The Triumphant Entry into Jerusalem
(Matthew 21.1-11Luke 19.28-40John 12.12-19)1 As they approached Jerusalem, near the towns of Bethphage and Bethany, they came to the Mount of Olives. Jesus sent two of his disciples on ahead 2 with these instructions: “Go to the village there ahead of you. As soon as you get there, you will find a colt tied up that has never been ridden. Untie it and bring it here. 3 And if someone asks you why you are doing that, say that the Master needs it and will send it back at once.”
4 So they went and found a colt out in the street, tied to the door of a house. As they were untying it, 5 some of the bystanders asked them, “What are you doing, untying that colt?”
6 They answered just as Jesus had told them, and the crowd let them go. 7 They brought the colt to Jesus, threw their cloaks over the animal, and Jesus got on. 8 Many people spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches in the field and spread them on the road. 9 The people who were in front and those who followed behind began to shout, “Praise God! God bless him who comes in the name of the Lord! 10 God bless the coming kingdom of King David, our father! Praise be to God!”
11 Jesus entered Jerusalem, went into the Temple, and looked around at everything. But since it was already late in the day, he went out to Bethany with the twelve disciples.
Jesus Curses the Fig Tree
(Matthew 21.18Matthew 19)12 The next day, as they were coming back from Bethany, Jesus was hungry. 13 He saw in the distance a fig tree covered with leaves, so he went to see if he could find any figs on it. But when he came to it, he found only leaves, because it was not the right time for figs. 14 Jesus said to the fig tree, “No one shall ever eat figs from you again!”
And his disciples heard him.
Jesus Goes to the Temple
(Matthew 21.12-17Luke 19.45-48John 2.13-22)15 When they arrived in Jerusalem, Jesus went to the Temple and began to drive out all those who were buying and selling. He overturned the tables of the moneychangers and the stools of those who sold pigeons, 16 and he would not let anyone carry anything through the Temple courtyards. 17 He then taught the people: “It is written in the Scriptures that God said, ‘My Temple will be called a house of prayer for the people of all nations.’ But you have turned it into a hideout for thieves!”
18 The chief priests and the teachers of the Law heard of this, so they began looking for some way to kill Jesus. They were afraid of him, because the whole crowd was amazed at his teaching.
19 When evening came, Jesus and his disciples left the city.
The Lesson from the Fig Tree
(Matthew 21.20-22)20 Early next morning, as they walked along the road, they saw the fig tree. It was dead all the way down to its roots. 21 Peter remembered what had happened and said to Jesus, “Look, Teacher, the fig tree you cursed has died!”
22 Jesus answered them, “Have faith in God. 23 I assure you that whoever tells this hill to get up and throw itself in the sea and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. 24 For this reason I tell you: When you pray and ask for something, believe that you have received it, and you will be given whatever you ask for. 25 And when you stand and pray, forgive anything you may have against anyone, so that your Father in heaven will forgive the wrongs you have done.”
The Question about Jesus' Authority
(Matthew 21.23-27Luke 20.1-8)27 They arrived once again in Jerusalem. As Jesus was walking in the Temple, the chief priests, the teachers of the Law, and the elders came to him 28 and asked him, “What right do you have to do these things? Who gave you such right?”
29 Jesus answered them, “I will ask you just one question, and if you give me an answer, I will tell you what right I have to do these things. 30 Tell me, where did John's right to baptize come from: was it from God or from human beings?”
31 They started to argue among themselves: “What shall we say? If we answer, ‘From God,’ he will say, ‘Why, then, did you not believe John?’ 32 But if we say, ‘From human beings …’” (They were afraid of the people, because everyone was convinced that John had been a prophet.) 33 So their answer to Jesus was, “We don't know.”
Jesus said to them, “Neither will I tell you, then, by what right I do these things.”
1 WA lamman qarrabū li-l-Qudus, li Bētfagi wa Bēt‘inya fi gebal az-Zētūn, rassal etnēn min ḥērānu. 2 Wa qāl lēhum, Ruḥū li-l-ḥilla el quddāmkum, wa lamman tedkhulū fīha telqū henāk daḥas̠h̠ marbūṭ, zōl lissa mā rikib fōqu abadan; fikkūhu wa gībūhu gāi. 3 Wa kān zōl yekallimkum, Lē tesawwū kadi? Qūlū, Ar-Rabb dāyiru; wa yersilu lēkum ḥālan. 4 Wa rawwaḥū wa liqū ad-daḥas̠h̠ marbūṭ fi zugāg barra bāb al-bēt, wa fakkūhu. 5 Wa ba‘ḍ min an-nās el wāqfīn qālū lēhum, Shīn tesawwū fākkīn ad-daḥas̠h̠? 6 Wa qālū lē-hum mitil ma Yasū‘ waṣāhum, wa khallūhum. 7 Wa gābū ad-daḥas̠h̠ li Yasū‘ wa ramū tēbā-nhum fōqu li yefaras̠h̠ūhu, wa Yasū‘ rikib fōqu. 8 Wa ketīrīn faras̠h̠ū hudūmhum fi-d-derib, wa ba‘ḍahum qaṭa‘ū furū‘ min as̠h̠-s̠h̠idir wa faras̠h̠ūhum fi-d-derib. 9 Wa an-nās el qaddamūhu wa-l-mas̠h̠ū ma‘u kōrakū wa qālū, Allah yensūru; mubārak huwa el yegi bi ism ar-Rabb. 10 Mamlakat abūna Dawūd mubāraka el gāi bi ism ar-Rabb; Allah subhāna wa ta‘ala yensūru.
