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Jesus Comes to Jerusalem as King
1 As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage
and Bethany at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his
disciples, 2 saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of
you, and just as you enter it, you will find a colt tied
there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it
here. 3 If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you doing this?” say,
‘The Lord needs it and will send it back here shortly.’ ”
4 They went and found a colt outside in the street,
tied at a doorway. As they untied it, 5 some people standing
there asked, “What are you doing, untying that colt?” 6 They
answered as Jesus had told them to, and the people let them
go. 7 When they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their
cloaks over it, he sat on it. 8 Many people spread their
cloaks on the road, while others spread branches they had
cut in the fields. 9 Those who went ahead and those who
followed shouted,
“Hosanna!”
“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”
10 “Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father
David!”
“Hosanna in the highest heaven!”
11 Jesus entered Jerusalem and went into the temple
courts. He looked around at everything, but since it was
already late, he went out to Bethany with the Twelve.
Jesus Curses a Fig Tree and Clears the Temple Courts
12 The next day as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus
was hungry. 13 Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he
went to find out if it had any fruit. When he reached it, he
found nothing but leaves, because it was not the season for
figs. 14 Then he said to the tree, “May no one ever eat
fruit from you again.” And his disciples heard him say it.
15 On reaching Jerusalem, Jesus entered the temple
courts and began driving out those who were buying and
selling there. He overturned the tables of the money
changers and the benches of those selling doves, 16 and
would not allow anyone to carry merchandise through the
temple courts. 17 And as he taught them, he said, “Is it not
written: ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all
nations’ ? But you have made it ‘a den of robbers.’ ”
18 The chief priests and the teachers of the law heard
this and began looking for a way to kill him, for they
feared him, because the whole crowd was amazed at his
teaching.
19 When evening came, Jesus and his disciples went out
of the city.
20 In the morning, as they went along, they saw the
fig tree withered from the roots. 21 Peter remembered and
said to Jesus, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree you cursed has
withered!”
22 “Have faith in God,” Jesus answered.
23 “Truly 23 I tell you, if you say to this mountain,
‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and do not doubt in your
heart but believe that what you say will happen, it will be
done for you. 24 Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for
in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be
yours. 25 [26]And when you stand praying, if you hold
anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father
in heaven may forgive you your sins.”
The Authority of Jesus Questioned
27 They arrived again in Jerusalem, and while Jesus
was walking in the temple courts, the chief priests, the
teachers of the law and the elders came to him. 28 “By what
authority are you doing these things?” they asked. “And who
gave you authority to do this?”
29 Jesus replied, “I will ask you one question. Answer
me, and I will tell you by what authority I am doing these
things. 30 John’s baptism—was it from heaven, or of human
origin? Tell me!”
31 They discussed it among themselves and said, “If we
say, ‘From heaven,’ he will ask, ‘Then why didn’t you
believe him?’ 32 But if we say, ‘Of human origin’ . . . .”
(They feared the people, for everyone held that John really
was a prophet.)
33 So they answered Jesus, “We don’t know.” Jesus
said, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing
these things.”
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Cults 
Why Did God Permit Sin?
