February 24: Mark 11
Jesusâ Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem
11 Now, as they were approaching Jerusalem, they arrived at the place of the stables[a] near Bethany on the Mount of Olives. Jesus sent two of his disciples ahead 2 and said to them, âAs soon as you enter the village ahead, you will find a donkeyâs colt tethered there that has never been ridden. Untie it and bring it to me.3 And if anyone asks, âWhy are you taking it?â tell them, âThe master needs it and will send it back to you soon.ââ[b]
4 So they went and found the colt outside in the street, tied to a gate. When they started to untie it, 5 some people standing there said to them, âWhy are untying that colt?â
6 They answered just as Jesus had told them: âThe master needs it, and he will send it back to you soon.â So the bystanders let them go.[c]
7 The disciples brought the colt to Jesus and piled their cloaks and prayer shawls[d]on the young donkey, and Jesus rode upon it.[e] 8 Many people carpeted the road in front of him with their cloaks and prayer shawls,[f] while others gathered palm branches and spread them before him. 9 Jesus rode in the center of the procession, with crowds going before him and behind him. They all shouted in celebration, âBring the victory![g] We welcome the one coming with the blessings of being sent from the Lord Yahweh![h] 10 Blessings rest on this kingdom he ushers in right nowâthe kingdom of our father David! Bring us the victory in the highest realms of heaven!â[i]
11 Jesus rode through the gates of Jerusalem and up to the temple. After looking around at everything, he left for Bethany with the Twelve to spend the night, for it was already late in the day.
Jesus and a Fruitless Fig Tree
12 The next day, as he left Bethany, Jesus was feeling hungry. 13 He noticed a leafy fig tree in the distance, so he walked over to see if there was any fruit on it, but there was noneâonly leaves (for it wasnât yet the season for bearing figs).[j]14 Jesus spoke[k] to the fig tree, saying, âNo one will ever eat fruit from you again!âAnd the disciples overheard him.
Jesus Drives Merchants Out of the Temple Courts
15 When they came into Jerusalem, Jesus went directly into the temple area and overturned all the tables and benches of the merchants who were doing business there. One by one he drove them all out of the temple courts,[l] and they scattered away, including the money changers[m] and those selling doves. 16 And he would not allow them to use the temple courts as a thoroughfare for carrying their merchandise and their furniture.
17 Then he began to teach the people, saying, âDoes not the Scripture say, âMy house will be a house of prayer for all the world to shareâ?[n] But you have made it a thievesâ hangout!â[o]
18 When the chief priests and religious scholars heard this, they began to hatch a plot as to how they could eliminate Jesus. But they feared him and his influence, because the entire crowd was carried away with astonishment by his teaching. 19 So he and his disciples spent the nights outside the city.
Lessons of Faith
20 In the morning, they passed by the fig tree that Jesus spoke to and it was completely withered from the roots up. 21 Peter remembered and said to him, âTeacher, look! Thatâs the fig tree you cursed. Itâs now all shriveled up and dead.â
22 Jesus replied, âLet the faith of God be in you![p] 23 Listen to the truth I speak to you: If someone says to this mountain with great faith and having no doubt,[q]âMountain, be lifted up and thrown into the midst of the sea,â[r] and believes that what he says will happen, it will be done. 24 This is the reason I urge you to boldly believe for whatever you ask for in prayerâbelieve that you have received it and it will be yours. 25 And whenever you stand praying,[s] if you find that you carry something in your heart against another person, release him and forgive him[t] so that your Father in heaven will also release you and forgive you of your faults.26 But if you will not release forgiveness, donât expect your Father in heaven to release you from your misdeeds.â[u]
The Religious Leaders Question Jesusâ Authority
27 They came again into Jerusalem, and while Jesus was walking in the temple courts, the Jewish rulersâthe chief priest, certain religious scholars, and the eldersâapproached him. They came up to him 28 and asked, âWhat right do you have to say and do these things? Who gave you the authority to do all this?â
29 Jesus replied, âI too have a question to ask you. If you can answer this question, then I will tell you by what power I do all these things. 30 Where did Johnâs authority to immerse come from? Was it from heaven or from people? Answer me now.â
31 They stepped away and debated among themselves, saying, âHow should we answer this? If we say, âfrom heaven,â he will say to us, âThen why didnât you respond to John and believe what he said?â 32 But if we say, âfrom the people,â we fear the crowds, for theyâre convinced that John was Godâs prophet.â
33 So they finally answered, âWe donât know.â
âThen neither will I tell you where my power comes from to do these things,â Jesus replied.[v]
