Matthew 21

NEW JERUSALEM	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 When they were near Jerusalem and had come to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, then Jesus senttwo disciples,	1 When they drew near Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples,
2 saying to them, 'Go to the village facing you, and you wil at once find a tethered donkey and a coltwith her. Untie them and bring them to me.	2 saying to them, "Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find an ass tethered, and a colt with her. Untie them and bring them here to me.
3 If anyone says anything to you, you are to say, "The Master needs them and wil send them back atonce." '	3 And if anyone should say anything to you, reply, 'The master has need of them.' Then he will send them at once."
4 This was to fulfil what was spoken by the prophet:	4 This happened so that what had been spoken through the prophet might be fulfilled:
5 Say to the daughter of Zion: Look, your king is approaching, humble and riding on a donkey and on acolt, the foal of a beast of burden.	5 "Say to daughter Zion, 'Behold, your king comes to you, meek and riding on an ass, and on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden.'"
6 So the disciples went and did as Jesus had told them.	6 The disciples went and did as Jesus had ordered them.
7 They brought the donkey and the colt, then they laid their cloaks on their backs and he took his seaton them.	7 They brought the ass and the colt and laid their cloaks over them, and he sat upon them.
8 Great crowds of people spread their cloaks on the road, while others were cutting branches from thetrees and spreading them in his path.	8 The very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and strewed them on the road.
9 The crowds who went in front of him and those who fol owed were al shouting: Hosanna to the son ofDavid! Blessed is he who is coming in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest heavens!	9 The crowds preceding him and those following kept crying out and saying: "Hosanna to the Son of David; blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord; hosanna in the highest."
10 And when he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was in turmoil as people asked, 'Who is this?'	10 And when he entered Jerusalem the whole city was shaken and asked, "Who is this?"
11 and the crowds answered, 'This is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth in Galilee.'	11 And the crowds replied, "This is Jesus the prophet, from Nazareth in Galilee."
12 Jesus then went into the Temple and drove out al those who were selling and buying there; he upsetthe tables of the money-changers and the seats of the dove-sel ers.	12 Jesus entered the temple area and drove out all those engaged in selling and buying there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who were selling doves.
13 He said to them, 'According to scripture, my house wil be cal ed a house of prayer; but you areturning it into a bandits' den.'	13 And he said to them, "It is written: 'My house shall be a house of prayer,' but you are making it a den of thieves."
14 There were also blind and lame people who came to him in the Temple, and he cured them.	14 The blind and the lame approached him in the temple area, and he cured them.
15 At the sight of the wonderful things he did and of the children shouting, 'Hosanna to the son of David'in the Temple, the chief priests and the scribes were indignant and said to him,	15 When the chief priests and the scribes saw the wondrous things he was doing, and the children crying out in the temple area, "Hosanna to the Son of David," they were indignant
16 'Do you hear what they are saying?' Jesus answered, 'Yes. Have you never read this: By the mouthsof children, babes in arms, you have made sure of praise?'	16 and said to him, "Do you hear what they are saying?" Jesus said to them, "Yes; and have you never read the text, 'Out of the mouths of infants and nurslings you have brought forth praise'?"
17 With that he left them and went out of the city to Bethany, where he spent the night.	17 And leaving them, he went out of the city to Bethany, and there he spent the night.
18 As he was returning to the city in the early morning, he felt hungry.	18 When he was going back to the city in the morning, he was hungry.
19 Seeing a fig tree by the road, he went up to it and found nothing on it but leaves. And he said to it,'May you never bear fruit again,' and instantly the fig tree withered.	19 Seeing a fig tree by the road, he went over to it, but found nothing on it except leaves. And he said to it, "May no fruit ever come from you again." And immediately the fig tree withered.
20 The disciples were amazed when they saw it and said, 'How is it that the fig tree withered instantly?'	20 When the disciples saw this, they were amazed and said, "How was it that the fig tree withered immediately?"
21 Jesus answered, 'In truth I tel you, if you have faith and do not doubt at all, not only wil you do what Ihave done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, "Be pul ed up and thrown into the sea," it will be done.	21 Jesus said to them in reply, "Amen, I say to you, if you have faith and do not waver, not only will you do what has been done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, 'Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,' it will be done.
22 And if you have faith, everything you ask for in prayer, you wil receive.'	22 Whatever you ask for in prayer with faith, you will receive."
23 He had gone into the Temple and was teaching, when the chief priests and the elders of the peoplecame to him and said, 'What authority have you for acting like this? And who gave you this authority?'	23 When he had come into the temple area, the chief priests and the elders of the people approached him as he was teaching and said, "By what authority are you doing these things? And who gave you this authority?"
