Matthew 21:18-28

18 Now in the morning when he was coming back to the town, he had a desire for food.

19 And seeing a fig-tree by the wayside, he came to it, and saw nothing on it but leaves only; and he said to it, Let there be no fruit from you from this time forward for ever. And straight away the fig-tree became dry and dead.

20 And when the disciples saw it they were surprised, saying, How did the fig-tree become dry in so short a time?

21 And Jesus in answer said to them, Truly I say to you, If you have faith, without doubting, not only may you do what has been done to the fig-tree, but even if you say to this mountain, Be taken up and put into the sea, it will be done.

22 And all things, whatever you make request for in prayer, having faith, you will get.

23 And when he had come into the Temple, the chief priests and those in authority over the people came to him while he was teaching, and said, By what authority do you do these things? and who gave you this authority?

24 And Jesus said to them in answer, I will put one question to you, and if you give me the answer, I will say by what authority I do these things.

25 The baptism of John, where did it come from? from heaven or from men? And they were reasoning among themselves, saying, If we say, From heaven; he will say to us, Why then did you not have faith in him?

26 But if we say, From men; we are in fear of the people, because all take John to be a prophet.

27 And they made answer and said, We have no idea. Then he said to them, And I will not say to you by what authority I do these things.

28 But how does it seem to you? A man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go and do work today in the vine-garden.