Mark 11
1 When they were getting near Jerusalem and had arrived at Bethphage and Bethany, on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples on in front, with these instructions.
When they came near to Jerusalem, they came to Bethphage and Bethany [villages] near Olive [Tree] Hill. Then Jesus [summoned] two of his disciples.
2 "Go," He said, "to the village facing you, and immediately on entering it you will find an ass's foal tied up which no one has ever yet ridden: untie him and bring him here.
He said to them, “Go to that village just ahead of you. As soon as you enter it, you will see a donkey that no one has ever ridden, that has been tied {people have tied} up. Untie it, and then bring it [to me].
3 And if any one asks you, 'Why are you doing that?' say, 'The Master needs it, and will send it back here without delay.'"
If anyone says to you, ‘Why are you doing that?’, say, [‘Jesus], our Lord, needs [to use] it. He will send it back here [with someone] as soon as [he no longer needs it].’”
4 So they went and found a young ass tied up at the front door of a house. They were untying it,
So [the two disciples] went and they found the young donkey. It was tied close to the door [of a house], which was beside the street. Then they untied it.
5 when some of the bystanders called out, "What are you doing, untying the foal?"
Some of the [people who were there] said to them, “Why are you untying the donkey?”
6 But on their giving the answer that Jesus had bidden them give, they let them take it.
They told them what Jesus had said. So the people permitted them [to take the donkey].
7 So they brought the foal to Jesus, and threw their outer garments over him; and Jesus mounted.
They brought the donkey to Jesus. [The disciples] put some of their clothes on it [in order to make something for him to sit on].
8 Then many spread their outer garments to carpet the road, and others leafy branches which they had cut down in the fields;
Many people spread their cloaks on the road [to honor him as a king]. Others, [in order to honor him], spread along the road branches that they cut from [palm trees] in the fields [beside the road].
9 while those who led the way and those who followed kept shouting "God save Him!" Blessed be He who comes in the Lord's name.
The people who were going in front of him and behind him were all shouting [things like], “Praise God!” “May God bless this one who comes (with his authority/as his representative) [MTY].”
10 Blessings on the coming Kingdom of our forefather David! God in the highest Heavens save Him!"
“May you be blessed {May [God] bless you} when you rule [like] our ancestor [King] David ruled!” “Praise God who is in the highest heaven!”
11 So He came into Jerusalem and into the Temple; and after looking round upon everything there, the hour being now late He went out to Bethany with the Twelve.
He entered Jerusalem [with them], and then he went into the Temple [courtyard]. After he looked around at everything [there], he left [the city] because it was already late [in the afternoon]. He returned to Bethany with the twelve [disciples and slept there].
12 The next day, after they had left Bethany, He was hungry.
The next day, as Jesus and his disciples were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry.
13 But in the distance He saw a fig-tree in full leaf, and went to see whether perhaps He could find some figs on it. When however He came to it, He found nothing but leaves (for it was not fig time);
He saw from a distance a fig tree with all its leaves, so he went [to it] to see if he could find any [figs] on it. But when he came to it, he found only leaves on it. This was because it was not yet time when [normal fig trees have ripe] figs.
14 and He said to the tree, "Let no one ever again eat fruit from thee!" And His disciples heard this. (aiōn g165)
[But to illustrate how God would punish the nation of Israel, ] he said to the tree, “No one shall ever eat from you again [because you will no longer bear figs].” The disciples heard what he said. (aiōn g165)
15 They reached Jerusalem, and entering the Temple He began to drive out the buyers and sellers, and upset the money-changers' tables and the stools of the pigeon-dealers,
Jesus and his disciples went [back] to Jerusalem. He entered the Temple [courtyard. He saw people] who were selling and buying [animals for sacrifices. They were spoiling the place of worship]. He chased those people [from the Temple courtyard.] He also overturned the tables of those who were giving Temple tax money in exchange for Roman coins. He overturned the seats of the men who were selling doves [for sacrifices],
16 and would not allow any one to carry anything through the Temple.
and he would not allow anyone who was carrying anything [to sell] to go through the Temple [area].
17 And He remonstrated with them. "Is it not written," He said, "'My House shall be called The House of Prayer for all the nations?' But you have made it what it now is--a robbers' cave."
