Matthew 21

The Triumphal Entry

1 Now when they drew near Jerusalem, and came to Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples,2 saying to them, Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Loose them and bring them to Me. 3 And if anyone says anything to you, you shall say, The Lord has need of them, and immediately he will send them.4 All this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying:5  Tell the daughter of Zion, Behold, your King is coming to you, Lowly, and sitting on a donkey, A colt, the foal of a donkey.6 So the disciples went and did as Jesus commanded them.7 They brought the donkey and the colt, laid their clothes on them, and set Him on them.8 And a very great multitude spread their clothes on the road; others cut down branches from the trees and spread them on the road.9 Then the multitudes who went before and those who followed cried out, saying: Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!10 And when He had come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, Who is this?11 So the multitudes said, This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth of Galilee.

The Cleansing of the Temple

12 Then Jesus went into the temple of God and drove out all those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves.13 And He said to them, It is written, My house shall be called a house of prayer, but you have made it a den of thieves.14 Then the blind and the lame came to Him in the temple, and He healed them.15 But when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that He did, and the children crying out in the temple and saying, Hosanna to the Son of David! they were indignant16 and said to Him, Do You hear what these are saying? And Jesus said to them, Yes. Have you never read, Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants You have perfected praise?17 Then He left them and went out of the city to Bethany, and He lodged there.

Cursing of the Fig Tree

18 Now in the morning, as He returned to the city, He was hungry.19 And seeing a fig tree by the road, He came to it and found nothing on it but leaves, and said to it, Let no fruit grow on you ever again. Immediately the fig tree withered away.20 And when the disciples saw it, they marveled, saying, How did the fig tree wither away so soon?21 So Jesus answered and said to them, Assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but also if you say to this mountain, Be removed and be cast into the sea, it will be done. 22 And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.

Question of Jesus Authority

23 Now when He came into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people confronted Him as He was teaching, and said, By what authority are You doing these things? And who gave You this authority?24 But Jesus answered and said to them, I also will ask you one thing, which if you tell Me, I likewise will tell you by what authority I do these things: 25 The baptism of Johnwhere was it from? From heaven or from men?26 But if we say, From men, we fear the multitude, for all count John as a prophet.27 So they answered Jesus and said, We do not know. And He said to them, Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.

Parable of the Two Sons

28 But what do you think? A man had two sons, and he came to the first and said, Son, go, work today in my vineyard. 29 He answered and said, I will not, but afterward he regretted it and went. 30 Then he came to the second and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir, but he did not go. 31 Which of the two did the will of his father? They said to Him, The first.32 For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him; but tax collectors and harlots believed him; and when you saw it, you did not afterward relent and believe him.

Parable of the Landowner

33 Hear another parable: There was a certain landowner who planted a vineyard and set a hedge around it, dug a winepress in it and built a tower. And he leased it to vinedressers and went into a far country. 34 Now when vintage-time drew near, he sent his servants to the vinedressers, that they might receive its fruit. 35 And the vinedressers took his servants, beat one, killed one, and stoned another. 36 Again he sent other servants, more than the first, and they did likewise to them. 37 Then last of all he sent his son to them, saying, They will respect my son. 38 But when the vinedressers saw the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and seize his inheritance. 39 So they took him and cast him out of the vineyard and killed him.40 Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those vinedressers?41 They said to Him, He will destroy those wicked men miserably, and lease his vineyard to other vinedressers who will render to him the fruits in their seasons.42 Jesus said to them, Have you never read in the Scriptures: The stone which the builders rejectedHas become the chief cornerstone. This was the Lords doing, And it is marvelous in our eyes ?43  Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it. 44 And whoever falls on this stone will be broken; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder.45 Now when the chief priests and Pharisees heard His parables, they perceived that He was speaking of them.46 But when they sought to lay hands on Him, they feared the multitudes, because they took Him for a prophet.

Matthew 22

Parable of the Marriage Feast

1 And Jesus answered and spoke to them again by parables and said:2 The kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who arranged a marriage for his son, 3 and sent out his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding; and they were not willing to come. 4 Again, he sent out other servants, saying, Tell those who are invited, See, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and fatted cattle are killed, and all things are ready. Come to the wedding. 5 But they made light of it and went their ways, one to his own farm, another to his business. 6 And the rest seized his servants, treated them spitefully, and killed them. 7 But when the king heard about it, he was furious. And he sent out his armies, destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city. 8 Then he said to his servants, The wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy. 9 Therefore go into the highways, and as many as you find, invite to the wedding. 10 So those servants went out into the highways and gathered together all whom they found, both bad and good. And the wedding hall was filled with guests.11 But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw a man there who did not have on a wedding garment. 12 So he said to him, Friend, how did you come in here without a wedding garment? And he was speechless. 13 Then the king said to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.14 For many are called, but few are chosen.

