MT. 21

Yesu Aingia Yerusalemu kwa Shangwe

1  tHata walipokaribia Yerusalemu, na kufika Bethfage, katika mlima wa Mizeituni, ndipo Yesu alipotuma wanafunzi wawili akiwaambia, 2 Enendeni mpaka kijiji kile kinachowakabili, na mara mtaona punda amefungwa, na mwana-punda pamoja naye; wafungueni mniletee. 3 tNa kama mtu akiwaambia neno, semeni, Bwana anawahitaji; na mara huyo atawapeleka.

4 Haya yote yamekuwa, ili litimie neno lililonenwa na nabii, akisema,

5  tMwambieni binti Sayuni
Tazama, mfalme wako anakuja kwako,
Mpole, naye amepanda punda,
Na mwana-punda, mtoto wa punda.
6 Wale wanafunzi wakaenda zao, wakafanya kama Yesu alivyowaamuru, 7 wakamleta yule punda na mwana-punda, wakaweka nguo zao juu yao, naye akaketi juu yake. 8 tWatu wengi katika ule mkutano wakatandaza nguo zao njiani; na wengine wakakata matawi ya miti, wakayatandaza njiani. 9 tNa makutano waliotangulia, na wale waliofuata, wakapaza sauti, wakisema, Hosana, Mwana wa Daudi; ndiye mbarikiwa, yeye ajaye kwa jina la Bwana; Hosana juu mbinguni. 10 Hata alipoingia Yerusalemu, mji wote ukataharuki, watu wakisema, Ni nani huyu?

11 tMakutano wakasema, Huyu ni yule nabii, Yesu, wa Nazareti ya Galilaya.

Yesu Atakasa Hekalu

12  tYesu akaingia ndani ya hekalu, akawafukuza wote waliokuwa wakiuza na kununua hekaluni, akazipindua meza za wabadili fedha, na viti vyao waliokuwa wakiuza njiwa; 13 takawaambia, Imeandikwa, Nyumba yangu itaitwa nyumba ya sala; bali ninyi mmeifanya kuwa pango la wanyang’anyi. 14 Na vipofu na viwete wakamwendea mle hekaluni, akawaponya. 15 tLakini wakuu wa makuhani na waandishi walipoyaona maajabu aliyoyafanya, na watoto waliopaza sauti zao hekaluni, wakisema, Hosana, Mwana wa Daudi! Walikasirika, 16 twakamwambia, Wasikia hawa wasemavyo? Yesu akawaambia, Naam; hamkupata kusoma, Kwa vinywa vya watoto wachanga na wanyonyao umekamilisha sifa?

17 Akawaacha, akatoka nje ya mji mpaka Bethania, akalala huko.

Yesu Aulaani Mtini

18 Hata asubuhi alipokuwa akienda mjini, aliona njaa. 19 tAkaona mtini mmoja kando ya njia, akauendea, asione kitu juu yake ila majani tu; akauambia, Yasipatikane matunda kwako tangu leo hata milele. Mtini ukanyauka mara. 20 Wanafunzi walipoona, walistaajabu, wakisema, Jinsi gani mtini umenyauka mara? 21 tYesu akajibu, akawaambia, Amin, nawaambia Mkiwa na imani, msipokuwa na shaka, mtafanya si hilo la mtini tu, lakini hata mkiuambia mlima huu, Ng’oka, ukatupwe baharini, litatendeka.

22 Na yo yote mtakayoyaomba katika sala mkiamini, mtapokea.

Swali kuhusu Mamlaka ya Yesu

23  t tHata alipokwisha kuingia hekaluni, wakuu wa makuhani na wazee wa watu wakamwendea alipokuwa akifundisha, wakasema, Ni kwa amri gani unatenda mambo haya? Naye ni nani aliyekupa amri hii? 24 Yesu akajibu akawaambia, Na mimi nitawauliza neno moja; ambalo mkinijibu, nami nitawaambia ni kwa amri gani ninatenda haya. 25 Ubatizo wa Yohana ulitoka wapi? Ulitoka mbinguni, au kwa wanadamu? Wakahojiana wao kwa wao, wakisema, Tukisema, Ulitoka mbinguni, atatuambia, Mbona basi hamkumwamini? 26 tNa tukisema, Ulitoka kwa wanadamu, twaogopa mkutano; maana watu wote wamwona Yohana kuwa ni nabii.

