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.

²¹Peter remembered. He said to Jesus, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree you put a curse on has dried up!”

²²“Have faith in God,” Jesus said. ²³“What I’m about to tell you is true. Suppose one of you says to this mountain, ‘Go and throw yourself into the sea.’ You must not doubt in your heart. You must believe that what you say will happen. Then it will be done for you.

²⁴“So I tell you, when you pray for something, believe that you have already received it. Then it will be yours. ^25/26And when you stand praying, forgive anyone you have anything against. Then your Father in heaven will forgive your sins.”

The Authority of Jesus Is Questioned

²⁷Jesus and his disciples arrived again in Jerusalem. He was walking in the temple courtyards. Then the chief priests came to him. The teachers of the law and the elders came too.

²⁸“By what authority are you doing these things?” they asked. “Who gave you authority to do this?”

²⁹Jesus replied, “I will ask you one question. Answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I am doing these things. ³⁰Was John’s baptism from heaven? Or did it come from men? Tell me!”

³¹They talked to each other about it. They said, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will ask, ‘Then why didn’t you believe him?’ ³²But what if we say, ‘From men’?” They were afraid of the people. Everyone believed that John really was a prophet.

³³So they answered Jesus, “We don’t know.”

Jesus said, “Then I won’t tell you by what authority I am doing these things either.”

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