The Triumphal Entry

¹ And when they came near to Jerusalem, to Bethphage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples

² and said to them, “Go into the village before you, and right away as you¹ enter into it you will find a colt tied, on which no one has ever sat. Untie it and bring it.²

1. *Here “as” is supplied as a component of the participle (“enter”) which is understood as temporal
2. *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation

³ And if anyone says to you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say¹ ‘The Lord has need of it, and will send it here again at once.’ ”

1. Some manuscripts omit “that” after “say” here; though understood to be present in the underlying Greek text, it introduces direct discourse here and is left untranslated, functioning much like English quotation marks

⁴ And they went away and found a colt tied at a door outside in the street, and they untied it.

⁵ And some of those who were standing there said to them, “What are you doing, untying the colt?”

⁶ So they told them, just as Jesus had said, and they allowed them to take it.¹

1. The phrase “to take it” is not in the Greek text, but is implied

⁷ And they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks over it, and he sat on it.

⁸ And many people spread their cloaks on the road, and others spread¹ leafy branches they² had cut from the fields.

1. *Here the verb “spread” is an understood repetition of the verb earlier in this verse
2. *Here the participle “had cut” has been translated as a finite verb; it agrees in number, gender, and case with “others,” so “they’ has been supplied to indicate this

⁹ And those who went ahead and those who were following were shouting, “Hosanna! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!¹

1. A quotation from Ps 118:25–26

¹⁰ Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David! Hosanna in the highest heaven!”¹

1. *Here “heaven” is understood

¹¹ And he went into Jerusalem to the temple, and after¹ looking around at everything, because² the hour was already late, he went out to Bethany with the twelve.

1. *Here “after” is supplied as a component of the participle (“looking around”) which is understood as temporal
2. *Here “because” is supplied as a component of the participle (“was”) which is understood as causal

A Barren Fig Tree Cursed

¹² And on the next day as¹ they were departing from Bethany, he was hungry.

1. *Here “as” is supplied as a component of the temporal genitive absolute participle (“were departing”)

¹³ And when he¹ saw from a distance a fig tree that had leaves, he went to see if perhaps he would find anything on it. And when he² came up to it he found nothing except leaves, because it was not the season for figs.

1. *Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“saw”) which is understood as temporal
2. *Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“came up”) which is understood as temporal

¹⁴ And he responded and¹ said to it, “Let no one eat fruit from you any more ⌞forever⌟!”² And his disciples heard it.³

1. *Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“responded”) has been translated as a finite verb
2. Literally “for the age”
3. *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation

The Cleansing of the Temple

¹⁵ And they came to Jerusalem. And he entered into the temple courts¹ and² began to drive out those who were selling and those who were buying in the temple courts,³ and overturned the tables of the money changers and the chairs of those who were selling doves.

1. *Here “courts” is supplied to distinguish this area from the interior of the temple building itself
2. *Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“entered”) has been translated as a finite verb
3. *Here “courts” is supplied to distinguish this area from the interior of the temple building itself

¹⁶ And he did not permit anyone to carry objects¹ through the temple courts.²

1. Or “merchandise”
2. *Here “courts” is supplied to distinguish this area from the interior of the temple building itself

¹⁷ And he began to teach¹ and was saying to them, “Is it not written, ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all the nations,’² but you have made it a cave of robbers!”

1. The imperfect tense has been translated as ingressive here (“began to teach”)
2. A quotation from Isa 56:7

¹⁸ And the chief priests and the scribes heard it,¹ and began considering² how they could destroy him. For they were afraid of him because the whole crowd was astounded by his teaching.

1. *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
2. The imperfect tense has been translated as ingressive here (“began considering”)

¹⁹ And when evening came they went out of the city.

The Barren Fig Tree Withered

²⁰ And as they¹ passed by early in the morning, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots.

1. *Here “as” is supplied as a component of the participle (“passed by”) which is understood as temporal

²¹ And Peter remembered and¹ said to him, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree that you cursed has withered!”

1. *Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“remembered”) has been translated as a finite verb

²² And Jesus answered and¹ said to them, “Have faith in God!

1. *Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“answered”) has been translated as a finite verb

²³ Truly I say to you that whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be lifted up and thrown into the sea!’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him.

²⁴ For this reason I say to you, whatever you pray and ask for, believe that you have received it,¹ and it will be done for you.

1. *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation

²⁵ And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him,¹ so that your Father who is in heaven will also forgive you your sins.”²

1. *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
2. Most later Greek manuscripts add v. 26 after v. 25, “But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your sins”

Jesus’ Authority Challenged

²⁷ And they came again to Jerusalem. And as¹ he was walking in the temple courts,² the chief priests and the scribes and the elders came up to him

1. *Here “as” is supplied as a component of the temporal genitive absolute participle (“was walking”)
2. *Here “courts” is supplied to distinguish this area from the interior of the temple building itself

²⁸ and said to him, “By what authority are you doing these things, or who gave you this authority that you do these things?”

²⁹ So Jesus said to them, “I will ask you one question. Answer me and I will tell you by what authority I am doing these things.

³⁰ The baptism of John—was it from heaven or from men? Answer me!”

³¹ And they began to discuss¹ this² with one another, saying, “What should we say?³ If we say ‘From heaven,’ he will say, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’

1. The imperfect tense has been translated as ingressive here (“began to discuss”)
2. *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
3. Some manuscripts omit “What should we say?”

³² But if we say, ‘From men’ ”—they were afraid of the crowd, because they all looked upon John ⌞as truly a prophet⌟.¹

1. Literally “that he was truly a prophet”

³³ And they replied to Jesus saying, “We do not know.” And Jesus said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.”