1 Jesus and his followers were coming closer to Jerusalem. They came to the towns of Bethphage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives. There Jesus sent two of his followers to do something. 2 He said to them, “Go to the town you can see there. When you enter it, you will find a young donkey that no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here to me. 3 If anyone asks you why you are taking the donkey, tell them, ‘The Master needs it. He will send it back soon.’ ”

4 The followers went into the town. They found a young donkey tied in the street near the door of a house, and they untied it. 5 Some people were standing there and saw this. They asked, “What are you doing? Why are you untying that donkey?” 6 The followers answered the way Jesus told them, and the people let them take the donkey.

7 The followers brought the donkey to Jesus. They put their coats on it, and Jesus sat on it. 8 Many people spread their coats on the road for Jesus. Others cut branches in the fields and spread the branches on the road. 9 Some of them were walking ahead of Jesus. Others were walking behind him. Everyone shouted,

11 Jesus entered Jerusalem and went to the Temple. He looked at everything in the Temple area, but it was already late. So he went to Bethany with the twelve apostles.

12 The next day, Jesus was leaving Bethany. He was hungry. 13 He saw a fig tree with leaves. So he went to the tree to see if it had any figs growing on it. But he found no figs on the tree. There were only leaves, because it was not the right time for figs to grow. 14 So Jesus said to the tree, “People will never eat fruit from you again.” His followers heard him say this.

15 Jesus went to Jerusalem and entered the Temple area. He began driving out the people who were buying and selling things there. He turned over the tables that belonged to those who were exchanging different kinds of money. And he turned over the benches of those who were selling doves. 16 He refused to allow anyone to carry things through the Temple area. 17 Then Jesus began teaching the people and said, “It is written in the Scriptures, ‘My Temple will be called a house of prayer for all nations.’✡ Quote from Isaiah 56:7. But you have changed it into a ‘hiding place for thieves.’✡ Quote from Jeremiah 7:11.”

18 When the leading priests and the teachers of the law heard what Jesus said, they began trying to find a way to kill him. They were afraid of him because all the people were amazed at his teaching. 19 That night Jesus and his followers left the city.

20 The next morning Jesus was walking with his followers. They saw the fig tree that he spoke to the day before. The tree was dry and dead, even the roots. 21 Peter remembered the tree and said to Jesus, “Teacher, look! Yesterday, you told that fig tree to die. Now it is dry and dead!”

22 Jesus answered, “Have faith in God. 23 The truth is, you can say to this mountain, ‘Go, mountain, fall into the sea.’ And if you have no doubts in your mind and believe that what you say will happen, then God will do it for you. 24 So I tell you to ask for what you want in prayer. And if you believe that you have received those things, then they will be yours. 25 When you are praying and you remember that you are angry with another person about something, forgive that person. Forgive them so that your Father in heaven will also forgive your sins.” 26  † Some early Greek copies add verse 26: “But if you don’t forgive others, then your Father in heaven will not forgive your sins.”

27 Jesus and his followers went again to Jerusalem. Jesus was walking in the Temple area. The leading priests, the teachers of the law, and the older Jewish leaders came to him. 28 They said, “Tell us! What authority do you have to do these things? Who gave you this authority?”

29 Jesus answered, “I will ask you a question. You answer my question. Then I will tell you whose authority I use to do these things. 30 Tell me: When John baptized people, did his authority come from God or was it only from other people? Answer me.”

31 These Jewish leaders talked about Jesus’ question. They said to each other, “If we answer, ‘John’s baptism was from God,’ then he will say, ‘Then why didn’t you believe John?’ 32 But we can’t say that John’s baptism was from someone else.” (These leaders were afraid of the people, because the people believed that John was a prophet.)

33 So the leaders answered Jesus, “We don’t know the answer.”

Jesus said, “Then I will not tell you who gave me the authority to do these things.”