Matthew 21
1 And when they drew near to Jerusalem and came to Bethphage, at the mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples,
As [we] approached Jerusalem, we came near Bethphage [village], near Olive [Tree] Hill. Jesus said to two [of his] disciples, “Go to the village just ahead of us. As soon as you enter [it], you will see a donkey and her foal that are {someone has} tied [up]. Untie them and bring them [here] to me.
2 saying to them, Go into the village over against you, and immediately ye will find an ass tied, and a colt with it; loose [them] and lead [them] to me.
3 And if any one say anything to you, ye shall say, The Lord has need of them, and straightway he will send them.
If anyone says anything to you [about your doing that], tell [him], ‘The Lord needs them.’ He will [then allow you to] lead them away.”
4 But all this came to pass, that that might be fulfilled which was spoken through the prophet, saying,
When all this happened, what was written by a prophet {what a prophet wrote about} was fulfilled {happened}. The prophet wrote, “Tell the people who live in Jerusalem [SYN], ‘Look! Your king is coming to you! He will come humbly. He [will show that he is humble, because he will be] riding on a colt, the offspring of a donkey.’”
5 Say to the daughter of Zion, Behold thy King cometh to thee, meek, and mounted upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.
6 But the disciples, having gone and done as Jesus had ordered them,
So the [two] disciples went and did what Jesus told them to do.
7 brought the ass and the colt and put their garments upon them, and he sat on them.
They brought the donkey and its colt [to Jesus]. They placed their cloaks on them [to make something for him to sit on]. Then Jesus [mounted the colt] and sat on the cloaks.
8 But a very great crowd strewed their own garments on the way, and others kept cutting down branches from the trees and strewing them on the way.
Then a large crowd spread [some of] their clothing on the road, and other [people] cut off branches from [palm] trees and spread them on the road. [They did those things to decorate the road in order to honor Jesus].
9 And the crowds who went before him and who followed cried, saying, Hosanna to the Son of David; blessed [be] he who comes in the name of [the] Lord; hosanna in the highest.
The crowds that walked in front of him and those who walked behind him were shouting things like, “Praise the [Messiah], the descendant of [King] David!” “May the Lord [God] bless [this one] who comes as [God’s] representative and with [God’s] authority [MTY].” “Praise God, who is in the highest [heaven]!”
10 And as he entered into Jerusalem, the whole city was moved, saying, Who is this?
As Jesus entered Jerusalem, a crowd of people [MTY] from all [over the city] became excited and were saying, “Why [are they honoring] this man [like that]?”
11 And the crowds said, This is Jesus the prophet who is from Nazareth of Galilee.
The crowd [that was already following him] said, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee!”
12 And Jesus entered into the temple [of God], and cast out all that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those that sold the doves.
Then Jesus went into the Temple [courtyard] and chased out all of those who were buying and selling things there. He also overturned the tables of those who were giving [Temple tax money in exchange for Roman] coins, and he overturned the seats of those who were selling pigeons [for sacrifices].
13 And he says to them, It is written, My house shall be called a house of prayer, but ye have made it a den of robbers.
Then he said to them, “It is {([Jeremiah/A prophet]) has} written [in the Scriptures that God said], ‘[I want] my house to be called a place where [people] pray’, but you bandits have made it [MET] your hideout!”
14 And blind and lame came to him in the temple, and he healed them.
After that, [many] blind [people] and lame [people] came to Jesus in the temple [in order that he would heal them], and he healed them.
15 And when the chief priests and the scribes saw the wonders which he wrought, and the children crying in the temple and saying, Hosanna to the Son of David, they were indignant,
The high priests and the men who taught the people the [Jewish] laws saw the wonderful deeds that Jesus did. [They also saw and] heard the children shouting in the Temple, “We praise the [Messiah], the descendant of [King] David!” The religious leaders were indignant [because they did not believe that Jesus was the Messiah].
16 and said to him, Hearest thou what these say? And Jesus says to them, Yea; have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise?
[They thought that Jesus should not be allowing the children to say that], so they asked him, “[How can you tolerate] this [RHQ]? Do you hear what these [children] are shouting?” Then Jesus said to them, “Yes, I [hear them, but] if you [remembered what] you have read [in the Scriptures about children praising me, you would know that God is pleased] [RHQ] [with them]. [The psalmist] wrote, [saying to God], ‘You have taught infants and other children to praise you perfectly.’”
