Matthew 21:13-23

13 He said to them, " It's written, My house will be called a house of prayer. But you've made it a hideout for crooks."

14 People who were blind and lame came to Jesus in the temple, and he healed them.

15 But when the chief priests and legal experts saw the amazing things he was doing and the children shouting in the temple, "Hosanna to the Son of David!" they were angry.

16 They said to Jesus, "Do you hear what these children are saying?" " Yes," he answered. " Haven't you ever read, From the mouths of babies and infants you've arranged praise for yourself?"

17 Then he left them and went out of the city to Bethany and spent the night there.

Cursing the fig tree

18 Early in the morning as Jesus was returning to the city, he was hungry.

19 He saw a fig tree along the road, but when he came to it, he found nothing except leaves. Then he said to it, " You'll never again bear fruit!" The fig tree dried up at once.

20 When the disciples saw it, they were amazed. "How did the fig tree dry up so fast?" they asked.

21 Jesus responded, " I assure you that if you have faith and don't doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree. You will even say to this mountain, ‘Be lifted up and thrown into the lake.' And it will happen.

22 If you have faith, you will receive whatever you pray for."

Jesus’ authority questioned

23 When Jesus entered the temple, the chief priests and elders of the people came to him as he was teaching. They asked, "What kind of authority do you have for doing these things? Who gave you this authority?"