{"meta":{"source":"Prime Bible","sourceUrl":"https://primebible.com","license":"Public domain (translation text); see citation policy at /citation-policy","organization":"501(c)(3) nonprofit — EIN 41-2531951","canonicalUrl":"https://primebible.com/wnt/matthew/21","llmTxt":"https://primebible.com/llms.txt","generatedAt":"2026-05-27T00:30:35.670Z"},"reference":{"translation":"WNT","book":"Matthew","bookSlug":"matthew","chapter":21,"testament":"NEW"},"navigation":{"previousChapter":20,"nextChapter":22,"totalChapters":28,"totalVerses":46},"verses":[{"verseNumber":1,"text":"When they were come near Jerusalem and had arrived at Bethphage and the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of the disciples on in front,"},{"verseNumber":2,"text":"saying to them, |Go to the village you see facing you, and as you enter it you will find a she-ass tied up and a foal with her. Untie her and  bring them to me."},{"verseNumber":3,"text":"And if any one says anything to you, say,  'The Master needs them,' and he will at once send them.|"},{"verseNumber":4,"text":"This  took place in order that the Prophet's prediction might be fulfilled:"},{"verseNumber":5,"text":"|Tell the  Daughter of Zion, 'See, thy King is coming  to thee, gentle,  and yet mounted on an ass, even on a colt the  foal of a beast of burden.'|"},{"verseNumber":6,"text":"So the disciples went and did as Jesus had instructed them:"},{"verseNumber":7,"text":"they brought the she-ass and the foal, and threw their outer garments on them. So He sat on them;"},{"verseNumber":8,"text":"and most of the crowd kept spreading their garments along the road, while others  cut branches from the trees and  carpeted the road with them,"},{"verseNumber":9,"text":"and the multitudes--some of the people preceding Him and some following--sang aloud,  |God save the Son of David! Blessings on Him who comes in the Lord's name! God in the highest Heavens save Him!|"},{"verseNumber":10,"text":"When He thus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was thrown into commotion, every one inquiring, |Who is this?|"},{"verseNumber":11,"text":"|This is Jesus, the Prophet, from Nazareth in Galilee,| replied the crowds."},{"verseNumber":12,"text":"Entering  the Temple, Jesus drove out all who were buying and selling there, and overturned the money-changers' tables and the seats of the pigeon-dealers."},{"verseNumber":13,"text":"|It is written,| He said, |'My House shall be called  the House of Prayer', but you are making it a robbers' cave.|"},{"verseNumber":14,"text":"And  the blind and the lame came to Him in the Temple, and He cured them."},{"verseNumber":15,"text":"But when the High Priests and the Scribes saw the wonderful things that He had done and the children who were crying aloud in the Temple, |God save the Son of David,| they were filled with indignation."},{"verseNumber":16,"text":"|Do you hear,| they asked Him, |what these children are saying?| |Yes,| He replied; |have you never read, 'Out of the mouths of infants and of babes at the breast Thou hast brought forth the praise which is due'?|"},{"verseNumber":17,"text":"So He left them and went out of the city to Bethany and passed the night there."},{"verseNumber":18,"text":"Early in the morning  as He was on His way to return to the city He was hungry,"},{"verseNumber":19,"text":"and seeing  a fig-tree on the road-side He went up to it, but found nothing on it but leaves. |On you,| He said, |no fruit shall ever again grow.| And immediately the fig-tree withered away."},{"verseNumber":20,"text":"When the disciples saw it they exclaimed in astonishment, |How instantaneously the fig-tree has withered away!|"},{"verseNumber":21,"text":"|I solemnly tell you,| said Jesus, |that if you have an unwavering faith, you shall not only perform such a miracle as this of the fig-tree, but that even if you say to this mountain, 'Be thou lifted up and hurled into the sea,' it shall be done;"},{"verseNumber":22,"text":"and everything, whatever it be, that you ask for in your prayers, if you have faith, you shall obtain.