17 And leaving them he went forth out of the city to Bethany, and there he passed the night.
Then Jesus left the city. We [disciples] went [with him] to Bethany [town], and we slept there [that night].
18 But early in the morning, as he came back into the city, he hungered.
Early [the next morning], when we were returning to the city, [Jesus] was hungry.
19 And seeing one fig-tree in the way, he came to it and found on it nothing but leaves only. And he says to it, Let there be never more fruit of thee for ever. And the fig-tree was immediately dried up. (aiōn g165)
He saw a fig tree near the road. [So he went over to it to pick some figs to eat]. But when he got close, he saw that there were no [figs on the tree]. There were only leaves on it. So [to illustrate how God would punish the nation of Israel], he said to the fig tree, “May you never again produce figs!” As a result, the fig tree withered that night. (aiōn g165)
20 And when the disciples saw [it], they wondered, saying, How immediately is the fig-tree dried up!
[The next day] when we disciples saw [what had happened to the tree], we marveled, and we said [to Jesus], “(It is astonishing that the fig tree withered so quickly!/How is it that the fig tree dried up so quickly?)” [RHQ]
21 And Jesus answering said to them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and do not doubt, not only shall ye do what [is done] to the fig-tree, but even if ye should say to this mountain, Be thou taken away and be thou cast into the sea, it shall come to pass.
Jesus said to us, “Think about this: If you believe [that God has power to do what you ask him to] and you do not doubt [that], you will be able to do [things like what I have] done to this fig tree. You will even be able to do [marvelous deeds like] saying to a nearby hill, ‘Uproot yourself and throw yourself into the sea’, and it will happen!
22 And all things whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.
In addition [to that], whenever you ask [God for something] when you pray [to him, if you] believe [that he will give it to you], you will receive [it from him].”
23 And when he came into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him [as he was] teaching, saying, By what authority doest thou these things? and who gave thee this authority?
After that, Jesus went into the Temple [courtyard]. While he was teaching [the people], the chief priests and the elders of the Jewish Council approached him. They asked, “By what authority are you doing these things? Who authorized you to do what you did [here yesterday] [DOU]?”
24 And Jesus answering said to them, I also will ask you one thing, which if ye tell me, I also will tell you by what authority I do these things:
Jesus said to them, “I also will ask you a question, and if you answer me, I will tell you who authorized me to do these things.
25 The baptism of John, whence was it? of heaven or of men? And they reasoned among themselves, saying, If we should say, Of heaven, he will say to us, Why then have ye not believed him?
Where did John [the Baptizer] get [his authority to] baptize [those who came to him]? [Did he get it] from God or from people? [MTY/EUP]” The chief priests and elders debated among themselves [about what they should answer]. [They said to each other], “If we say, ‘[It was] [MTY/EUP] from God’, he will say to us, ‘Then (you should have believed his [message]!/why did you not believe [John’s message]?) [RHQ]’
26 but if we should say, Of men, we fear the crowd, for all hold John for a prophet.
If we say, ‘It was from people’, we are afraid that the crowd [will react violently], because all [the people] believe that John was a prophet [sent by God].”
27 And answering Jesus they said, We do not know. He also said to them, Neither do I tell you by what authority I do these things.
So they answered Jesus, “We do not know [where John got his authority].” Then he said to them, “[Because you did not answer my question], I will not tell you who authorized me to do the things I did [here yesterday].”
28 But what think ye? A man had two children, and coming to the first he said, Child, go to-day, work in [my] vineyard.
[Then Jesus said to the chief priests and elders], “Tell me [RHQ] what you think [about what I am about to tell you]. There was a man who had two sons. He went to his older son and said, ‘My son, go and work in my vineyard today!’
29 And he answering said, I will not; but afterwards repenting himself he went.
But the son said [to his father], ‘I do not want to [go and work in your vineyard today]!’ But later he changed his mind, and he went to the vineyard [and worked].
30 And coming to the second he said likewise; and he answering said, I [go], sir, and went not.
Then the father approached his younger son and said what he had said to his older son. That son said, ‘Sir, I will [go and work in the vineyard today.’] But he did not go there.
31 Which of the two did the will of the father? They say [to him], The first. Jesus says to them, Verily I say unto you that the tax-gatherers and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you.
