Mark 11

1 As they approached [drew near, came close to] Jerusalem [the capital of Palestine, a city of great spiritual significance] and came to Bethphage [a place of unripe figs] and Bethany [a village near Jerusalem, a place of rest and refreshment] at the Mount [a high elevation] of Olives [a tree that produces olives], Jesus sent out [dispatched, commissioned] two [a small number, a pair] of His disciples [learners, followers, those who learn from and follow Jesus] word study 2 and said to them, “Go into the village [over against you, directly opposite] ahead of you, and as soon as you enter [immediately, right away] it, you will find a colt [young donkey, unbroken] tied [bound, fastened] there, on which no one [nobody, no human] has ever sat [ridden, been seated]. Untie [loose, release] it and bring [lead, guide] it here. word study 3 If anyone [a person, someone] asks, ‘Why are you doing [accomplishing, making] this [specific action]?’ tell him, ‘The Lord [the Master] needs [has a requirement, is in necessity of] it [the donkey, the specific thing] and will return [send back, restore] it [to its owner] shortly [immediately, without delay].’” word study 4 So they went [away, departed] and found the colt [a young donkey, a foal] outside [outward, in the open air] in the street [a public road, a meeting place], tied [bound, fastened] at a doorway [an entrance, a threshold]. They untied [loosed, set free] it, word study 5 and some [certain ones, a group] who were standing [in an upright position, physically present] there [in that place, at the location] asked [said to them, inquired], “Why [what is the reason, for what purpose] are you untying [loosing, releasing] the colt [young donkey, a foal]?” word study 6 The disciples [Jesus’s followers, they who learned from Him] answered [replied, said in response] as Jesus [Joshua, God is salvation] had instructed [commanded, ordered] them, and the people [the crowd, they who were present] gave [allowed, permitted] them permission [to take the donkey, leave with it]. word study 7 Then they led [brought, guided] the colt [young donkey, foal] to Jesus [the Greek name for Joshua, meaning God is salvation] and threw [cast, laid] their cloaks [outer garments, clothing] over it [upon the colt], and He sat [seated Himself, took a seat] on it [upon the colt]. word study 8 Many [a large multitude, a great number] in the crowd spread their cloaks [garments, clothing] on the road [path, way], while others [different ones, another group] spread branches [leafy boughs, tree limbs] they had cut [gathered, harvested] from the fields [the countryside, rural areas]. word study 9 The ones who went ahead [leading the way, in front] and those who followed [accompanied, came after] were shouting: “Hosanna [oh save, a cry of praise]!” “Blessed [praised, highly honored] is He who comes [arrives, is coming] in the name [authority, character] of the Lord [God, the supreme ruler]!” word study 10 “Blessed [praised, glorified] is the coming [arriving, future] kingdom [royal power, dominion] of our father [ancestor, patriarch] David [King of Israel]!” “Hosanna [oh save, praise God] in the highest [most high, heavenly]!” word study 11 Then Jesus [the Messiah, God’s anointed] entered [came into, went into] Jerusalem [the city of peace, the capital of Israel] and went into the temple [the sacred place, the house of God] courts. He looked around [observed, gazed] at everything [all things, the entire scene], but since it was already [now, at this time] late [evening, the end of the day], He went out [departed, left] to Bethany [the house of affliction, a village near Jerusalem] with [accompanied by, in the company of] the Twelve [the twelve apostles, His chosen disciples]. word study 12 The next day [on the morrow, following day], when they had left [come out from, departed] Bethany [a village near Jerusalem], Jesus [the Messiah, Savior] was hungry [felt a strong need for food, experienced hunger]. word study 13 Seeing in the distance [from afar, at a distance] a fig tree [a common tree] in leaf [having leaves, with foliage], He went to see [to perceive, to find] if there was any fruit [anything, some figs] on it [upon the tree]. But when He reached [came to, arrived at] it, He found [discovered, saw] nothing on it except [but, only] leaves [leafy growth], since [for, because] it was not [no] the season [the right time] for figs [the fruit of the fig tree]. word study 14 Then He said to the tree, “May [never again] no one ever eat of your fruit [the product of your labor, spiritual yield] again [for ever, throughout all ages].” And His disciples [learners, followers] heard [listened to, understood] this statement [word, message]. word study 15 When they arrived [came to, entered] in Jerusalem [the city of peace], Jesus [the Greek name for Joshua, meaning God is salvation] entered [went into, to enter] the temple [a sacred place, the entire area] courts [the outer area of the temple] and began [to commence, to start] to drive out [to expel, to cast out] those who were buying [to purchase, to acquire] and selling [to exchange, to trade] there [in the temple]. He overturned [to completely turn upside down, to overthrow] the tables [a table for money exchange] of the money changers [those who exchange coins for a fee] and the seats [a chair, a place of sitting] of those selling [to sell, to offer] doves [a symbol of peace and innocence]. word study 16 And He would not allow [suffer, permit] anyone [a person, someone] to carry [bear, transport] merchandise [a vessel, goods] through [because of, across] the temple [a sacred place, the house of God] courts [the surrounding areas, the outer courts]. word study 17 Then Jesus began to teach [instruct, guide] them, and He declared, “Is it not written [recorded, foretold]: ‘My house [dwelling place, temple] will be called [named, known as] a house of prayer [worship, communion] for all [every, entire] the nations’ ? But you have made [turned, transformed] it ‘a den [cave, hiding place] of robbers [thieves, rebels].’ [those who take by force, exploit] ” word study 18 When the chief priests [high-ranking Jewish leaders] and scribes [experts in the law] heard this, they looked for a way [sought how] to kill Him [destroy Him completely]. For they were afraid [in awe, reverenced] of Him, because the whole crowd [all the people, the multitude] was astonished [amazed, struck with wonder] at His teaching [instruction, doctrine, the act of guiding others in what is right]. word study 19 And when [at the point of, as] evening [late in the day, after the close of the day] came, Jesus [the Messiah, the Christ] and His disciples [followers, learners] went out [to depart, to leave] of the [this specific] city [a town with walls, a community]. word study 20 As they were walking back [passing by, on their way] in the morning [early, at dawn], they saw [perceived, noticed] the fig tree [a common tree] withered [dried up, exhausted] from its roots [the source, the foundation]. word study 21 Peter [remembering, having a memory of it] remembered it and said, “Look [behold, see], Rabbi [my master, a title of respect]! The fig tree You [emphatically, as the one who acted] cursed [to wish harm or evil upon, the opposite of blessing] has withered [dried up, to dry or shrivel].” word study 22 “Have [trust in, rely on] faith [confidence, trust] in God [the Almighty, Creator],” Jesus [the Messiah, Savior] said [spoke, declared] to them [his disciples, followers]. word study 23 “Truly [verily, with absolute certainty] I tell you that if anyone says to this mountain [a high elevation, a seemingly insurmountable obstacle], ‘Be lifted up [be taken up, be removed] and thrown [be cast, be hurled] into the sea [a large body of water],’ and has no doubt [no uncertainty, no unbelief] in his heart [the seat of thoughts, feelings, and emotions] but believes [trusts, has faith] that it will happen [come to pass, be fulfilled], it will be done [accomplished, fulfilled] for him. word study 24 Therefore I tell [declare, speak to] you, whatever [all things, everything] you ask [request, petition] for in prayer [to God, with faith], believe [trust, have faith] that you have received [taken, accepted] it, and [because of this, as a result] it will be [exist, come to be] yours [your possession, your gift]. word study 25 And when you stand [whenever you are positioned] to pray [to worship and communicate with God], if you hold [have or harbor] anything against [a grudge or resentment towards] another, forgive [release and let go of] it, so that your Father [the male parent and divine caregiver] in heaven [the spiritual realm and God’s dwelling place] will forgive [release and pardon] your trespasses [unintentional errors or sins] as well [in the same manner]. ” word study 27 After their return [again, once more] to Jerusalem [the city of peace], Jesus was walking [living a certain way] in the temple [the sacred place, ierou] courts, and the chief priests [high-priests], scribes [scholars of the law], and elders [respected leaders] came up to Him [toward, pros, with a purpose]. word study 28 “By what [sort of, which kind of] authority [power, freedom to act] are You doing [accomplishing, performing] these things [miracles, signs]?” they asked. “And who [which person, what being] gave [granted, bestowed] You the [this specific, divine] authority [permission, right] to do [perform, carry out] them [these specific actions]?” word study 29 “I [Jesus, the son of God] will ask you [directly, in person] one question [a single inquiry, to test your understanding],” Jesus replied, “and if you answer [respond, give a reply] Me, I will tell you [reveal, make known] by what authority [power, divine permission] I am doing [performing, accomplishing] these things [miracles, signs]. word study 30 John’s [the Baptist, who immersed people in water] baptism [ceremonial act of washing]—was it from [out of, originating in] heaven [the realm of God, the sky] or from [out of, proceeding from] men [human beings, people]? Answer [respond, give a reply to] Me [to Jesus, the one asking the question]!” word study 31 They deliberated [reasoned, discussed] among themselves [with each other, inwardly] what they should answer [say, reply]: “If we say [assert, claim], ‘From heaven [the sky, God’s dwelling place],’ He will ask [say, inquire], ‘Why then [therefore, at that time] did you not believe [trust, have faith in] him [John, the prophet]?’ word study 32 But if we say, ‘From men’…” they were afraid [in awe, reverent fear] of the people [the crowd, the multitude], for they all [every single one, without exception] held [believed, were convinced] that John [the Baptist, a prophet of God] truly [really, indeed] was a prophet [one who speaks for God, a messenger of God]. word study 33 So they answered [in response, saying], “We do not know [are unaware, have no knowledge].” And Jesus replied [answered, said], “Neither will I tell you [inform, reveal to you] by what authority [power, right] I am doing [accomplishing, performing] these things [deeds, works].” word study