Conflict with Pharisees and Herodians

15 Then the Pharisees went and plotted how they might entangle Him in His talk.16 And they sent to Him their disciples with the Herodians, saying, Teacher, we know that You are true, and teach the way of God in truth; nor do You care about anyone, for You do not regard the person of men.17 Tell us, therefore, what do You think? Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?18 But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, Why do you test Me, you hypocrites? 19 Show Me the tax money. So they brought Him a denarius.20 And He said to them, Whose image and inscription is this?21 They said to Him, Caesars.22 When they had heard these words, they marveled, and left Him and went their way.

Conflict with Sadducees

23 The same day the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Him and asked Him,24 saying: Teacher, Moses said that if a man dies, having no children, his brother shall marry his wife and raise up offspring for his brother.25 Now there were with us seven brothers. The first died after he had married, and having no offspring, left his wife to his brother.26 Likewise the second also, and the third, even to the seventh.27 Last of all the woman died also.28 Therefore, in the resurrection, whose wife of the seven will she be? For they all had her.29 Jesus answered and said to them, You are mistaken, not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God. 30 For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels of God in heaven. 31 But concerning the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was spoken to you by God, saying, 32 I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob ? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.33 And when the multitudes heard this, they were astonished at His teaching.

The Greatest Commandment

34 But when the Pharisees heard that He had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together.35 Then one of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, and saying,36 Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?37 Jesus said to him, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 40 On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.

The Son of David

41 While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them,42 saying, What do you think about the Christ? Whose Son is He? They said to Him, The Son of David.43 He said to them, How then does David in the Spirit call Him Lord, saying:44  The Lord said to my Lord,Sit at My right hand, Till I make Your enemies Your footstool ?45 If David then calls Him Lord, how is He his Son?46 And no one was able to answer Him a word, nor from that day on did anyone dare question Him anymore.

Matthew 23

Jesus Characterizes the Pharisees

1 Then Jesus spoke to the multitudes and to His disciples,2 saying: The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses seat. 3 Therefore whatever they tell you to observe, that observe and do, but do not do according to their works; for they say, and do not do. 4 For they bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on mens shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers. 5 But all their works they do to be seen by men. They make their phylacteries broad and enlarge the borders of their garments. 6 They love the best places at feasts, the best seats in the synagogues, 7 greetings in the marketplaces, and to be called by men, Rabbi, Rabbi. 8 But you, do not be called Rabbi; for One is your Teacher, the Christ, and you are all brethren. 9 Do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven. 10 And do not be called teachers; for One is your Teacher, the Christ. 11 But he who is greatest among you shall be your servant. 12 And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.

Jesus Condemns the Pharisees

13 But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men; for you neither go in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in. 14 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you devour widows houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. Therefore you will receive greater condemnation.15 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel land and sea to win one proselyte, and when he is won, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves.16 Woe to you, blind guides, who say, Whoever swears by the temple, it is nothing; but whoever swears by the gold of the temple, he is obliged to perform it. 17 Fools and blind! For which is greater, the gold or the temple that sanctifies the gold? 18 And, Whoever swears by the altar, it is nothing; but whoever swears by the gift that is on it, he is obliged to perform it. 19 Fools and blind! For which is greater, the gift or the altar that sanctifies the gift? 20 Therefore he who swears by the altar, swears by it and by all things on it. 21 He who swears by the temple, swears by it and by Him who dwells in it. 22 And he who swears by heaven, swears by the throne of God and by Him who sits on it.23 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone. 24 Blind guides, who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel!25 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cleanse the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of extortion and self-indulgence. 26 Blind Pharisee, first cleanse the inside of the cup and dish, that the outside of them may be clean also.27 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead mens bones and all uncleanness. 28 Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.29 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! Because you build the tombs of the prophets and adorn the monuments of the righteous, 30 and say, If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.31 Therefore you are witnesses against yourselves that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets. 32 Fill up, then, the measure of your fathers guilt. 33 Serpents, brood of vipers! How can you escape the condemnation of hell? 34 Therefore, indeed, I send you prophets, wise men, and scribes: some of them you will kill and crucify, and some of them you will scourge in your synagogues and persecute from city to city, 35 that on you may come all the righteous blood shed on the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah, son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. 36 Assuredly, I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation.

Jesus Laments Over Jerusalem

37 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing! 38 See! Your house is left to you desolate; 39 for I say to you, you shall see Me no more till you say, Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!