New Revised Standard NRS
Common English Bible CEB
1 When they were approaching Jerusalem, at Bethphage and Bethany, near the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples
1
When Jesus and his followers approached Jerusalem, they came to Bethphage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives. Jesus gave two disciples a task,
2 and said to them, "Go into the village ahead of you, and immediately as you enter it, you will find tied there a colt that has never been ridden; untie it and bring it.
2
saying to them, "Go into the village over there. As soon as you enter it, you will find tied up there a colt that no one has ridden. Untie it and bring it here.
3 If anyone says to you, "Why are you doing this?' just say this, "The Lord needs it and will send it back here immediately.' "
3
If anyone says to you, ‘Why are you doing this?' say, ‘Its master needs it, and he will send it back right away.'"
4 They went away and found a colt tied near a door, outside in the street. As they were untying it,
4
They went and found a colt tied to a gate outside on the street, and they untied it.
5 some of the bystanders said to them, "What are you doing, untying the colt?"
5
Some people standing around said to them, "What are you doing, untying the colt?"
6 They told them what Jesus had said; and they allowed them to take it.
6
They told them just what Jesus said, and they left them alone.
7 Then they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks on it; and he sat on it.
7
They brought the colt to Jesus and threw their clothes upon it, and he sat on it.
8 Many people spread their cloaks on the road, and others spread leafy branches that they had cut in the fields.
8
Many people spread out their clothes on the road while others spread branches cut from the fields.
9 Then those who went ahead and those who followed were shouting, "Hosanna! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!
9
Those in front of him and those following were shouting, "Hosanna! Blessings on the one who comes in the name of the Lord!
10 Blessed is the coming kingdom of our ancestor David! Hosanna in the highest heaven!"
10
Blessings on the coming kingdom of our ancestor David! Hosanna in the highest!"
11 Then 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.
11
Jesus entered Jerusalem and went into the temple. After he looked around at everything, because it was already late in the evening, he returned to Bethany with the Twelve.
12 On the following day, when they came from Bethany, he was hungry.
12
The next day, after leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry.
13 Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to see whether perhaps he would find anything on it. When he came to it, he found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs.
13
From far away, he noticed a fig tree in leaf, so he went to see if he could find anything on it. When he came to it, he found nothing except leaves, since it wasn't the season for figs.
14 He said to it, "May no one ever eat fruit from you again." And his disciples heard it.
14
So he said to it, "No one will ever again eat your fruit!" His disciples heard this.
15 Then they came to Jerusalem. And he entered the temple and began to drive out those who were selling and those who were buying in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves;
15
They came into Jerusalem. After entering the temple, he threw out those who were selling and buying there. He pushed over the tables used for currency exchange and the chairs of those who sold doves.
16 and he would not allow anyone to carry anything through the temple.
16
He didn't allow anyone to carry anything through the temple.
17 He was teaching and saying, "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."
17
He taught them, "Hasn't it been written, My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations? But you've turned it into a hideout for crooks."
18 And when the chief priests and the scribes heard it, they kept looking for a way to kill him; for they were afraid of him, because the whole crowd was spellbound by his teaching.
18
The chief priests and legal experts heard this and tried to find a way to destroy him. They regarded him as dangerous because the whole crowd was enthralled at his teaching.
19 And when evening came, Jesus and his disciples went out of the city.
19
When it was evening, Jesus and his disciples went outside the city.
20 In the morning as they passed by, they saw the fig tree withered away to its roots.
20
Early in the morning, as Jesus and his disciples were walking along, they saw the fig tree withered from the root up.
21 Then Peter remembered and said to him, "Rabbi, look! The fig tree that you cursed has withered."
21
Peter remembered and said to Jesus, "Rabbi, look how the fig tree you cursed has dried up."
22 Jesus answered them, "Have faith in God.
22
Jesus responded to them, "Have faith in God!
23 Truly I tell you, if you say to this mountain, "Be taken up and thrown into the sea,' and if you do not doubt in your heart, but believe that what you say will come to pass, it will be done for you.
23
I assure you that whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be lifted up and thrown into the sea'—and doesn't waver but believes that what is said will really happen—it will happen.
24 So I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.
24
Therefore I say to you, whatever you pray and ask for, believe that you will receive it, and it will be so for you.
25 "Whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone; so that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses."
25
And whenever you stand up to pray, if you have something against anyone, forgive so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your wrongdoings."
26
27 Again they came to Jerusalem. As he was walking in the temple, the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders came to him
27
Jesus and his disciples entered Jerusalem again. As Jesus was walking around the temple, the chief priests, legal experts, and elders came to him.
28 and said, "By what authority are you doing these things? Who gave you this authority to do them?"
28
They asked, "What kind of authority do you have for doing these things? Who gave you this authority to do them?"
29 Jesus said to them, "I will ask you one question; answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things.
29
Jesus said to them, "I have a question for you. Give me an answer, then I'll tell you what kind of authority I have to do these things.
30 Did the baptism of John come from heaven, or was it of human origin? Answer me."
30
Was John's baptism of heavenly or of human origin? Answer me."
31 They argued with one another, "If we say, "From heaven,' he will say, "Why then did you not believe him?'
31
They argued among themselves, "If we say, ‘It's of heavenly origin,' he'll say, ‘Then why didn't you believe him?'
32 But shall we say, "Of human origin'?"—they were afraid of the crowd, for all regarded John as truly a prophet.
32
But we can't say, ‘It's of earthly origin.'" They said this because they were afraid of the crowd, because they all thought John was a prophet.
33 So they answered Jesus, "We do not know." And Jesus said to them, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things."
33
They answered Jesus, "We don't know." Jesus replied, "Neither will I tell you what kind of authority I have to do these things."
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Copyright © 2011 Common English Bible