Mark 11

The Triumphal Entry

1 Nowt as they approached Jerusalem,s near Bethphages and Bethany, at the Mount of Olives,s Jesust sent two of his disciples2 and said to them, “Go to the village ahead of you.t As soon as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there that has never been ridden.t Untie it and bring it here.3 If anyone says to you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘The Lord needs its and will send it back here soon.’”4 Sot they went and found a colt tied at a door, outside in the street, and untied it.5 Some people standing there said to them, “What are you doing, untying that colt?”6 They replied as Jesus had told them, and the bystanderst let them go.7 Thent they brought the colt to Jesus, threw their cloakst on it, and he sat on it.s8 Many spread their cloaks on the road and others spread branches they had cut in the fields.9 Both those who went ahead and those who followed kept shouting, “Hosanna!tsBlessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!s10 Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David! Hosanna in the highest!”

11 Thent Jesust entered Jerusalem and went to the temple. And after looking around at everything, he went out to Bethany with the twelve since it was already late.

Cursing of the Fig Tree

12 Nowt the next day, as they went out from Bethany, he was hungry.13 After noticing in the distance a fig tree with leaves, he went to see if he could find any fruitt on it. When he came to it he found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs.

14 He said to it,t “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” And his disciples heard it.ss

Cleansing the Temple

15 Thent they came to Jerusalem.s Jesust entered the temple areats and began to drive out those who were selling and buying in the temple courts.ts He turned over the tables of the money changers and the chairs of those selling doves,16 and he would not permit anyone to carry merchandiset through the temple courts.t17 Then he began to teacht them and said, “Is it not written: ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations’?s But you have turned it into a dentof robbers!”s18 The chief priests and the experts in the lawt heard it and they considered how they could assassinatet him, for they feared him, because the whole crowd was amazed by his teaching.

19 When evening came, Jesus and his disciplest went out of the city.

The Withered Fig Tree

20 In the morning as they passed by, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots.21 Peter remembered and said to him, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree you cursed has withered.”22 Jesus said to them, “Have faith in God.23 I tell you the truth,t if someone says to this mountain, ‘Be lifted up and thrown into 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, whatever you pray and ask for, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.

25 Whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven willt also forgive you your sins.”ss

The Authority of Jesus

27 They came again to Jerusalem.s While Jesust was walking in the temple courts,t the chief priests, the experts in the law,t and the elders came up to him28 and said, “By what authorityt are you doing these things? Or who gave you this authority to do these things?”29 Jesus said to them, “I will ask you one question. Answer me and I will tell you by what authority I do these things:30 John’s baptism – was it from heaven or from people?ts Answer me.”31 They discussed with one another, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say, ‘Then why did you not believe him?’32 But if we say, ‘From people – ’” (they feared the crowd, for they all considered John to be truly a prophet).

33 Sot they answered Jesus,t “We don’t know.”s Then Jesus said to them, “Neither will I tell yous by what authorityt I am doing these things.”

MARK 11

Jesus Enters Jerusalem

(Matthew 21.1-11; Luke 19.28-40; John 12.12-19)

1 Jesus and his disciples reached Bethphage and Bethany near the Mount of Olives. When they were getting close to Jerusalem, Jesus sent two of them on ahead. 2 He told them, “Go into the next village. As soon as you enter it, you will find a young donkey that has never been ridden. Untie the donkey and bring it here.

3 If anyone asks why you are doing this, say, ‘The Lordt needs it and will soon bring it back.’ ”
4 The disciples left and found the donkey tied near a door that faced the street. While they were untying it, 5 some of the people standing there asked, “Why are you untying the donkey?”

6 They told them what Jesus had said, and the people let them take it.
7 The disciples led the donkey to Jesus. They put some of their clothes on its back, and Jesus got on.

8 Many people spread clothes on the road, while others spread branches they had cut from the fields.t

9  t In front of Jesus and behind him, people went along shouting,
“Hooray!t
God bless the one who comes
in the name of the Lord!

10 God bless the coming kingdom
of our ancestor David.
Hooray for God
in heaven above!”

11 After Jesus had gone to Jerusalem, he went into the temple and looked around at everything. But since it was already late in the day, he went back to Bethany with the twelve disciples.

Jesus Puts a Curse //on a Fig Tree

(Matthew 21.18,19)

14 So Jesus said to the tree, “Never again will anyone eat fruit from this tree!” The disciples heard him say this.

Jesus in the Temple

(Matthew 21.12-17; Luke 19.45-48; John 2.13-22)

17 t Then he taught the people and said, “The Scriptures say, ‘My house should be called a place of worship for all nations.’ But you have made it a place where robbers hide!”

18 The chief priests and the teachers of the Law of Moses heard what Jesus said, and they started looking for a way to kill him. They were afraid of him, because the crowds were completely amazed at his teaching.

19 That evening, Jesus and the disciples went outside the city.

A Lesson from the Fig Tree

(Matthew 21.20-22)

21 Peter remembered what Jesus had said to the tree. Then Peter said, “Teacher, look! The tree you put a curse on has dried up.”

22 Jesus told his disciples:
Have faith in God! 23 t If you have faith in God and don't doubt, you can tell this mountain to get up and jump into the sea, and it will.

24 Everything you ask for in prayer will be yours, if you only have faith.

25-26  t Whenever you stand up to pray, you must forgive what others have done to you. Then your Father in heaven will forgive your sins.t

A Question //about Jesus' Authority

(Matthew 21.23-27; Luke 20.1-8)

28 They asked, “What right do you have to do these things? Who gave you this authority?”
29 Jesus answered, “I have just one question to ask you. If you answer it, I will tell you where I got the right to do these things.

30 Who gave John the right to baptize? Was it God in heaven or merely some human being?”
31 They thought it over and said to each other, “We can't say that God gave John this right. Jesus will ask us why we didn't believe John.

32 On the other hand, these people think that John was a prophet. So we can't say it was merely some human who gave John the right to baptize.”
They were afraid of the crowd

33 and told Jesus, “We don't know.”
Jesus replied, “Then I won't tell you who gave me the right to do what I do.”