Mark 11
JESUS Comes to Jerusalem as KING
11 As they approached Jerusalem and
came to Bethphage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives, JESUS sent two of HIS
disciples,
2 saying 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.
3 If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you
doing this?’ say, ‘THE
LORD needs it and will send it back here shortly.’
4 They went and found a colt outside
in the street, tied at a doorway. As they untied it,
5 some people standing there asked, ‘What
are you doing, untying that colt?’
6 They answered as JESUS had told them
to, and the people let them go.
7 When they brought the colt to JESUS and threw their
cloaks over it, HE sat on it.
8 Many people spread their cloaks on
the road, while others spread branches they had cut in the fields.
9 Those who went ahead and those who
followed shouted,
‘HOSANNA! (save; rescue; SAVIOR)
‘BLESSED is HE WHO comes in the name of THE LORD!’
10 ‘BLESSED is the coming
kingdom of our father David!’
‘Hosanna in the highest heaven!’
11 JESUS 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
12 The next day as they were leaving
Bethany, JESUS
was hungry.
13 Seeing 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.
14 Then HE said to the tree, ‘May
no one ever eat fruit from you again.’
And HIS disciples heard HIM say it.
15 On 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,
16 and would not allow anyone to
carry merchandise through the temple courts.
17 And as HE taught them, HE
said, ‘Is it not written: ‘MY house will be called a house of prayer for
all nations’? But you have made it ‘a den of robbers.’
18 The 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.
19 When evening came, JESUS and HIS
disciples[e] went
out of the city.
20 In the morning, as they went
along, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots.
21 Peter remembered and said to JESUS, ‘RABBI, look!
The fig tree you cursed has withered!’
22 ‘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.
24 Therefore I tell you, whatever you
ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.
25 And when you stand praying, if you
hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that YOUR FATHER IN HEAVEN
may forgive you your sins.’
The Authority of JESUS Questioned
27 They 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?’
29 JESUS replied, ‘I will ask you one
question. Answer ME, and I will tell you by what AUTHORITY I am doing these things.
30 John’s baptism—was it from heaven,
or of human origin? Tell me!’
31 They discussed it among themselves
and said,
‘If we say, ‘From heaven,’ HE will ask, ‘Then why
didn’t you believe him?’
32 But if we say, ‘Of human origin’ …’
(They feared the people, for everyone held that John really was a prophet.)
33 So they answered JESUS, ‘We don’t
know.’
JESUS
said, ‘Neither will I tell you by what AUTHORITY I am doing these things.’
