha, erigiu um muro em volta e construiu um lagar. Construiu também uma torre, arrendou a vinha a uns lavradores e partiu em viagem. 34Quando chegou a época das vindimas, enviou os seus servos ir ter com os lavradores e receber a sua parte da colheita. 35Mas os lavradores assaltaram-nos; espancaram um, mataram outro e apedrejaram um terceiro. 36Então o dono enviou um grupo ainda maior do que o primeiro, mas trataram-nos do mesmo modo.

37Por fim, mandou o filho. Dizia ele: ‘Hão de respeitar o meu filho.’ 38Os lavradores, porém, ao verem o filho aproximar-se, disseram entre si: ‘Este é o herdeiro. Vamos matá-lo e a herança será nossa!’ 39Agarraram-no, mataram-no e arrastaram-no para fora da vinha.

40Quando o dono voltar, que acham vocês que fará àqueles lavradores?”

41Os anciãos responderam: “Dará uma morte severa a esses malvados e arrendará a vinha a outros lavradores que lhe paguem pontualmente a parte que lhe cabe dos frutos.”

42Jesus perguntou-lhes: “Não se lembram de ler esta frase nas Escrituras?

‘A pedra que os construtores rejeitaram

veio a tornar-se a pedra fundamental do edifício!

Isto foi outra obra que o Senhor fez,

e é espantosa aos nossos olhos!21.42 Sl 118.22-23.

43Por isso, garanto que o reino de Deus vos será tirado e entregue a um povo que dê a sua parte da colheita. 44Quem tropeçar nesta pedra será feito em pedaços e aqueles sobre quem ela cair serão esmagados.”

45Quando os principais sacerdotes e os fariseus perceberam que a parábola que Jesus contara se referia a eles 46procuraram prendê-lo, mas tiveram medo das multidões que tinham Jesus como profeta.