24 In reply Jesus said to them, 'And I will ask you a question, just one; if you tell me the answer to it,then I wil tel you my authority for acting like this.	24 Jesus said to them in reply, "I shall ask you one question, and if you answer it for me, then I shall tell you by what authority I do these things.
25 John's baptism: what was its origin, heavenly or human?' And they argued this way amongthemselves, 'If we say heavenly, he wil retort to us, "Then why did you refuse to believe him?";	25 Where was John's baptism from? Was it of heavenly or of human origin?" They discussed this among themselves and said, "If we say 'Of heavenly origin,' he will say to us, 'Then why did you not believe him?'
26 but if we say human, we have the people to fear, for they al hold that John was a prophet.'	26 But if we say, 'Of human origin,' we fear the crowd, for they all regard John as a prophet."
27 So their reply to Jesus was, 'We do not know.' And he retorted to them, 'Nor wil I tel you my authorityfor acting like this.'	27 So they said to Jesus in reply, "We do not know." He himself said to them, "Neither shall I tell you by what authority I do these things.
28 'What is your opinion? A man had two sons. He went and said to the first, "My boy, go and work inthe vineyard today."	28 "What is your opinion? A man had two sons. He came to the first and said, 'Son, go out and work in the vineyard today.'
29 He answered, "I will not go," but afterwards thought better of it and went.	29 He said in reply, 'I will not,' but afterwards he changed his mind and went.
30 The man then went and said the same thing to the second who answered, "Certainly, sir," but did notgo.	30 The man came to the other son and gave the same order. He said in reply, 'Yes, sir,' but did not go.
31 Which of the two did the father's wil ?' They said, 'The first.' Jesus said to them, 'In truth I tel you, taxcol ectors and prostitutes are making their way into the kingdom of God before you.	31 Which of the two did his father's will?" They answered, "The first." Jesus said to them, "Amen, I say to you, tax collectors and prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God before you.
32 For John came to you, showing the way of uprightness, but you did not believe him, and yet the taxcol ectors and prostitutes did. Even after seeing that, you refused to think better of it and believe in him.	32 When John came to you in the way of righteousness, you did not believe him; but tax collectors and prostitutes did. Yet even when you saw that, you did not later change your minds and believe him.
33 'Listen to another parable. There was a man, a landowner, who planted a vineyard; he fenced itround, dug a winepress in it and built a tower; then he leased it to tenants and went abroad.	33 "Hear another parable. There was a landowner who planted a vineyard, put a hedge around it, dug a wine press in it, and built a tower. Then he leased it to tenants and went on a journey.
34 When vintage time drew near he sent his servants to the tenants to col ect his produce.	34 When vintage time drew near, he sent his servants to the tenants to obtain his produce.
35 But the tenants seized his servants, thrashed one, kil ed another and stoned a third.	35 But the tenants seized the servants and one they beat, another they killed, and a third they stoned.
36 Next he sent some more servants, this time a larger number, and they dealt with them in the sameway.	36 Again he sent other servants, more numerous than the first ones, but they treated them in the same way.
37 Final y he sent his son to them thinking, "They will respect my son."	37 Finally, he sent his son to them, thinking, 'They will respect my son.'
38 But when the tenants saw the son, they said to each other, "This is the heir. Come on, let us kil himand take over his inheritance."	38 But when the tenants saw the son, they said to one another, 'This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and acquire his inheritance.'
39 So they seized him and threw him out of the vineyard and kil ed him.	39 They seized him, threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him.
40 Now when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?'	40 What will the owner of the vineyard do to those tenants when he comes?"
41 They answered, 'He will bring those wretches to a wretched end and lease the vineyard to othertenants who wil deliver the produce to him at the proper time.'	41 They answered him, "He will put those wretched men to a wretched death and lease his vineyard to other tenants who will give him the produce at the proper times."
42 Jesus said to them, 'Have you never read in the scriptures: The stone which the builders rejected hasbecome the cornerstone; this is the Lord's doing and we marvel at it?	42 Jesus said to them, "Did you never read in the scriptures: 'The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; by the Lord has this been done, and it is wonderful in our eyes'?
43 'I tel you, then, that the kingdom of God wil be taken from you and given to a people who willproduce its fruit.'	43 Therefore, I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people that will produce its fruit.
44	44 ( The one who falls on this stone will be dashed to pieces; and it will crush anyone on whom it falls.)"
45 When they heard his parables, the chief priests and the scribes realised he was speaking aboutthem,	45 When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they knew that he was speaking about them.
46 but though they would have liked to arrest him they were afraid of the crowds, who looked on him asa prophet.	46 And although they were attempting to arrest him, they feared the crowds, for they regarded him as a prophet.