|"},{"verseNumber":23,"text":"He entered the Temple; and while He was teaching, the High Priests and the Elders of the people came to Him and asked Him, |By  what authority are you doing  these things? and who gave you this authority?|"},{"verseNumber":24,"text":"|And I also have a question to ask *you*,| replied Jesus, |and if you answer me, I in turn will tell you by what authority I do these things."},{"verseNumber":25,"text":"John's Baptism, whence was it? --had it a heavenly or a human origin?| So they debated the matter among themselves. |If we say 'a heavenly origin,'| they argued, |he will say, 'Why then did you not believe him?'"},{"verseNumber":26,"text":"and if we say 'a human origin' we have the people to fear, for they all hold John to have been a Prophet.|"},{"verseNumber":27,"text":"So they answered Jesus, |We do not know.|  |Nor do I tell you,| He replied, |by what authority I do these things.|"},{"verseNumber":28,"text":"|But give me your judgement. There was a man who had two  sons. He came to the elder of them, and said, |'My  son, go and work in the vineyard to-day.'"},{"verseNumber":29,"text":"|'I will not,' he replied. |But afterwards he was sorry, and went."},{"verseNumber":30,"text":"He came to the second and spoke in the same manner. His answer was, |'I will go, Sir.' |But he did not go."},{"verseNumber":31,"text":"Which of the two did as his father desired?|  |The first,| they said. |I solemnly tell you,' replied Jesus, |that the tax-gatherers and the notorious sinners are entering the Kingdom of God  in front of you."},{"verseNumber":32,"text":"For John came to you observing all sorts of ritual, and you put no faith in him: the tax-gatherers and the notorious sinners did put faith in him, and you, though you saw this example set you, were not even afterwards sorry so as to believe him."},{"verseNumber":33,"text":"|Listen to another parable. There was a householder who planted a vineyard, made a fence round it, dug a wine-tank in it, and built a strong lodge; then let the place to vine-dressers, and went abroad."},{"verseNumber":34,"text":"When vintage-time approached, he sent his  servants to the vine-dressers to receive his share of the  grapes;"},{"verseNumber":35,"text":"but the vine-dressers seized the servants, and one they cruelly beat, one they killed, one they pelted with stones."},{"verseNumber":36,"text":"Again he sent another party of servants more numerous than the first; and these they treated in the same manner."},{"verseNumber":37,"text":"Later still he sent to them  his son,  saying, |'They will respect my son.'"},{"verseNumber":38,"text":"|But the vine-dressers, when they saw the son, said to one another, |'Here is the heir: come, let us kill him and get his inheritance.'"},{"verseNumber":39,"text":"|So they seized him, dragged him out of the vineyard, and killed him."},{"verseNumber":40,"text":"When then the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those vine-dressers?|"},{"verseNumber":41,"text":"|He will put the wretches to a wretched death,| was the reply, |and will entrust the vineyard to other vine-dressers who will render the produce to him at the vintage season.|"},{"verseNumber":42,"text":"|Have you never read in the Scriptures,| said Jesus, |'The Stone which the builders rejected has been made the Cornerstone: this Cornerstone  came from the Lord, and is wonderful in our eyes'?"},{"verseNumber":43,"text":"|That, I tell you, is the reason why the Kingdom of God will be taken away from you, and given to a nation  that will exhibit the power  of it."},{"verseNumber":44,"text":"He who  falls on this stone will be severely hurt; but he on whom it falls will be utterly crushed.|"},{"verseNumber":45,"text":"After listening to His parables the High Priests and the Pharisees perceived that He was speaking about them;"},{"verseNumber":46,"text":"but though they were eager to lay hands upon Him, they were afraid of the people, for by them He was regarded as a Prophet."}],"citation":{"inline":"Matthew 21 (WNT)","markdown":"[Matthew 21](https://primebible.com/wnt/matthew/21)","sbl":"Prime Bible. *The Bible.* WNT. https://primebible.com/wnt/matthew/21 (accessed 2026-05-27)."}}