Matthew 21:1-17

Jesus Comes to Jerusalem as King

1 As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples,

2 saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and at once you will find a donkey tied there, with her colt by her. Untie them and bring them to me.

3 If anyone says anything to you, say that the Lord needs them, and he will send them right away.”

4 This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet:

5 “Say to Daughter Zion, ‘See, your king comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey, and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’ ”^[a]

6 The disciples went and did as Jesus had instructed them.

7 They brought the donkey and the colt and placed their cloaks on them for Jesus to sit on.

8 A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road.

9 The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted, “Hosanna^[b] to the Son of David!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”^[c]“Hosanna^[d] in the highest heaven!”

10 When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, “Who is this?”

11 The crowds answered, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.”

Jesus at the Temple

12 Jesus entered the temple courts and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves.

13 “It is written,” he said to them, “ ‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’^[e] but you are making it ‘a den of robbers.’^[f] ”

14 The blind and the lame came to him at the temple, and he healed them.

15 But when the chief priests and the teachers of the law saw the wonderful things he did and the children shouting in the temple courts, “Hosanna to the Son of David,” they were indignant.

16 “Do you hear what these children are saying?” they asked him. “Yes,” replied Jesus, “have you never read, “ ‘From the lips of children and infants you, Lord, have called forth your praise’^[g] ?”

17 And he left them and went out of the city to Bethany, where he spent the night.

Cross References

• 1. Matthew 24:3; Matthew 26:30; Mark 14:26; Luke 19:37; Luke 21:37; Luke 22:39; John 8:1; Acts 1:12
• 2. S Matthew 1:22
• 3. Isaiah 62:11; Zechariah 9:9
• 4. 2 Kings 9:13
• 5. ver 15; S Matthew 9:27
• 6. Psalms 118:26; Matthew 23:39
• 7. Luke 2:14
• 8. Deuteronomy 18:15; Luke 7:16,39; Luke 24:19; John 1:21,25; John 6:14; John 7:40
• 9. Deuteronomy 14:26
• 10. Exodus 30:13
• 11. Leviticus 1:14
• 12. Isaiah 56:7
• 13. Jeremiah 7:11
• 14. S Matthew 4:23
• 15. ver 9; S Matthew 9:27
• 16. Luke 19:39
• 17. Psalms 8:2
• 18. Matthew 26:6; Mark 11:1; Luke 24:50; John 11:1,18; John 12:1

Footnotes

• [a] Zech. 9:9
• [b] A Hebrew expression meaning “Save!” which became an exclamation of praise; also in verse 15
• [c] Psalm 118:25,26
• [d] A Hebrew expression meaning “Save!” which became an exclamation of praise; also in verse 15
• [e] Isaiah 56:7
• [f] Jer. 7:11
• [g] Psalm 8:2 (see Septuagint)