11 Wa Yasū‘ wiṣil fi-l-Qudus wa daḵh̠al fi-g-gāmi‘ al-kebīr, wa lamman itlaffat ḥawalēhu wa s̠h̠āf kull s̠h̠ī, maraq li Bēt‘inya wa ma‘u al-itnās̠h̠er, wa-l-wāṭā fallalat.
12 Wa fi-ṣ-ṣabāḥ lamman maraqū min Bēt‘inya biqa gi‘ān. 13 Wa s̠h̠āf s̠h̠idir at-tīn min ba‘īd fōqa ṣafaq, wa gā yekūs inkan fōqa tīn. Wa lamman qarrab ‘alēha s̠h̠āf hiya mā fōqa s̠h̠ī illa ṣafaq sākit, fi s̠h̠ān mā kān ‘awānha. 14 Wa Yasū‘ qāḥ Mā fi zōl yākul tīn minnak tāni marra abadan. Wa ḥērānu simi‘ū ka-lāmu.
15 Wa gū li-l-Qudus, wa Yasū‘ daḵh̠al fi-g-gāmi‘ al-kebīr wa biqa yeṭrud an-nās el qā‘-idīn yis̠h̠terū wa yebī‘ū fi-g-gāmi‘ wa qallab tarabēzāt aṣ-ṣarrāfīn wa-kerāsī an-nās el kānū yebī‘ū al-ḥamām. 16 Wa mā ḵh̠alla zōl yes̠h̠īl ḥāga fi-g-gāmi‘ abadan. 17 Wa na-harhum wa qāh̠ Maktūb fi-l-kitāb — Bēti yekūn bēt aṣ-ṣalā li kull d-dunya, lākin sawwētūhu bēt sirqa. 18 Wa-sh-shiyūkh simi‘ūhu wa biqū yekūsū ṭarīq li yekutlūhu wa lākin kānū ḵh̠āyifīn minnu fi s̠h̠ān an-nās kulluhum ista‘-azzabū min ta‘līmu.
19 Wa kull yōm lamman al-masā gā, Yasū‘ wa ḥērānu maraqū min al-medīna.
20 Wa fi-ṣ-ṣabāḥ, lamman kānū fāyitīn, s̠h̠āfū s̠h̠idir at-tīn nis̠h̠fat ligh̠āyat ‘urūqha. 21 Wa Butrus ṭara wa qāl, Ya Sīdi, s̠h̠ūf as̠h̠-s̠h̠idir el inta la‘antaha nis̠h̠fat. 22 Wa Yasū‘ qāl lēhum, Āminū bi-llah. 23 Ḥaqīqa aqūl lēkum, Kān zōl yeqūl li-g-gebal da-Intaqqil min hena wa ingada‘ fi-l-baḥar-wa mā yes̠h̠riq fi qalbu, lākin yamin bi-s̠h̠-s̠h̠ī el yeqūl, yebqa lēhu mitil ma yedūr. 24 Fi s̠h̠ān kadi aqūl lēkum, Kull s̠h̠ī el teṭallibū fi ṣalā, āminū innakum mās̠h̠yīn telqū, wa saḥiḥ talqūhu. 25 Wa lamman teqīfū wa teṣallū, kān zōl zi‘-ilkum, sāmiḥūhu hatta Abukum fi-s-samā yesāmiḥkum intu. 26 Wa kān intu mā tesā-miḥū, Abukum fi-s-sama mā yesāmiḥkum zunūbakum.
27 Wa gū kamān fi-l-Qudus, wa kān mās̠h̠i fi-g-gāmi‘, wa as̠h̠-s̠h̠iyūḵh̠ gū lēhu. 28 Wa qālū lēh, Bi aiyi ḥukum tesawwi al-ḥāgāt dēla, wa minu addāk al-qudra? 29 Wa Yasū‘ qāl, Ana dāyir asa alkum kilma wāḥda kamān; ruddū ‘alēya wa ana aqūl lēkum bi aiyi qudra asawwi s̠h̠ugh̠uli. 30 Ma‘madiyyat Yu-ḥanna kānat min as-samā au min an-nās? Ruddū ‘alēya. 31 Wa s̠h̠awwarū fi ba‘ḍ wa qālū, In qulna — Min as-samā — yeqūl lēna, — Lē s̠h̠inū mā āmintū bihu? 32 In qulna, — Min an-nās — ḵh̠āyifīn min an-nās fi s̠h̠ān ag-gamī‘ zannū Yuḥanna nebi. 33 Wa raddū wa qālū li Yasū‘, Mā-m-na‘rif. Wa Yasū‘ qāl lēhum, Walā ana aqūl lēkum bi aiyi qudra asawwi s̠h̠ug̠h̠uli.