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⌂ ← MARK 11:1–11:33 → ║ ═ ©

The Gospel of Mark 11

11 When Jesus and his apprentices came close to Jerusalem, they came to the villages of Bethphage and Bethany, near the Mount of Olives. Then Jesus sent two of his apprentices on ahead of them. 2 Jesus said to them, “Go to that village just ahead of us. As soon as you enter it, you will see a young donkey tied up there. It is an animal that no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it to me. 3 If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you doing that?’ say, ‘Jesus needs it. He will send it back here with someone as soon as he no longer needs it.’ ” 4 So the two apprentices went, and they found the donkey. It was tied close to the door of a house and was standing in the street. Then they untied it. 5 Some of the people who were there asked Jesus’ two apprentices, “Why are you untying the donkey?” 6 They told them what Jesus had instructed them to say. So the people permitted them to take the donkey. 7 The two apprentices took the donkey to Jesus and put their robes on it to make something for him to sit on. Jesus then sat on the donkey. 8 Many people spread their robes on the road in front of him. Others cut branches from palm trees in nearby fields and spread them along the road. 9 The people who were going in front of him and behind him were all shouting, “Praise God!” and “May God bless this one who comes as his representative.” 10 They also shouted, “May God bless you when you rule like our ancestor King David ruled!” “Praise God who is in the highest heaven!”

11 Jesus entered Jerusalem with them, and then he went into the temple courtyard. After he looked around at everything there, he left the city because it was already late in the afternoon. He returned to the village of Bethany with the Twelve Representatives.

12 The next day, as Jesus and his apprentices were leaving Bethany, he felt hungry. 13 At a distance, he saw a fig tree with all its leaves, so he went to it to see if he could find any figs on it. But when he came to it, he found no fruit on it, only leaves. This was because it was not yet the normal time of year when fig trees would produce ripe figs. 14 He said to the tree, “No one will ever eat fruit from you again.” And his apprentices heard this.

15 Jesus and his apprentices went back into Jerusalem and entered the temple courtyard. He saw people who were selling and buying animals for sacrifices. He chased those people from the temple courtyard. He also overturned the tables of those who were selling temple tax money in exchange for Roman coins. And he overturned the seats of the men who were selling pigeons for buyers to sacrifice. 16 He would not allow anyone who was carrying anything to sell to go through the temple area. 17 Then as he taught those people, he said to them, “One of the prophets wrote in the Scriptures that God said, ‘I want people to call my house a house where people from all nations may pray,’ but you robbers have made it like a cave where robbers hide.” 18 The chief priests and the men who taught the Jewish laws later heard about what Jesus had done. They were planning how they might kill him, but they feared him because they realized that the whole crowd was amazed at what he was teaching. 19 That evening, Jesus and his apprentices left the city and again slept in Bethany.

20 The next morning while they were going along the road toward Jerusalem, they saw that the fig tree that Jesus had cursed had dried and shriveled completely. 21 Peter remembered what Jesus had said to the fig tree, and he said to Jesus, “Teacher, look! The fig tree that you cursed has withered!” 22 Jesus replied, “You should not be surprised that God did what I asked! You must trust that God will do whatever you ask him to do! 23 Also note this: If anyone says to this mountain, ‘Rise up and throw yourself into the sea,’ if he does not doubt that what he asks for will happen, that is, if he believes that it will happen, God will do it for him. 24 So I tell you, whenever you ask God for something when you pray, believe that you will receive it, and, if you do trust in him, God will do it for you. 25 Now, I tell you this also: Whenever you are praying, if you have a grudge against any person because they have sinned against you, cancel their debt to you so that your Father in heaven will likewise cancel your debt to him for your sins.” 26 [fn] [But if you do not cancel their debt, neither will your Father, who is in heaven, cancel your debt for your sins.]

27 Jesus and his apprentices arrived in the temple courtyard in Jerusalem again. While Jesus was walking there, a group consisting of chief priests, some men who taught the Jewish laws, and elders came to him. 28 They said to him, “By what authority are you doing these things? Who authorized you to do things like those you did here yesterday?” 29 Jesus said to them, “I will ask you one question. If you answer me, then I will tell you who authorized me to do those things. 30 Was it God who authorized John to baptize those who came to him? Or was it people who authorized him?” 31 They debated among themselves as to what they should answer. They said to each other, “If we say that it was God who authorized him, he will say to us, ‘Then you should have believed what John said!’ 32 On the other hand, if we say that it was people who authorized John, then what will happen to us?” They were afraid to say that about where John got his authority, because they knew that the people would be very angry with them. They knew that all the people truly believed that John was a prophet whom God had sent. 33 So they answered Jesus, “We do not know who authorized John to baptize people.” Then Jesus said to them, “Because you did not answer my question, I will not tell you who authorized me to do those things here yesterday.”

Some ancient manuscripts include verse 26 (See: Mt. 6:15).

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