11As they all approached Jerusalem, they came to Bethphage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives. Jesus sent out two of his disciples. ²He said to them, “Go to the village ahead of you. Just as you enter it, you will find a donkey’s colt tied there. No one has ever ridden it. Untie it and bring it here. ³Someone may ask you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ If so, say, ‘The Lord needs it. But he will send it back here soon.’ ”

⁴So they left. They found a colt out in the street. It was tied at a doorway. They untied it. ⁵Some people standing there asked, “What are you doing? Why are you untying that colt?” ⁶They answered as Jesus had told them to. So the people let them go.

⁷They brought the colt to Jesus. They threw their coats over it. Then he sat on it.

⁸Many people spread their coats on the road. Others spread branches they had cut in the fields. ⁹Those in front and those in back shouted,

“Hosanna!”

“Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!”

¹⁰“Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David!”

“Hosanna in the highest heaven!”

¹¹Jesus entered Jerusalem and went to the temple. He looked around at everything. But it was already late. So he went out to Bethany with the Twelve.

Jesus Clears the Temple

¹²The next day as Jesus and his disciples were leaving Bethany, they were hungry. ¹³Not too far away, he saw a fig tree. It was covered with leaves. He went to find out if it had any fruit. When he reached it, he found nothing but leaves. It was not the season for figs.

¹⁴Then Jesus said to the tree, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again!” And his disciples heard him say it.

¹⁵When Jesus reached Jerusalem, he entered the temple area. He began chasing out those who were buying and selling there. He turned over the tables of the people who were exchanging money. He also turned over the benches of those who were selling doves. ¹⁶He would not allow anyone to carry items for sale through the temple courtyards.

¹⁷Then he taught them. He told them, “It is written that the Lord said,

“ ‘My house will be called

a house where people from all nations can pray.’

But you have made it a ‘den for robbers.’ ”

¹⁸The chief priests and the teachers of the law heard about this. They began looking for a way to kill Jesus. They were afraid of him, because the whole crowd was amazed at his teaching.

¹⁹When evening came, Jesus and his disciples left the city.

The Dried-up Fig Tree

²⁰In the morning as Jesus and his disciples walked along, they saw the fig tree. It was dried up all the way down to the roots.

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