Matthew 21

1 As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethsphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent out two disciples,

2 saying to them, “Go into the village opposite you, and at once you will find a donkey tied there, with her colt beside her. Untie them and bring them to Me.

3 If anyone questions you, tell him that the Lord needs them, and he will send them right away.”

4 All this took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet:

5 “Say to the Daughter of Zion, ‘See, your King comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’”

6 So the disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them.

7 They brought the donkey and the colt and laid their cloaks on them, and Jesus sat on them.

8 A massive crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road.

9 The crowds that went ahead of Him and those that followed were shouting: “Hosanna to the Son of David!” “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Hosanna in the highest!”

10 When Jesus had entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, “Who is this?”

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

12 Then Jesus entered the temple of God and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those selling doves.

13 And He declared to them, “It is written: ‘My house will be called a house of prayer.’ But you have made it ‘a den of robbers.’”

14 The lame and the blind came to Him at the temple, and He healed them.

15 But the chief priests and scribes were indignant when they saw the wonders He performed and the children shouting in the temple courts, “Hosanna to the Son of David!”

16 “Do You hear what these children are saying?” they asked. “Yes,” Jesus answered. “Have you never read: ‘From the mouths of children and infants You have ordained praise’?”

17 Then He left them and went out of the city to Bethany, where He spent the night.

18 In the morning, as Jesus was returning to the city, He was hungry.

19 Seeing a fig tree by the road, He went up to it but found nothing on it except leaves. “May you never bear fruit again!” He said. And immediately the tree withered.

20 When the disciples saw this, they marveled and asked, “How did the fig tree wither so quickly?”

21 “Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “if you have faith and do not doubt, not only will you do what was done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ it will happen.

22 If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.”

23 When Jesus returned to the temple courts and began to teach, the chief priests and elders of the people came up to Him. “By what authority are You doing these things?” they asked. “And who gave You this authority?”

24 “I will also ask you one question,” Jesus replied, “and if you answer Me, I will tell you by what authority I am doing these things.

25 What was the source of John’s baptism? Was it from heaven or from men?” They deliberated among themselves and said, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will ask, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’

26 But if we say, ‘From men,’ we are afraid of the people, for they all regard John as a prophet.”

27 So they answered, “We do not know.” And Jesus replied, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.

28 But what do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first one and said, ‘Son, go and work today in my vineyard.’

29 ‘I will not,’ he replied. But later he changed his mind and went.

30 Then the man went to the second son and told him the same thing. ‘I will, sir,’ he said. But he did not go.

31 Which of the two did the will of his father?” “The first,” they answered. Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God before you.

32 For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and prostitutes did. And even after you saw this, you did not repent and believe him.

33 Listen to another parable: There was a landowner who planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a winepress in it, and built a tower. Then he rented it out to some tenants and went away on a journey.

34 When the harvest time drew near, he sent his servants to the tenants to collect his share of the fruit.

35 But the tenants seized his servants. They beat one, killed another, and stoned a third.

36 Again, he sent other servants, more than the first group. But the tenants did the same to them.

37 Finally, he sent his son to them. ‘They will respect my son,’ he said.

38 But when the tenants saw the son, they said to one another, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and take his inheritance.’

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

40 Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard returns, what will he do to those tenants?”

41 “He will bring those wretches to a wretched end,” they replied, “and will rent out the vineyard to other tenants who will give him his share of the fruit at harvest time.”

42 Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures: ‘The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. This is from the Lord, and it is marvelous in our eyes’?

43 Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit.

44 He who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces, but he on whom it falls will be crushed.”

45 When the chief priests and Pharisees heard His parables, they knew that Jesus was speaking about them.

46 Although they wanted to arrest Him, they were afraid of the crowds, because the people regarded Him as a prophet.

1 ¶ And when they drew nigh unto Jerusalem, and were come to Bethphage, unto the mount of Olives, then sent Jesus two disciples,

2 Saying unto them, ‹Go into the village over against you, and straightway ye shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her: loose› [them], ‹and bring› [them] ‹unto me.›

3 ‹And if any› [man] ‹say ought unto you, ye shall say, The Lord hath need of them; and straightway he will send them.›

4 All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying,

5 Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass.

