Mark 11:1-33

When they were nearing Jerusalem, at Bethphage and Bethany near the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of His disciples, [Matt 21:1-9; Luke 19:29-38; John 12:12-15] saying to them, “Go into the village in front of you, and immediately as you enter it, you will find a [donkey’s] colt tied, which has never been ridden by anyone; untie it and bring it here. If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘The Lord needs it’; and immediately he will send it here.” So they went away [to the village] and found a colt tied outside at a gate in the street, and they untied it. Some of the people who were standing there said to them, “What are you doing, untying the colt?” They replied to them just as Jesus had directed, and they allowed them to go. They brought the colt to Jesus and put their coats on it, and He sat on it. And many [of the people] spread their coats on the road [as an act of tribute and homage before a new king], and others [scattered a layer of] leafy branches which they had cut from the fields [honoring Him as Messiah]. [2 Kin 9:13] Those who went in front and those who were following [Him] were shouting [in joy and praise], “Hosanna (Save, I pray)! BLESSED (praised, glorified) IS HE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD! [Ps 118:26] “Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David! Hosanna in the highest [heaven]!” Jesus entered Jerusalem and went to the temple [enclosure]; and after looking around at everything, He left for Bethany with the twelve [disciples], because it was already late [in the day]. On the next day, when they had left Bethany, He was hungry. [Matt 21:18-22] Seeing at a distance a fig tree in leaf, He went to see if He would find anything on it. But He found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. He said to it, “No one will ever eat fruit from you again!” And His disciples were listening [to what He said]. Then they came to Jerusalem. And He entered the temple [grounds] and began driving out [with force] the people who were selling and buying [animals for sacrifice] in the temple area, and overturned the tables of the moneychangers [who made a profit exchanging foreign money for temple coinage] and the seats of those who were selling doves; [Matt 21:12-16; Luke 19:45-47; John 2:13-16] and He would not permit anyone to carry merchandise or household wares through the temple [grounds, using the temple area irreverently as a shortcut]. He began to teach and say 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 ROBBERS’ DEN.” [Is 56:7; Jer 7:11] The chief priests and the scribes heard this and began searching for a way to destroy Him; for they were afraid of Him, since the entire crowd was struck with astonishment at His teaching. When evening came, Jesus and His disciples would leave the city. In the morning, as they were passing by, the disciples saw that the fig tree had withered away from the roots up. And remembering, Peter said to Him, “Rabbi (Master), look! The fig tree which You cursed has withered!” Jesus replied, “Have faith in God [constantly]. I assure you and most solemnly say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be lifted up and thrown into the sea!’ and does not doubt in his heart [in God’s unlimited power], but believes that what he says is going to take place, it will be done for him [in accordance with God’s will]. [Matt 17:20; Luke 17:6; 1 John 5:14] For this reason I am telling you, whatever things you ask for in prayer [in accordance with God’s will], believe [with confident trust] that you have received them, and they will be given to you. Whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him [drop the issue, let it go], so that your Father who is in heaven will also forgive you your transgressions and wrongdoings [against Him and others]. [But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your transgressions.”] They came again to Jerusalem. And as Jesus was walking in the [courts and porches of the] temple, the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders came to Him, [Matt 21:23-27; Luke 20:1-8] and began saying to Him, “By what authority are You doing these things, or who gave You this authority to do these things?” Jesus said to them, “I will ask you one question, and you answer Me, and then I will tell you by what authority I do these things. Was the baptism of John [the Baptist] from heaven [that is, ordained by God] or from men? Answer Me.” They began discussing it with each other, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will say, ‘Then why did you not believe him?’ But shall we say, ‘From men?’ ” —they were afraid [to answer because] of the crowd, for everyone considered John to have been a real prophet. So they replied to Jesus, “We do not know.” And Jesus said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.”

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