The Gospel According to St. Matthew

⭑ King James Version :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 21 -

(Zechariah 9:9–13; Mark 11:1–11; Luke 19:28–40; John 12:12–19)

And when they drew nigh unto Jerusalem, and were come to Bethphage, unto the mount of Olives, then sent Jesus two disciples,

Saying unto them, Go into the village over against you, and straightway ye shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her: loose them, and bring them unto me.

And if any man say ought unto you, ye shall say, The Lord hath need of them; and straightway he will send them.

All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying,

Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass.

And the disciples went, and did as Jesus commanded them,

And brought the ass, and the colt, and put on them their clothes, and they set him thereon.

And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way; others cut down branches from the trees, and strawed them in the way.

And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the Son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest.

And when he was come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, Who is this?

And the multitude said, This is Jesus the prophet of Nazareth of Galilee.

Jesus Cleanses the Temple

(Mark 11:15–19; Luke 19:45–48; John 2:12–25)

And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves,

And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves.

And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple; and he healed them.

And when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying in the temple, and saying, Hosanna to the Son of David; they were sore displeased,

And said unto him, Hearest thou what these say? And Jesus saith unto them, Yea; have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise?

And he left them, and went out of the city into Bethany; and he lodged there.

The Barren Fig Tree

(Mark 11:12–14; Mark 11:20–25)

Now in the morning as he returned into the city, he hungered.

And when he saw a fig tree in the way, he came to it, and found nothing thereon, but leaves only, and said unto it, Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward for ever. And presently the fig tree withered away.

And when the disciples saw it, they marvelled, saying, How soon is the fig tree withered away!

Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done.

And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.

Jesus’ Authority Challenged

(Mark 11:27–33; Luke 20:1–8)

And when he was come into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came unto him as he was teaching, and said, By what authority doest thou these things? and who gave thee this authority?

And Jesus answered and said unto them, I also will ask you one thing, which if ye tell me, I in like wise will tell you by what authority I do these things.

The baptism of John, whence was it? from heaven, or of men? And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say unto us, Why did ye not then believe him?

But if we shall say, Of men; we fear the people; for all hold John as a prophet.

And they answered Jesus, and said, We cannot tell. And he said unto them, Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things.

The Parable of the Two Sons

But what think ye? A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work to day in my vineyard.

He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went.

And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir: and went not.

Whether of them twain did the will of his father? They say unto him, The first. Jesus saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you.

For John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and ye believed him not: but the publicans and the harlots believed him: and ye, when ye had seen it, repented not afterward, that ye might believe him.

The Parable of the Wicked Tenants

(Mark 12:1–12; Luke 20:9–18)

Hear another parable: There was a certain householder, which planted a vineyard, and hedged it round about, and digged a winepress in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country:

And when the time of the fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the husbandmen, that they might receive the fruits of it.

And the husbandmen took his servants, and beat one, and killed another, and stoned another.

Again, he sent other servants more than the first: and they did unto them likewise.

But last of all he sent unto them his son, saying, They will reverence my son.

But when the husbandmen saw the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance.

And they caught him, and cast him out of the vineyard, and slew him.

When the lord therefore of the vineyard cometh, what will he do unto those husbandmen?

They say unto him, He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall render him the fruits in their seasons.

Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?

Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.

And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.

And when the chief priests and Pharisees had heard his parables, they perceived that he spake of them.

But when they sought to lay hands on him, they feared the multitude, because they took him for a prophet.

(Zechariah 9:9–13; Mark 11:1–11; Luke 19:28–40; John 12:12–19)

When they came near to Jerusalem and came to Bethsphage,(a) to the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples,

saying to them, “Go into the village that is opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Untie them and bring them to me.

If anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord needs them,’ and immediately he will send them.”

All this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through the prophet, saying,

“Tell the daughter of Zion, behold, your King comes to you, humble, and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.”(b)

The disciples went and did just as Jesus commanded them,

and brought the donkey and the colt and laid their clothes on them; and he sat on them.

A very great multitude spread their clothes on the road. Others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road.

The multitudes who went in front of him, and those who followed, kept shouting, “Hosanna

(c)

to the son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!” (d)

When he had come into Jerusalem, all the city was stirred up, saying, “Who is this?”

