Matthew 21:18–32

The Barren Fig Tree

¹⁸Early in the morning, ^jas He was returning to the city, He was hungry. ¹⁹Seeing a lone fig tree by the road, He went up to it and found nothing on it except leaves. And He said to it, “May no fruit ever come from you again!” At once the fig tree withered.

²⁰When the disciples saw it, they were amazed and said, “How did the fig tree wither so quickly?”

²¹Jesus answered them, “^•I assure you: If you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but even if you tell this mountain, ‘Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ it will be done. ^k22And if you believe, you will receive ^lwhatever you ask for in prayer.”

Messiah’s Authority Challenged

²³When He entered the temple complex, ^mthe chief priests and the elders of the people came up to Him as He was teaching and said, “By what authority are You doing these things? Who gave You this authority?” ⁿ

²⁴Jesus answered them, “I will also ask you one question, and if you answer it for Me, then I will tell you by what authority I do these things. ²⁵Where did John’s baptism come from? From heaven or from men?”

They began to argue among themselves, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will say to us, ‘Then why didn’t you believe him?’ ^o26But if we say, ‘From men,’ we’re afraid of the crowd, ^pbecause everyone thought John was a prophet.” ^q27So they answered Jesus, “We don’t know.”

And He said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.

The Parable of the Two Sons

²⁸“But what do you think? A man had two sons. He went to the first and said, ‘My son, go, work in the vineyard today.’ ^r

²⁹“He answered, ‘I don’t want to!’ Yet later he changed his mind and went. ³⁰Then the man went to the other and said the same thing.

“ ‘I will, sir,’ he answered. But he didn’t go.

³¹“Which of the two did his father’s will?”

“The first,” they said.

Jesus said to them, “I assure you: Tax collectors and prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God before you! ³²For John came to you in the way of righteousness, ^sand you didn’t believe him. Tax collectors and prostitutes did believe him, but you, when you saw it, didn’t even change your minds then and believe him.