Matthew 21
1 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.
And as he approached Jerusalem, and came to Bethphage, by the side of the mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples;
and said to them: Go into this village which is over against you, and directly ye will find an ass tied, and a colt with her. Untie and bring them to me.
3 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.”
And if any man say ought to you, tell him, That they are needed by our Lord: and at once he will send them hither.
4 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.’”
Now this whole occurrence was, that so might be fulfilled that which was spoken by the prophet, saying:
Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy king cometh to thee, meek, and riding on an ass, and on a colt the foal of an ass.
6 So the [two] disciples went and did what Jesus told them to do.
And the disciples went, and did as Jesus commanded them.
7 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.
And they brought the ass and the colt. And they placed their garments on the colt, and set Jesus upon it.
8 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].
And a very great throng strewed their clothes in the path; and others cut branches from the trees, and cast them in the path.
9 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]!”
And the multitudes that went before him, and that followed after him, shouted and said: Hosanna to the son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord: Hosanna in the highest.
10 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]?”
And as he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was in commotion; and they said, Who is this?
11 The crowd [that was already following him] said, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee!”
And the multitudes said, This is Jesus the prophet, who is from Nazareth of Galilee.
12 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].
And Jesus entered into the temple of God, and expelled all them that bought and sold in the temple, and overset the counters of the money-brokers, and the seats of them that sold doves.
13 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!”
And he said to them: It is written, my house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of robbers.
14 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.
And there came to him in the temple the blind and the lame; and he healed them.
15 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].
And when the chief priests and Pharisees saw the wonderful things which he performed, and the children shouting in the temple and saying, Hosanna to the son of David, their indignation was excited.
16 [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.’”
And they said to him: Hearest thou what these are saying? Jesus said to them: Yes. Have ye never read, Out of the mouth of children and infants
17 Then Jesus left the city. We [disciples] went [with him] to Bethany [town], and we slept there [that night].
thou hast acquired praise? And he left them, and retired out of the city to Bethany, and lodged there.
18 Early [the next morning], when we were returning to the city, [Jesus] was hungry.
And in the morning, when he returned to the city, he was hungry.
19 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)
And he saw a fig-tree by the way, and came to it and found nothing on it, except leaves only. And he said to it: There shall no more be fruit on thee for ever. And immediately the fig-tree withered. (aiōn g165)
20 [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]
And the disciples saw it, and admired, and said: How suddenly hath the fig-tree withered!
21 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!
Jesus replied and said to them: Verily I say to you, That if there be faith in you, and ye shall not doubt, ye may not only do this thing of the fig-tree, but also if ye shall say to this mountain, be thou lifted up, and fall into the sea, it will be so.
22 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].”
And whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, and shall believe, ye shall receive.
23 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]?”
And when Jesus came to the temple, the chief priests and the Elders of the people came to him as he was teaching, and said to him: By what authority doest thou these things? And who gave thee this authority?
24 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.
Jesus replied and said to them: I also will ask you one question, and if ye will tell me, I also will tell you by what authority I do these things.
25 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]’
The baptism of John, from whence was it? From heaven, or from men? And they reasoned among themselves, and said: If we should say, From heaven; he will say to us, Why did ye not believe in him?
26 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].”
And if we should say, From men; we are afraid of the multitude, for they all hold John as a prophet.
27 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].”
And they answered, and said to him: We do not know. Jesus said to them: Neither do I tell you by what authority I do these things.
28 [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!’
But how appeareth it to you? A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first and said to him, My son, go, labor to-day in the vineyard.
29 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].
And he answered and said, I am not willing. But afterwards he repented and went.
30 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.
And he came to the other, and said the same to him. And he answered and said: I go, my lord, but did not go.
31 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.
Which of these two performed the pleasure of his father? They say to him, The first. Jesus said to them: Verily I say to you That publicans and harlots go before you into the kingdom of God.
32 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].”
For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and ye believed him not; but the publicans and harlots believed him: and ye, after ye had seen it, did not even then repent and believe in him.
33 “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.
Hear ye another similitude. A certain man, the lord of a house, planted a vineyard, and inclosed it with a hedge, and digged in it a wine-press, and built a tower in it, and leased it to cultivators, and removed to a distance.
34 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].
And when the time for the fruits arrived, he sent his servants to the cultivators that they might remit to him of the fruits of the vineyard.
35 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.
And the cultivators laid hold of his servants, and beat one, and stoned another and one they slew.
36 [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].
And again he sent other servants, more numerous than the first; and they did the like to them.
37 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].’
And at last he sent to them his son: for he said, Perhaps they will respect my son.
38 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].’
But the cultivators, when they saw the son, said among themselves: This is the heir: Come; let us kill him, and retain his inheritance.
39 So they grabbed him, dragged him outside the vineyard, and killed him.
And they laid hold of him, thrust him out of the vineyard, and slew him.
40 [Now I ask you], when the landowner returns to his vineyard, what [do you think] he will do to those renters?”
When the lord of the vineyard, therefore, shall come; what will he do to those cultivators?
41 [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.”
They say to him: He will utterly destroy them; and will lease the vineyard to other cultivators, who will render him the fruits in their seasons.
42 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.
Jesus said to them: Have ye never read in the scripture, The stone which the builders rejected, hath become the head of the corner: this is from the Lord; and it is marvellous in our eyes?
43 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.
Therefore I say to you, That the kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and shall be given to a people that will yield fruits.
44 [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.”
And whoever shall fall upon this stone, will be fractured; but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will crush him to atoms?
45 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].
And when the chief priests and Pharisees had heard his similitudes, they understood that he spoke in reference to them.
46 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.
And they sought to apprehend him, but were afraid of the multitude, because they accounted him as a prophet.