So which of the man’s two sons did what their father desired?” They answered, “The older son.” Jesus [explained to them what that parable meant] by saying, “Think about this: [It is more likely that other people, including] tax collectors and prostitutes, [whom you think are very sinful], will enter where God rules, than it is that you [Jewish leaders] will enter.
32 For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and ye believed him not; but the tax-gatherers and the harlots believed him; but ye when ye saw [it] repented not yourselves afterwards to believe him.
I [say this to you] because, even though John [the Baptizer] explained to you how to live righteously, you did not believe his message. But tax collectors and prostitutes believed his [message, and they turned away from their sinful behavior]. In contrast, you, even though you saw what they did, refused to turn away from your sinful behavior, and you did not believe [John’s message].”
33 Hear another parable: There was a householder who planted a vineyard, and made a fence round it, and dug a winepress in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and left the country.
“Listen to another parable [that I will tell you]. There was a landowner who planted a vineyard. He built a fence around it. He dug a hole in the ground [inside the fence]. He placed [in the hole] a stone tank to [collect the juice that would be] pressed out of the grapes. He also built a tower [inside that fence that someone would sit in to guard that vineyard]. He arranged for some men [to care for] the vineyard [and to give him some of the grapes in return]. Then he went away to another country.
34 But when the time of fruit drew near, he sent his bondmen to the husbandmen to receive his fruits.
When it was time to harvest the grapes, the landowner sent some of his servants to the men who were taking care of the vineyard to get his share of the grapes [that the vineyard had produced].
35 And the husbandmen took his bondmen, and beat one, killed another, and stoned another.
But the renters seized the servants. They beat one of them, they killed another one, and [killed] another one of them [by throwing] stones at him.
36 Again he sent other bondmen more than the first, and they did to them in like manner.
[So the landowner] sent more servants than [he had sent] the first [time]. The renters treated those servants the same way that [they had treated the other servants].
37 And at last he sent to them his son, saying, They will have respect for my son.
Later, [knowing this], [the landowner] sent his son to [the renters to get his share of the grapes]. When he sent him, he said [to himself], ‘They will certainly respect my son [and give him some of the grapes].’
38 But the husbandmen, seeing the son, said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him and possess his inheritance.
But when the renters saw his son [arriving], they said to each other, ‘This is the man who will inherit [this vineyard]! Let’s kill him and divide the property [among ourselves].’
39 And they took him, and cast him forth out of the vineyard, and killed him.
So they grabbed him, dragged him outside the vineyard, and killed him.
40 When therefore the lord of the vineyard comes, what shall he do to those husbandmen?
[Now I ask you], when the landowner returns to his vineyard, what [do you think] he will do to those renters?”
41 They say to him, He will miserably destroy those evil [men], and let out the vineyard to other husbandmen, who shall render him the fruits in their seasons.
[The chief priests and elders] replied, “He will thoroughly destroy those wicked [renters]! Then he will rent the vineyard to others. They will give him [his share of] the grapes when they are ripe.”
42 Jesus says to them, Have ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which they that builded rejected, this has become the corner-stone: this is of [the] Lord, and it is wonderful in our eyes?
Jesus said to them, “[That is right, so you need to think carefully about these words which] you have read [RHQ] in the Scriptures: The builders rejected a certain stone. [But others put] that same stone [in its proper place, and it] has become the most important stone [of the] building [MET]. The Lord has done this, and we marvel as we look at it.
43 Therefore I say to you, that the kingdom of God shall be taken from you and shall be given to a nation producing the fruits of it.
So, [because you reject me], I am going to tell you this: God will no longer let you [Jews] be the people over whom he rules. Instead, he will let [non-Jews] be the people over whom he rules, and they will do [IDM] what he asks them to do.
44 And he that falls on this stone shall be broken, but on whomsoever it shall fall, it shall grind him to powder.
[The important stone in the building represents me, the Messiah, and those who reject me are like people who fall on this stone]. Anyone who falls on this stone will be broken into pieces {This cornerstone will break into pieces anyone who falls on it}, and it will crush anyone on whom it falls.”
45 And the chief priests and the Pharisees, having heard his parables, knew that he spoke about them.
When the chief priests and the [elders who were] Pharisees heard this parable, they realized that he was accusing them [because they did not believe that he was the Messiah].
46 And seeking to lay hold of him, they were afraid of the crowds, because they held him for a prophet.
They wanted to seize him, but [they did not do so] because they were afraid of what the crowds [would do if they did that], because [the crowds] considered that Jesus was a prophet.
