Matthew 21:18-28

18 Early in the morning as He was on His way to return to the city He was hungry,

19 and seeing a fig-tree on the road-side He went up to it, but found nothing on it but leaves. "On you," He said, "no fruit shall ever again grow." And immediately the fig-tree withered away.

20 When the disciples saw it they exclaimed in astonishment, "How instantaneously the fig-tree has withered away!"

21 "I solemnly tell you," said Jesus, "that if you have an unwavering faith, you shall not only perform such a miracle as this of the fig-tree, but that even if you say to this mountain, `Be thou lifted up and hurled into the sea,' it shall be done;

22 and everything, whatever it be, that you ask for in your prayers, if you have faith, you shall obtain."

23 He entered the Temple; and while He was teaching, the High Priests and the Elders of the people came to Him and asked Him, "By what authority are you doing these things? and who gave you this authority?"

24 "And I also have a question to ask *you*," replied Jesus, "and if you answer me, I in turn will tell you by what authority I do these things.

25 John's Baptism, whence was it? --had it a heavenly or a human origin?" So they debated the matter among themselves. "If we say `a heavenly origin,'" they argued, "he will say, `Why then did you not believe him?'

26 and if we say `a human origin' we have the people to fear, for they all hold John to have been a Prophet."

27 So they answered Jesus, "We do not know." "Nor do I tell you," He replied, "by what authority I do these things."

28 "But give me your judgement. There was a man who had two sons. He came to the elder of them, and said, "`My son, go and work in the vineyard to-day.'