27 Wakamjibu Yesu wakasema, Hatujui. Naye akawaambia, Wala mimi siwaambii ninyi ni kwa amri gani ninatenda haya.

Mfano kuhusu Wana Wawili

28 Lakini mwaonaje? Mtu mmoja alikuwa na wana wawili; akamwendea yule wa kwanza, akasema, Mwanangu, leo nenda kafanye kazi katika shamba la mizabibu. 29 tAkajibu akasema, Naenda, Bwana; asiende. 30 Akamwendea yule wa pili, akasema vile vile. Naye akajibu akasema, Sitaki; baadaye akatubu, akaenda. 31 tJe! Katika hao wawili ni yupi aliyefanya mapenzi ya babaye? Wakamwambia, Ni yule wa pili. Basi Yesu akawaambia, Amin nawaambia, watoza ushuru na makahaba wanatangulia mbele yenu kuingia katika ufalme wa Mungu.

32 tKwa sababu Yohana alikuja kwenu kwa njia ya haki, ninyi msimwamini; lakini watoza ushuru na makahaba walimwamini, nanyi hata mlipoona, hamkutubu baadaye, ili kumwamini.

Mfano wa Wakulima Waovu

33  t tSikilizeni mfano mwingine. Kulikuwa na mtu mwenye nyumba, naye alipanda shamba la mizabibu, akalizungusha ugo, akachimba shimo la shinikizo ndani yake, akajenga mnara, akapangisha wakulima, akasafiri. 34 Wakati wa matunda ulipokuwa karibu, akawatuma watumwa wake kwa wale wakulima, wapokee matunda yake. 35 Wale wakulima wakawakamata watumwa wake, huyu wakampiga, na huyu wakamwua, na huyu wakampiga kwa mawe. 36 Akawatuma tena watumwa wengine wengi kuliko wa kwanza wakawatenda vile vile. 37 Mwishowe akamtuma mwanawe kwao, akisema, Watamstahi mwanangu. 38 tLakini wale wakulima walipomwona yule mwana, wakasemezana wao kwa wao, Huyu ni mrithi; haya na tumwue, tuutwae urithi wake. 39 Wakamkamata, wakamtupa nje ya shamba la mizabibu, wakamwua. 40 Basi atakapokuja yule bwana wa shamba la mizabibu, atawatendaje wale wakulima? 41 Wakamwambia, Atawaangamiza vibaya wale wabaya; na shamba la mizabibu atawapangisha wakulima wengine, watakaomlipa matunda kwa wakati wake.

42 tYesu akawaambia, Hamkupata kusoma katika maandiko,
Jiwe walilolikataa waashi,
Hilo limekuwa jiwe kuu la pembeni;
Neno hili limetoka kwa Bwana,
Nalo ni ajabu machoni petu?
43 Kwa sababu hiyo nawaambia, Ufalme wa Mungu utaondolewa kwenu, nao watapewa taifa lingine lenye kuzaa matunda yake. 44 tNaye aangukaye juu ya jiwe hilo atavunjika-vunjika; naye ye yote ambaye litamwangukia, litamsaga tikitiki. 45 Wakuu wa makuhani na Mafarisayo, waliposikia mifano yake, walitambua ya kuwa anawanenea wao. 46 Nao walipotafuta kumkamata, waliwaogopa makutano, kwa maana wao walimwona kuwa nabii.

MATTHEW 21

Jesus Enters Jerusalem

(Mark 11.1-11; Luke 19.28-38; John 12.12-19)

1 When Jesus and his disciples came near Jerusalem, he went to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives and sent two of them on ahead. 2 He told them, “Go into the next village, where you will at once find a donkey and her colt. Untie the two donkeys and bring them to me.

3 If anyone asks why you are doing this, just say, ‘The Lordt needs them.’ He will at once let you have the donkeys.”

4 So God's promise came true, just as the prophet had said,

5  t “Announce to the people
of Jerusalem:
‘Your king is coming to you!
He is humble
and rides on a donkey.
He comes on the colt
of a donkey.’ ”
6 The disciples left and did what Jesus had told them to do.

7 They brought the donkey and its colt and laid some clothes on their backs. Then Jesus got on.
8 Many people spread clothes in the road, while others put down branchest which they had cut from trees.

9 t Some people walked ahead of Jesus and others followed behind. They were all shouting,
“Hoorayt for the Son of David!t
God bless the one who comes
in the name of the Lord.
Hooray for God
in heaven above!”