The multitudes said, “This is the prophet, Jesus, from Nazareth of Galilee.”

Jesus Cleanses the Temple

(Mark 11:15–19; Luke 19:45–48; John 2:12–25)

Jesus entered into the temple of God and drove out all of those who sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the money changers’ tables and the seats of those who sold the doves.

He said to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ (e) but you have made it a den of robbers!” (f)

The lame and the blind came to him in the temple, and he healed them.

But when the chief priests and the scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children who were crying in the temple and saying, “Hosanna to the son of David!” they were indignant,

and said to him, “Do you hear what these are saying?” Jesus said to them, “Yes. Did you never read, ‘Out of the mouth of children and nursing babies, you have perfected praise’?” (g)

He left them and went out of the city to Bethany, and camped there.

The Barren Fig Tree

(Mark 11:12–14; Mark 11:20–25)

Now in the morning, as he returned to the city, he was hungry.

Seeing a fig tree by the road, he came to it and found nothing on it but leaves. He said to it, “Let there be no fruit from you forever!” Immediately the fig tree withered away.

When the disciples saw it, they marveled, saying, “How did the fig tree immediately wither away?”

Jesus answered them, “Most certainly I tell you, if you have faith and don’t doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but even if you told this mountain, ‘Be taken up and cast into the sea,’ it would be done.

All things, whatever you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.”

Jesus’ Authority Challenged

(Mark 11:27–33; Luke 20:1–8)

When he had come into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him as he was teaching, and said, “By what authority do you do these things? Who gave you this authority?”

Jesus answered them, “I also will ask you one question, which if you tell me, I likewise will tell you by what authority I do these things.

The baptism of John, where was it from? From heaven or from men?” They reasoned with themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will ask us, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’

But if we say, ‘From men,’ we fear the multitude, for all hold John as a prophet.”

They answered Jesus, and said, “We don’t know.” He also said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.

The Parable of the Two Sons

But what do you think? A man had two sons, and he came to the first, and said, ‘Son, go work today in my vineyard.’

He answered, ‘I will not,’ but afterward he changed his mind, and went.

He came to the second, and said the same thing. He answered, ‘I’m going, sir,’ but he didn’t go.

Which of the two did the will of his father?” They said to him, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “Most certainly I tell you that the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering into God’s Kingdom before you.

For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you didn’t believe him; but the tax collectors and the prostitutes believed him. When you saw it, you didn’t even repent afterward, that you might believe him.

The Parable of the Wicked Tenants

(Mark 12:1–12; Luke 20:9–18)

“Hear another parable. There was a man who was a master of a household who planted a vineyard, set a hedge about it, dug a wine press in it, built a tower, leased it out to farmers, and went into another country.

When the season for the fruit came near, he sent his servants to the farmers to receive his fruit.

The farmers took his servants, beat one, killed another, and stoned another.

Again, he sent other servants more than the first; and they treated them the same way.

But afterward he sent to them his son, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’

But the farmers, when they saw the son, said among themselves, ‘This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him and seize his inheritance.’

So they took him and threw him out of the vineyard, then killed him.

When therefore the lord of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those farmers?”

They told him, “He will miserably destroy those miserable men, and will lease out the vineyard to other farmers who will give him the fruit in its season.”

Jesus said to them, “Did you never read in the Scriptures, ‘The stone which the builders rejected was made the head of the corner. This was from the Lord. It is marvelous in our eyes’? (h)

“Therefore I tell you, God’s Kingdom will be taken away from you and will be given to a nation producing its fruit.

He who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces, but on whomever it will fall, it will scatter him as dust.”

When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they perceived that he spoke about them.

When they sought to seize him, they feared the multitudes, because they considered him to be a prophet.

Footnotes

(a)21:1 TR &NU read “Bethphage” instead of “Bethsphage”

(b)21:5 ℘ Zechariah 9:9

(d)21:9 ℘ Psalms 118:26

(e)21:13 ℘ Isaiah 56:7

(f)21:13 ℘ Jeremiah 7:11

(g)21:16 ℘ Psalms 8:2

(h)21:42 ℘ Psalms 118:22-23