Read the Modern Pastor’s Version

As he and his disciples approached Jerusalem, they came to the Mount of Olives between Bethphage and Bethany. There, Jesus sent two of them on a mission: "Go into the village ahead of you," he said. "You will find a young donkey tied up there; no one has ever sat on it before. Unhitch him and bring him to me."

As they were going, some people stopped them and asked why they were untying the donkey. Jesus' disciples replied just as he had told them to: "The Lord needs him." They let the people go.

The two disciples found the donkey tied up outside a building where two paths met, and they untied it. Then they brought it to Jesus and threw their cloaks over its back. He sat down on the donkey.

As he rode into Jerusalem, many people spread their cloaks on the road in front of him, and others cut branches from trees and scattered them along the way. Some people cried out, "Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!" Others shouted, "Blessed be the kingdom of our father David that comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!"

Jesus rode into Jerusalem, entered the temple, and looked around at everything. When evening came, he left with his twelve disciples to stay in Bethany.

The next day Jesus and his disciples returned from Bethany, but when he got hungry, he saw a fig tree on the side of the road that had leaves, so he went over to check if it had any fruit. But since it was not yet time for figs, all they found were leaves. Jesus said to the tree, "No one will ever eat fruit from you again." His disciples heard him.

The next morning, Jesus and his followers went into the temple area, where he began to drive out those who were selling animals or exchanging money there. He turned over the tables of the money changers and knocked over the stalls where people sold doves. Then he taught: "Isn't it written that my house should be called a place of prayer for all nations? But you have made it a den of thieves!"

The scribes and chief priests heard him, but they were plotting to destroy him because they feared his teaching and the crowd was amazed at his authority.

That evening Jesus left Jerusalem.

As they walked along, Peter remembered what had happened the day before: "Master, look! The fig tree you cursed has withered away!" Jesus replied, "Have faith in God."

Then he said, "I tell you that if you have faith and don't doubt, not only can you do what I've done to this mountain, but you can say to any mountain, 'Be removed and cast into the sea,' and it will happen. When you pray, believe that you already have what you're asking for, and it will be given to you."

Jesus continued, "When you stand praying, forgive anyone who has wronged you, so your Father in heaven can also forgive you when you sin against him. But if you don't forgive others, neither will God forgive you."

The next day, Jesus returned to Jerusalem and was walking through the temple area when the chief priests, scribes, and elders came up to him. "By what authority are you doing these things?" they asked. "Who gave you this authority?"

Jesus turned the tables on them: "I'll ask you one question in return, and if you answer me, I'll tell you by what authority I'm acting."

"What do you think about John's baptism? Was it from God or merely human?" Jesus asked.

The scribes and chief priests hesitated because they knew that if they said John's baptism came from heaven, the people would ask why they hadn't believed him. But if they said it was from men, they feared what the crowd might do since everyone acknowledged John as a genuine prophet.

So they replied, "We don't know." Jesus answered them, "I won't tell you by what authority I'm acting either."