The Message Bible MSG
English Standard Version ESV
1 When they were nearing Jerusalem, at Bethphage and Bethany on Mount Olives, he sent off two of the disciples with instructions:
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Now when they drew near to Jerusalem, to Bethphage and Bethany, at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples
2 "Go to the village across from you. As soon as you enter, you'll find a colt tethered, one that has never yet been ridden. Untie it and bring it.
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and said to them, “Go into the village in front of you, and immediately as you enter it you will find a colt tied, on which no one has ever sat. Untie it and bring it.
3 If anyone asks, 'What are you doing?' say, 'The Master needs him, and will return him right away.'"
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If anyone says to you, ‘Why are you doing this? ’ say, ‘The Lord has need of it and will send it back here immediately. ’”
4 They went and found a colt tied to a door at the street corner and untied it.
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And they went away and found a colt tied at a door outside in the street, and they untied it.
5 Some of those standing there said, "What are you doing untying that colt?"
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And some of those standing there said to them, “What are you doing, untying the colt? ”
6 The disciples replied exactly as Jesus had instructed them, and the people let them alone.
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And they told them what Jesus had said, and they let them go.
7 They brought the colt to Jesus, spread their coats on it, and he mounted.
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And they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks on it, and he sat on it.
8 The people gave him a wonderful welcome, some throwing their coats on the street, others spreading out rushes they had cut in the fields.
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And many spread their cloaks on the road, and others spread leafy branches that they had cut from the fields.
9 Running ahead and following after, they were calling out, Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in God's name!
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And those who went before and those who followed were shouting, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!
10 Blessed the coming kingdom of our father David! Hosanna in highest heaven!
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Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David! Hosanna in the highest! ”
11 He entered Jerusalem, then entered the Temple. He looked around, taking it all in. But by now it was late, so he went back to Bethany with the Twelve.
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And he entered Jerusalem and went into the temple. And when he had looked around at everything, as it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the twelve.
12 As they left Bethany the next day, he was hungry.
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On the following day, when they came from Bethany, he was hungry.
13 Off in the distance he saw a fig tree in full leaf. He came up to it expecting to find something for breakfast, but found nothing but fig leaves. (It wasn't yet the season for figs.)
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And seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to see if he could find anything on it. When he came to it, he found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs.
14 He addressed the tree: "No one is going to eat fruit from you again - ever!" And his disciples overheard him.
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And he said to it, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again. ”And his disciples heard it.
15 They arrived at Jerusalem. Immediately on entering the Temple Jesus started throwing out everyone who had set up shop there, buying and selling. He kicked over the tables of the bankers and the stalls of the pigeon merchants.
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And they came to Jerusalem. And he entered the temple and began to drive out those who sold and those who bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons.
16 He didn't let anyone even carry a basket through the Temple.
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And he would not allow anyone to carry anything through the temple.
17 And then he taught them, quoting this text: My house was designated a house of prayer for the nations; You've turned it into a hangout for thieves.
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And he was teaching them and saying to them, “Is it not written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations’? But you have made it a den of robbers. ”
18 The high priests and religion scholars heard what was going on and plotted how they might get rid of him. They panicked, for the entire crowd was carried away by his teaching.
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And the chief priests and the scribes heard it and were seeking a way to destroy him, for they feared him, because all the crowd was astonished at his teaching.
19 At evening, Jesus and his disciples left the city.
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And when evening came they went out of the city.
20 In the morning, walking along the road, they saw the fig tree, shriveled to a dry stick.
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As they passed by in the morning, they saw the fig tree withered away to its roots.
21 Peter, remembering what had happened the previous day, said to him, "Rabbi, look - the fig tree you cursed is shriveled up!"
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And Peter remembered and said to him, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree that you cursed has withered. ”
22 Jesus was matter-of-fact: "Embrace this God-life. Really embrace it,
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And Jesus answered them, “Have faith in God.
23 and nothing will be too much for you. This mountain, for instance: Just say, 'Go jump in the lake' - no shuffling or shilly-shallying - and it's as good as done.
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Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea, ’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him.
24 That's why I urge you to pray for absolutely everything, ranging from small to large. Include everything as you embrace this God-life, and you'll get God's everything.
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Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.
25 And when you assume the posture of prayer, remember that it's not all asking. If you have anything against someone, forgive - only then will your heavenly Father be inclined to also wipe your slate clean of sins."
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And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. ”
27 Then when they were back in Jerusalem once again, as they were walking through the Temple, the high priests, religion scholars, and leaders came up
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And they came again to Jerusalem. And as he was walking in the temple, the chief priests and the scribes and the elders came to him,
28 and demanded, "Show us your credentials. Who authorized you to speak and act like this?"
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and they said to him, “By what authority are you doing these things, or who gave you this authority to do them? ”
29 Jesus responded, "First let me ask you a question. Answer my question and then I'll present my credentials.
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Jesus said to them, “I will ask you one question; answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things.
30 About the baptism of John - who authorized it: heaven or humans? Tell me."
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Was the baptism of John from heaven or from man? Answer me. ”
31 They were on the spot, and knew it. They pulled back into a huddle and whispered, "If we say 'heaven,' he'll ask us why we didn't believe John;
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And they discussed it with one another, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven, ’ he will say, ‘Why then did you not believe him? ’
32 if we say 'humans,' we'll be up against it with the people because they all hold John up as a prophet."
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But shall we say, ‘From man’? ”— they were afraid of the people, for they all held that John really was a prophet.
33 They decided to concede that round to Jesus. "We don't know," they said. Jesus replied, "Then I won't answer your question either."
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So they answered Jesus, “We do not know. ” And Jesus said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things. ”
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®) © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved. ESV Text Edition: 2025