6 And the disciples went, and did as Jesus commanded them,

7 And brought the ass, and the colt, and put on them their clothes, and they set [him] thereon.

8 And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way; others cut down branches from the trees, and strawed [them] in the way.

9 And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the Son of David: Blessed [is] he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest.

10 And when he was come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, Who is this?

11 And the multitude said, This is Jesus the prophet of Nazareth of Galilee.

12 ¶ And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves,

13 And said unto them, ‹It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves.›

14 And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple; and he healed them.

15 And when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying in the temple, and saying, Hosanna to the Son of David; they were sore displeased,

16 And said unto him, Hearest thou what these say? And Jesus saith unto them, ‹Yea; have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise?›

17 And he left them, and went out of the city into Bethany; and he lodged there.

18 ¶ Now in the morning as he returned into the city, he hungered.

19 And when he saw a fig tree in the way, he came to it, and found nothing thereon, but leaves only, and said unto it, ‹Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward for ever.› And presently the fig tree withered away.

20 And when the disciples saw [it], they marvelled, saying, How soon is the fig tree withered away!

21 Jesus answered and said unto them, ‹Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this› [which is done] ‹to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done.›

22 ‹And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.›

23 ¶ And when he was come into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came unto him as he was teaching, and said, By what authority doest thou these things? and who gave thee this authority?

24 And Jesus answered and said unto them, ‹I also will ask you one thing, which if ye tell me, I in like wise will tell you by what authority I do these things.›

25 ‹The baptism of John, whence was it? from heaven, or of men?› And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say unto us, Why did ye not then believe him?

26 But if we shall say, Of men; we fear the people; for all hold John as a prophet.

27 And they answered Jesus, and said, We cannot tell. And he said unto them, ‹Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things.›

28 ¶ ‹But what think ye? A› [certain] ‹man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work to day in my vineyard.›

29 ‹He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went.›

30 ‹And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I› [go], ‹sir: and went not.›

31 ‹Whether of them twain did the will of› [his] ‹father?› They say unto him, The first. Jesus saith unto them, ‹Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you.›

32 ‹For John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and ye believed him not: but the publicans and the harlots believed him: and ye, when ye had seen› [it], ‹repented not afterward, that ye might believe him.›

33 ¶ ‹Hear another parable: There was a certain householder, which planted a vineyard, and hedged it round about, and digged a winepress in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country:›

34 ‹And when the time of the fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the husbandmen, that they might receive the fruits of it.›

35 ‹And the husbandmen took his servants, and beat one, and killed another, and stoned another.›

36 ‹Again, he sent other servants more than the first: and they did unto them likewise.›

37 ‹But last of all he sent unto them his son, saying, They will reverence my son.›

38 ‹But when the husbandmen saw the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance.›

39 ‹And they caught him, and cast› [him] ‹out of the vineyard, and slew› [him].

40 ‹When the lord therefore of the vineyard cometh, what will he do unto those husbandmen?›

41 They say unto him, He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out [his] vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall render him the fruits in their seasons.

42 Jesus saith unto them, ‹Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?›

43 ‹Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.›

44 ‹And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.›

45 And when the chief priests and Pharisees had heard his parables, they perceived that he spake of them.

46 But when they sought to lay hands on him, they feared the multitude, because they took him for a prophet.

1 Now when they were come nigh unto Jerusalem to Bethphage, unto the mount of Olives, Jesus sent of his disciples two

2 And he said unto them: Go ye into the place which is before you, and soon ye shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her. Untie her, and bring her unto me.

3 And if any man shall say any thing unto you, say, The LORD hath need of them; and as soon as he hath done so, he will let you have them.

4 And all these things were done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet that saith:

5 Say ye unto the daughter of Zion, Behold, thy king cometh unto thee meekly, riding upon an ass, and upon a colt of the burthen ass.

6 And the disciples went and did as JEsus commanded them,

7 And they brought the ass and the colt, and laid their garments thereon, and set him thereon.

8 But many of the people spread their garments in the way, and others cut branches from the trees, and scattered them in the way.

