Mark 11:15–33

The Temple is Cleansed

Matt. 21:12, 13; Luke 19:45, 46

^15hSo they came to Jerusalem. Then Jesus went into the temple and began to drive out those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold ⁱdoves. ¹⁶And He would not allow anyone to carry wares through the temple. ¹⁷Then He taught, saying to them, “Is it not written, ^j‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations’? But you have made it a ^k‘den of thieves.’ ”

¹⁸And ^lthe scribes and chief priests heard it and sought how they might destroy Him; for they feared Him, because ^mall the people were astonished at His teaching. ¹⁹When evening had come, He went out of the city.

Power of Faith

Matt. 21:20–22

²⁰ⁿNow in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots. ²¹And Peter, remembering, said to Him, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree which You cursed has withered away.”

²²So Jesus answered and said to them, “Have faith in God. ²³For ^oassuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. ²⁴Therefore I say to you, ^pwhatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.

Necessity of Forgiveness

²⁵“And whenever you stand praying, ^qif you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses. ²⁶⁴But ^rif you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses.”

Question of Authority

Matt. 21:23–27; Luke 20:1–8

²⁷Then they came again to Jerusalem. ^sAnd as He was walking in the temple, the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders came to Him. ²⁸And they said to Him, “By what ^tauthority are You doing these things? And who gave You this authority to do these things?”

²⁹But Jesus answered and said to them, “I also will ask you one question; then answer Me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things: ³⁰The ^ubaptism of John—was it from heaven or from men? Answer Me.”

³¹And they reasoned among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will say, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’ ³²But if we say, ‘From men’ ”—they feared the people, for ^vall counted John to have been a prophet indeed. ³³So they answered and said to Jesus, “We do not know.”

And Jesus answered and said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.”