Then as he taught those people, he said to them, “It is written {[One of the prophets] wrote} [in the Scriptures that God said], ‘[I want] my house to be called {[people] to call my house} a house where [people from] all nations may pray’, but you bandits have made it [like] a cave where you can hide! ([You know that!/Do you not know that]?) [RHQ]”
18 This the High Priests and Scribes heard, and they began to devise means to destroy Him. For they were afraid of Him, because of the deep impression produced on all the people by His teaching.
The chief priests and the men who taught the [Jewish] laws [later] heard [about what he had done]. So they planned how they might kill him, [but they knew that it would be difficult], because they realized that the crowd was amazed at what he was teaching and they feared [that the people would soon decide that Jesus had more authority over the Temple than they did] (OR, [feared what the people would do if they tried to arrest Jesus]).
19 When evening came on, Jesus and His disciples used to leave the city.
That evening, [Jesus and his disciples] left the city [and again slept in Bethany].
20 In the early morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig-tree withered to the roots;
[The next] morning, while they were going along [the road toward Jerusalem, they saw that the fig tree that Jesus had cursed] had withered completely.
21 and Peter, recollecting, said to Him, "Look, Rabbi, the fig-tree which you cursed is withered up."
Peter remembered [what Jesus had said to the fig tree] and he exclaimed to Jesus, “Teacher, look! The fig tree that you cursed has withered!”
22 Jesus said to them, "Have faith in God.
Jesus replied, “[You should not be surprised that God did what I asked]! You must trust that God [will do whatever you ask him to do]!
23 In solemn truth I tell you that if any one shall say to this mountain, 'Remove, and hurl thyself into the sea,' and has no doubt about it in his heart, but stedfastly believes that what he says will happen, it shall be granted him.
[Also] note this: If anyone says to this hill, ‘Be raised up {Rise up} and then be thrown {throw yourself} into the lake!’ and if he does not doubt [that what he asks for will happen], that is, if he believes that what he asks for will happen, [God] will do it for him.
24 That is why I tell you, as to whatever you pray and make request for, if you believe that you have received it it shall be yours.
So I tell you, whenever you ask [God] for something when you pray, believe that you will receive it, and, [if you do, God] will do it [for you].
25 But whenever you stand praying, if you have a grievance against any one, forgive it, so that your Father in Heaven may also forgive you your offences."
Now, I [tell you this also]: Whenever you are praying, if you have a grudge against people [because they have harmed you], forgive them, in order that your Father in heaven will [likewise] forgive your sins.”
27 They came again to Jerusalem; and as He was walking in the Temple, the High Priests, Scribes and Elders came to Him
Jesus and his disciples arrived in the Temple [courtyard] in Jerusalem again. While Jesus was walking [there, a group consisting of] chief priests, [some] men who taught the [Jewish] laws, and elders came to him and they said to him,
28 and asked, "By what authority are you doing these things? and who gave you authority to do them?"
“By what authority are you doing these things? Who authorized you to do things [like those you did here yesterday]?”
29 "And I will put a question to you," replied Jesus; "answer me, and then I will tell you by what authority I do these things.
Jesus said to them, “I will ask you one question. If you answer me, I will tell you who authorized me to do those things.
30 John's Baptism--was it of Heavenly or of human origin? Answer me."
Did God [MTY] or people [authorize] John to baptize [those who came to him]?”
31 So they debated the matter with one another. "Suppose we say, 'Heavenly,'" they argued, "he will ask, 'Why then did you not believe him?'
They debated among themselves [as to what they should answer]. They [said to each other], “If we say that it was God [who authorized] him, he will say to us, ‘Therefore, (you should have believed what John said!/why did you not believe what John said?) [RHQ]’
32 Or should we say, 'human?'" They were afraid of the people; for all agreed in holding John to have been really a Prophet.
On the other hand, if we say that it was people [who authorized John, then what will happen to us]?” They were afraid [to say that about where John got his authority, because they knew that] the people [would be very angry with them. They knew that] all the people truly believed that John was a prophet [whom God had sent].
33 So they answered Jesus, "We do not know." "Nor do I tell you," said Jesus, "by what authority I do these things."
So they answered Jesus, “We do not know [where John got his authority].” Then Jesus said to them, “[Because you did not answer my question, I] will not tell you who authorized me to do those things [here yesterday].”
