Matthew 21

1 As they approached [drew near, came close to] Jerusalem [the holy city, capital of Palestine] and came to Bethphage [the house of unripe figs] on the Mount of Olives [a high elevation of land, a place of spiritual significance], Jesus [the Greek name for Joshua, meaning God is salvation] sent out [dispatched, set apart on a mission] two [a small number, a pair] disciples [learners, pupils, followers of Jesus], word study 2 saying to them, “Go into the village [over against you, in front of you] ahead of you, and at once [immediately, straightway] you will find a donkey [ass, beast of burden] tied [bound, fastened] there, with her colt [young donkey, foal] beside her [with her, accompanying her]. Untie [loose, release] them and bring [lead, guide] them to Me [to my presence, before me]. word study 3 If anyone [any person, someone] questions you, tell him that the Lord [the supreme Master, God] needs [has a necessity, requires] them, and he will send [dispatch, let go] them right away [immediately, without delay].” word study 4 This [all this, everything that happened] took place [came to pass, was fulfilled] to fulfill [make complete, satisfy] what was spoken [said, uttered] through [by means of, because of] the prophet [one who speaks for God, a messenger of God]: word study 5 “Say to the Daughter [child, female descendant] of Zion, ‘See, your King [sovereign ruler, Messiah] comes to you, gentle [meek, humble] and riding on a donkey [beast of burden, young ass], on a colt [young donkey, foal], the foal [offspring, young one] of a donkey [ass, animal used for transportation].’” word study 6 So the disciples [learners, followers] went and did as Jesus [the Savior, God’s salvation] had directed [commanded, ordered] them [to follow His instructions, obey]. word study 7 They brought [led to Jesus] the donkey [a type of animal, often used for transportation] and the colt [a young donkey] and laid [put, placed] their cloaks [outer garments, clothing] on them, and Jesus sat [took a seat, positioned himself] on them [the cloaks, the animals]. word study 8 A massive [very great, enormous] crowd [multitude, large group of people] spread their cloaks [garments, clothing] on the road [path, way], while others [another group, different ones] cut [to cut/mourn, severed] branches [small parts of trees] from the trees [plants with trunks and branches] and spread [laid out, strewed] them on the road [path, way]. word study 9 The crowds [multitudes, large groups of people] that went ahead of Him and those that followed were shouting: “Hosanna [oh save, a cry of praise] to the Son [descendant, child] of David [King of Israel]!” “Blessed [praised, thanked] is He who comes [arrives, is present] in the name [character, authority] of the Lord [God, Master]!” “Hosanna [praise, worship] in the highest [most high, heavenly]!” word study 10 When Jesus [the Messiah, Savior] had entered [come into, arrived at] Jerusalem [the holy city, capital of Palestine], the whole [entire, all] city [metropolis, community] was stirred [moved, shaken] and asked [inquired, questioned], “Who [which one, what person] is this [he, the one]?” word study 11 The crowds [multitudes, a large group of people] replied, “This is Jesus [Joshua, God is salvation], the prophet [one who speaks forth God’s will, a messenger of God] from Nazareth [a city in Galilee, where Jesus grew up] in Galilee [a region in Palestine, where Jesus ministered].” word study 12 Then Jesus [the Messiah, God’s salvation] entered the temple courts [sacred area] and drove out [expelled, cast forth] all who were buying [purchasing, acquiring] and selling [exchanging, trading] there. He overturned [threw down, turned upside down] the tables [benches, exchange counters] of the money changers [those exchanging coins, bankers] and the seats [chairs, benches] of those selling [offering, vending] doves [symbolic of peace, gentle creatures]. word study 13 And He declared to them, “It is written: ‘My house [a physical dwelling or spiritual community] will be called [invited to be known as] a house of prayer [a place for communion with God].’ But you are making it [transforming it into] ‘a den [a cave or hiding place] of robbers [those who take by force].’ ” word study 14 The blind [physically and spiritually] and the lame [crippled, unable to walk] came to Him [Jesus, the Healer] at the temple [a sacred place, the house of God], and He healed [restored to health, made whole] them [completely, in body and spirit]. word study 15 But the chief priests [high-priest, top Jewish leaders] and scribes [scholars, teachers of the law] were indignant [deeply upset, offended] when they saw [perceived, attended to] the wonders [marvelous, miraculous things] He performed [did, made, created] and the children [young ones, servants] shouting [crying out loudly] in the temple [sacred place, Jerusalem Temple] courts, “Hosanna [oh save, praise] to the Son [descendant, heir] of David [King David, Israel’s leader]!” word study 16 “Do you hear [are you listening to, do you understand] what these children [infants, young