10 When Jesus came to Jerusalem, everyone in the city was excited and asked, “Who can this be?”

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

Jesus in the Temple

(Mark 11.15-19; Luke 19.45-48; John 2.13-22)

12 Jesus went into the temple and chased out everyone who was selling or buying. He turned over the tables of the moneychangers and the benches of the ones who were selling doves.

13 t He told them, “The Scriptures say, ‘My house should be called a place of worship.’ But you have turned it into a place where robbers hide.”
14 Blind and lame people came to Jesus in the temple, and he healed them. 15 But the chief priests and the teachers of the Law of Moses were angry when they saw his miracles and heard the children shouting praises to the Son of David.t

16 t The men said to Jesus, “Don't you hear what those children are saying?”
“Yes, I do!” Jesus answered. “Don't you know that the Scriptures say, ‘Children and infants will sing praises’?”

17 Then Jesus left the city and went out to the village of Bethany, where he spent the night.

Jesus Puts a Curse //on a Fig Tree

(Mark 11.12-14,20-24)

18 When Jesus got up the next morning, he was hungry. He started out for the city,

19 and along the way he saw a fig tree. But when he came to it, he found only leaves and no figs. So he told the tree, “You will never again grow any fruit!” Right then the fig tree dried up.
20 The disciples were shocked when they saw how quickly the tree had dried up. 21 t But Jesus said to them, “If you have faith and don't doubt, I promise you can do what I did to this tree. And you will be able to do even more. You can tell this mountain to get up and jump into the sea, and it will.

22 If you have faith when you pray, you will be given whatever you ask for.”

A Question //about Jesus' Authority

(Mark 11.27-33; Luke 20.1-8)

23 Jesus had gone into the temple and was teaching when the chief priests and the leaders of the people came up to him. They asked, “What right do you have to do these things? Who gave you this authority?”
24 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.

25 Who gave John the right to baptize? Was it God in heaven or merely some human being?”
They thought it over and said to each other, “We can't say God gave John this right. Jesus will ask us why we didn't believe John. 26 On the other hand, these people think John was a prophet, and we are afraid of what they might do to us. That's why we can't say it was merely some human who gave John the right to baptize.”

27 So they told Jesus, “We don't know.”
Jesus said, “Then I won't tell you who gave me the right to do what I do.”

A Story about Two Sons

28 Jesus said:
I will tell you a story about a man who had two sons. Then you can tell me what you think. The father went to the older son and said, “Go work in the vineyard today!” 29 His son told him he would not do it, but later he changed his mind and went. 30 The man then told his younger son to go work in the vineyard. The boy said he would, but he didn't go.

31 Which one of the sons obeyed his father?
“The older one,” the chief priests and leaders answered.
Then Jesus told them:
You can be sure tax collectorst and prostitutes will get into the kingdom of God before you ever will!

32 t When John the Baptist showed you how to do right, you would not believe him. But these evil people did believe. And even when you saw what they did, you still would not change your minds and believe.

Renters of a Vineyard

(Mark 12.1-12; Luke 20.9-19)

33  t Jesus told the chief priests and leaders to listen to this story:
A land owner once planted a vineyard. He built a wall around it and dug a pit to crush the grapes in. He also built a lookout tower. Then he rented out his vineyard and left the country.
34 When it was harvest time, the owner sent some servants to get his share of the grapes. 35 But the renters grabbed those servants. They beat up one, killed one, and stoned one of them to death.

36 He then sent more servants than he did the first time. But the renters treated them in the same way.
37 Finally, the owner sent his own son to the renters, because he thought they would respect him. 38 But when they saw the man's son, they said, “Someday he will own the vineyard. Let's kill him! Then we can have it all for ourselves.”

39 So they grabbed him, threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him.

40 Jesus asked, “When the owner of that vineyard comes, what do you suppose he will do to those renters?”

41 The chief priests and leaders answered, “He will kill them in some horrible way. Then he will rent out his vineyard to people who will give him his share of grapes at harvest time.”

42  t Jesus replied, “You surely know that the Scriptures say,
‘The stone the builders
tossed aside
is now the most important
stone of all.
This is something
the Lord has done,
and it is amazing to us.’
43 I tell you God's kingdom will be taken from you and given to people who will do what he demands.

44 Anyone who stumbles over this stone will be crushed, and anyone it falls on will be smashed to pieces.”t
45 When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard these stories, they knew Jesus was talking about them. 46 So they looked for a way to arrest Jesus. But they were afraid to, because the people thought he was a prophet.