9 And the people that went before and followed cried out, saying, Hosanna to the Son of David: blessed be he that cometh in the name of the LORD. Hosanna in the highest!

10 And when he was come into Jerusalem, all the city was stirred up, saying, Who is this?

11 And the people said, This is JEsus the prophet of Nazareth of Galilee.

12 And Jesus went in unto the temple of God, and cast out all the sellers and buyers that were in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the changers, and the seats of the sellers of doves.

13 And said unto them: It is written: My house shall be called a house of prayer. But ye have made it a den of thieves.

14 And the blind and the lame went unto him in the temple, and he healed them.

15 And when the chief priests and scribes saw the miracles which he did, and the children crying in the temple, saying, Hosanna to the Son of David, they were moved with indignation.

16 And said unto him, Hearest thou also what these say? JEsus saith unto them: Yes! Have ye never read: Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou praised?

17 And he left them, and went out of the city to Bethany, and abode there.

18 And when he was come again into the city in the morning, he hungered.

19 And he saw a fig tree by the way, and went and found nothing thereon, save leaves only. And he said unto him, Now therefore let no fruit grow upon thee henceforth. And straightway the fig tree withered away.

20 And when the disciples saw it, they marvelled, and said: How is the fig tree withered as soon as?

21 And Jesus answered and said unto them: Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this thing unto the fig tree, but if ye shall say unto this mountain, Take thee up, and cast thee into the sea; it shall be done.

22 And whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, if ye believe, ye shall receive it.

23 And when he came into the temple, as he was teaching, the chief priests and the elders of the people came up to him and said: By what authority doest thou these things, and who gave thee authority?

24 And Jesus answered and said unto them: I also will ask you one word; and if ye tell me, I will tell you also by what authority I do these things.

25 Whence was the baptism of John? Was it from heaven, or from men? And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we say that it was from heaven, he will say unto us, Why then believed ye him not?

26 But if we say that it was of men, we must be afraid of the people: for they all took John for a prophet.

27 And they answered JEsu, and said: We know it not. And he said unto them, Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things.

28 But what think ye? A man had two sons, and he went to the first and said, "Son, go and work in my vineyard today.

29 But he answered and said: I will not do it. And after that he repented, and went away.

30 And he went to the other, and spake the same. And he answered and said: Lord, yes! and did not go.

31 Which of the two did the will of the Father? They said unto him: The first. JEsus said unto them: Verily I say unto you, that the publicans and the harlots may well enter into the kingdom of heaven sooner than ye.

32 John came unto you, teaching you the right way, and ye believed him not: but the publicans and the harlots believed him. And though ye saw it, yet repented ye not, that ye believed him afterward.

33 Hear another parable. There was a certain householder, which planted a vineyard, and made a fence round about it, and digged a winepress therein, and built a tower, and put it out to the husbandmen, and went over the country.

34 And when the time of fruit was come, he sent his servants unto the husbandmen, that they might receive his fruit.

35 And the husbandmen took his servants, and beheaded the one, and killed the other, and stoned the third.

36 And again he sent other servants more than the first: and they did so unto them.

37 And afterward he sent his son unto them, saying, They shall shun my son.

38 And when the husbandmen saw the son, they said one to another, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and let us take his inheritance.

39 And they took him, and thrust him out into the vineyard, and slew him.

40 When therefore the Lord of the vineyard shall come, what shall he do to these husbandmen?

41 And they said unto him, He shall destroy the wicked, and shall give his vineyard to other husbandmen, which shall give him the fruit in due season.

42 And JEsus said unto them: Have ye never read in the scriptures: The stone which the builders rejected is become the head of the corner: this is of the LORD, and it is marvellous in our sight?

43 Therefore I say to you: The kingdom of God shall be taken from you and given to the Gentiles who bear its fruit.

44 And whosoever shall fall upon this stone shall be broken to pieces; but upon whomsoever it shall fall, it shall crush him.

45 And when the chief priests and Pharisees heard his parables, they perceived that he spake of them.

46 And they sought how they might lay hold on him: but they feared the people, because they took him for a prophet.