ones] are saying [speaking, proclaiming]?” they asked [inquired, questioned]. “Yes [verily, indeed],” Jesus answered [replied, responded]. “Have you never [at no time, not even once] read [studied, understood]: ‘From the mouths [lips, voices] of children [babes, infants] and infants [nursing babies, sucklings] You have ordained [prepared, perfected] praise’ ?” word study 17 Then He left [abandoned, went away from] them and went out [came forth, departed] of the city [a town with walls, a community] to Bethany [a village near Jerusalem, a place of refuge], where He spent the night [lodged, remained overnight, rested]. word study 18 In the [early] morning, as Jesus was returning [to set off, lead up on] to the city [town with walls, Jerusalem], He was [felt a strong need, craving for food] hungry [had a desire for food, to hunger]. word study 19 Seeing a fig tree by the road, He went up to it but found nothing on it except leaves [only outward appearance, no real substance]. “May you never [henceforth, for all eternity] bear fruit again [produce any spiritual growth]!” He said. And immediately [at once, without delay] the tree withered [dried up, became barren]. word study 20 When the disciples [followers, learners] saw [perceived, witnessed] this, they marveled [were amazed, astonished] and asked, “How [in what way, by what means] did the fig tree wither [dry up, become barren] so quickly [instantly, immediately, without delay]?” word study 21 “Truly I tell you,” Jesus [the Messiah, God’s Anointed] replied, “if you have [possess and exercise] faith [trust, confidence in God] and do not doubt [question or waver], not only will you do what was done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain [a representation of overwhelming challenges], ‘Be lifted up [taken away, removed] and thrown into the sea [completely overcome, cast into the depths],’ it will happen [come to pass, be fulfilled]. word study 22 If you [truly, with faith] believe [having faith, trusting in God], you will receive [get, obtain, take] whatever [all things, everything] you ask [request, petition] for in [during, with] prayer [conversation with God, worship].” word study 23 When Jesus [the Messiah, Christ] returned to the temple courts [sacred precincts] and began to teach [instruct, guide], the chief priests [high-priests, spiritual leaders] and elders [respected leaders, authorities] of the people came up to Him. “By what authority [power, divine right] are You doing these things [miracles, signs]?” they asked. “And who gave You this authority [permission, commission]?” word study 24 “I will also ask you one question [a single inquiry, one word],” Jesus [Joshua, God is salvation] replied, “and if you answer [respond to, tell] Me, I will tell you by what authority [power, freedom to act] I am doing [performing, accomplishing] these things [these works, these miracles]. word study 25 What was the source [origin, starting point] of John’s [the Baptist, a prophet] baptism [ceremonial washing, immersion]? Was it from [out of, originating in] heaven [the spiritual realm, God’s dwelling] or from [out of, derived from] men [human beings, mortal creatures]?” They deliberated [reasoned, discussed] among themselves and said, “If we say, ‘From [out of, originating in] heaven [the spiritual realm, God’s dwelling],’ He will ask, ‘Why then [at that time, for what reason] did you not believe [trust, have faith in] him [John, the prophet]?’ word study 26 But if we say, ‘From men [human beings, mortal origin],’ we are afraid [in awe, reverence] of the people [the crowd, multitude], for they all [every single one] regard John [the Baptist, a prophet] as a prophet [one who speaks God’s word, a messenger of God].” word study 27 So they answered [We cannot tell, We have no idea], “We do not know [are unaware, have no knowledge].” And Jesus replied [said unto them, also said to them], “Neither will I tell [inform, reveal to] you by what [which, what sort] authority [power, freedom to act] I am doing [performing, accomplishing] these things [deeds, works]. word study 28 But what do you think [consider, have an opinion]? There was a man [a human, an individual] who had two [a pair, a duo] sons [children, male offspring]. He went to the first one and said, ‘Son [child, dear one], go [depart, proceed] and work [labor, be employed] today [in this present time, now] in the vineyard [a place of grape cultivation, a field of labor].’ word study 29 ‘I will not [refused, said no],’ he replied [answered and said]. But later [afterward, at a later time] he changed his mind [repented, felt regret] and went [departed, went away]. word study 30 Then the man went to the second son and told him the same thing [in the same manner, likewise]. ‘I will [I go], sir [Lord, master],’ he said [replied, answered]. But he did not go [did not depart, failed to obey]. word study 31 Which of the two [sons, children] did the will [desire, intention] of his father [parent, paternal figure]?” “The first [older, initial], ” they answered. Jesus said to them, “Truly [verily, indeed] I tell you, the tax collectors [publicans, revenue gatherers] and prostitutes [harlots, immoral women] are entering [going before, preceding] the kingdom [royal power, dominion] of God [the Supreme Being, Divine Ruler] before you [prior to your entrance]. word study 32 For John [the Baptist, a prophet] came to you in a righteous [just, morally upright] way and you did not believe [trust, have faith in] him, but the tax collectors [publicans, those who gather revenue] and prostitutes [harlots, those who engage in sexual sin] did. And even after you saw [perceived, understood] this, you did not repent [feel regret, turn away from sin] and believe [trust, have faith in] him. word study 33 Listen to another [different, additional] parable: There was a landowner [householder, master of a house] who planted [sowed the seeds of] a vineyard [a place for growing grapes]. He put a wall [fence, hedge] around it, dug a winepress [a trough for treading grapes] in it, and built a tower [a high structure for watchfulness]. Then he rented [leased, let out] it out to some tenants [husbandmen, farmers] and went away [traveled to a foreign land, departed] on a journey. word study 34 When [at the appointed time, as the season drew near] the harvest time [the time of fruitfulness, the right moment] drew near, he sent [dispatched, commissioned] his servants [slaves, attendants] to the tenants [farmers, husbandmen] to collect [receive, gather] his share [portion, due] of the fruit [produce, crops, the result of their labor]. word study 35 But the tenants [farmers, workers of the land] seized his servants [slaves, attendants]. They beat [scourged, flayed] one, killed [took the life of, destroyed] another, and stoned [threw stones at, pelted] a third. word study 36 Again [once more, as before], he sent [dispatched on a mission] other [different, additional] servants [slaves, bondservants], more [a greater number, a larger group] than the first [initial, foremost] group. But the tenants [renters, farmers] did [treated, acted] the same [in like manner, similarly] to them [toward these servants]. word study 37 Finally [at last, afterward], he sent [dispatched, set apart] his son [child, heir] to them. ‘They will respect [reverence, have regard for] my son [child, beloved one],’ he said. word study 38 But when the tenants [farmers, husbandmen] saw the son [the heir, child], they said to one another, ‘This is the heir [one who receives a share]. Come [move towards us], let us kill [destroy, take his life] him and take [seize, possess] his inheritance [property, a possession passed down].’ word study 39 So they seized [grabbed, took hold of] him and threw [cast, expelled] him out of [outside, beyond] the vineyard [a garden of grapes] and killed [slew, put to death] him. word study 40 Therefore [then, as a consequence], when [whenever, at an uncertain future time] the owner [lord, master] of the vineyard [place where grapes are grown] returns [comes, arrives], what [which thing, what action] will he do [make, take action] to those [those specific] tenants [husbandmen, farmers, renters]?” word study 41 “He will bring those wretches [evil men, wicked] to a wretched [miserable, evil] end,” they replied, “and will rent out the vineyard [a place where grapes are grown] to other tenants [farmers, husbandmen] who will give him his share [the fruit, the produce] of the fruit [the product of their labor, spiritual harvest] at harvest time [in their seasons, the right time].” word study 42 Jesus [the Messiah, God’s salvation] said to them, “Have you never [at any time] read in the Scriptures [holy writings, God’s Word]: ‘The stone [cornerstone, foundation] the builders [those who construct, reject] rejected [disapproved, refused] has become [been made] the cornerstone [head of the corner, chief stone]. This is from [by, with] the Lord [God, Master], and it is marvelous [wonderful, a wonder] in our eyes’ ? word study 43 Therefore I tell you [say unto you, declare to you] that the kingdom [reign, royal power] of God [the one true deity, Creator] will be taken away [removed, lifted up] from you and given [bestowed, granted] to a people [nation, Gentiles] who will produce [bring forth, yield] its fruit [the product of their actions, spiritual results]. word study 44 He who falls [collapses, stumbles] on this stone [a stumbling block, a rock of offense] will be broken [shattered, fragmented] to pieces, but he on whom it falls [comes down, is laid] will be crushed [grind to powder, scattered like dust]. ” word study 45 When the chief priests [high-priest, top Jewish leaders] and Pharisees [a Jewish sect following strict rules] heard His parables [stories teaching moral lessons], they knew [perceived, understood] that Jesus was speaking [talking, teaching] about [concerning, regarding] them. word study 46 Although they wanted [sought, desired] to arrest [seize, lay hands on] Him, they were afraid [feared, in awe] of the crowds [multitudes, large groups], because the people regarded [took, considered] Him as a prophet [one who speaks forth God’s will, a messenger of God]. word study