Mark 11: Jesus enters Jerusalem and is questioned in the temple
A free study, verse by verse. Text: World English Bible. Notes come from the Greek. How to read a study
What happens?
Jesus rides a young donkey into Jerusalem while the crowd cries out. The next day he is hungry and speaks to a fig tree, then drives out the sellers in the temple. The next morning the tree is withered, and the chief priests, scribes and elders ask him by what authority he acts.
Who is speaking?
The narrator tells the story, and Jesus speaks in verses 2 and 3, 14, 17, 22 to 26, 29 and 30, and 33. The crowd cries out in verses 9 and 10, some bystanders speak in verse 5, Peter in verse 21, the chief priests, scribes and elders in verses 28 and 33, and they speak among themselves in verses 31 and 32. No verse is in gold. God's own words are printed in gold, and those verses are marked God speaks
1When they came near to Jerusalem, to Bethsphage and Bethany, at the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples
In plain English: They came near Jerusalem, to Bethphage and Bethany, at the Mount of Olives. Jesus sent two of his disciples
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2and said to them, “Go your way into the village that is opposite you. Immediately as you enter into it, you will find a young donkey tied, on which no one has sat. Untie him and bring him.
In plain English: and said to them, "Go into the village that is in front of you. As soon as you enter it, you will find a young donkey tied there, one that no one has ever sat on. Untie it and bring it.
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3If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘The Lord needs him;’ and immediately he will send him back here.”
In plain English: If anyone asks you, 'Why are you doing this?' say, 'The Lord (or: its owner) needs it,' and at once he will send it back here."
The Greek word: "The Lord" is ho kyrios. The dictionary gives "supreme in authority, i.e. controller; Master (as a respectful title)". It is in 18 verses of Mark. The Greek here has "the lord of it", that is, the donkey's lord.
How it is translated: This Bible has "The Lord needs him", with a capital letter.
What changes: Read as "its master" or "its owner", the disciples would be telling the questioner that the donkey's owner needs it. The text does not say who "the Lord" is, so it can be read as Jesus or as the owner.
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4They went away, and found a young donkey tied at the door outside in the open street, and they untied him.
In plain English: They went away and found a young donkey tied at a door, outside in the open street, and they untied it.
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5Some of those who stood there asked them, “What are you doing, untying the young donkey?”
In plain English: Some of the people standing there said to them, "What are you doing, untying the young donkey?"
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6They said to them just as Jesus had said, and they let them go.
In plain English: They told them what Jesus had said, and the people let them go.
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7They brought the young donkey to Jesus and threw their garments on it, and Jesus sat on it.
In plain English: They brought the young donkey to Jesus and threw their cloaks on it, and Jesus sat on it.
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8Many spread their garments on the way, and others were cutting down branches from the trees and spreading them on the road.
In plain English: Many people spread their cloaks on the road. Others cut leafy branches from the trees and spread them on the road.
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9Those who went in front and those who followed cried out, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!
In plain English: Those who went in front and those who followed cried out, "Hosanna! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!
The Greek word: "Hosanna" is hōsanna. The dictionary gives "oh save!; an exclamation of adoration". It is in 5 verses of the New Testament: here, , , and .
How it is translated: This Bible leaves the word as "Hosanna".
Good to know: "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord" is close to : "Blessed is he who comes in Yahweh's name!" The line before it, , begins "Save us now, we beg you". Mark does not name the psalm.
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10Blessed is the kingdom of our father David that is coming in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!”
In plain English: Blessed is the kingdom of our father David that is coming in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!"
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11Jesus entered into the temple in Jerusalem. When he had looked around at everything, it being now evening, he went out to Bethany with the twelve.
In plain English: Jesus went into Jerusalem and into the temple. He looked around at everything. It was already evening, and he went out to Bethany with the twelve.
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12The next day, when they had come out from Bethany, he was hungry.
In plain English: The next day, when they had left Bethany, he was hungry.
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13Seeing a fig tree afar off having leaves, he came to see if perhaps he might find anything on it. When he came to it, he found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs.
In plain English: He saw a fig tree in the distance that had leaves, and he went to see whether he could find anything on it. When he came to it, he found nothing but leaves, because it was not the season for figs.
Good to know: Mark says the tree had leaves and that Jesus "found nothing but leaves". He gives one reason: "it was not the season for figs". The tree is spoken to in verse 14 and found withered in and .
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14Jesus told it, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again!” and his disciples heard it.
In plain English: Jesus answered the tree and said to it, "May no one ever eat fruit from you again." His disciples heard it.
The Greek word: "Ever" is from aiōn, the word for an age, which is also in . The phrase is literally "to the age".
How it is translated: This Bible has "May no one ever eat fruit from you again".
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15They came to Jerusalem, and Jesus entered into the temple and began to throw out those who sold and those who bought in the temple, and overthrew the money changers’ tables and the seats of those who sold the doves.
In plain English: They came to Jerusalem. Jesus went into the temple and began to drive out those who were selling and buying there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves.
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16He would not allow anyone to carry a container through the temple.
In plain English: He would not let anyone carry a container through the temple.
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17He taught, saying to them, “Isn’t it written, ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all the nations’? But you have made it a den of robbers!”
In plain English: He taught them and said, "Is it not written, 'My house will be called a house of prayer for all the nations'? But you have made it a den of robbers."
Good to know: Jesus says "it is written", and the words are close to two passages. "My house will be called a house of prayer for all the nations" is close to , which says "my house will be called a house of prayer for all peoples". "A den of robbers" is close to : "Has this house, which is called by my name, become a den of robbers in your eyes?"
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18The chief priests and the scribes heard it, and sought how they might destroy him. For they feared him, because all the multitude was astonished at his teaching.
In plain English: The chief priests and the scribes heard it, and they looked for a way to destroy him. They were afraid of him, because all the crowd was amazed at his teaching.
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19When evening came, he went out of the city.
In plain English: When evening came, Jesus and his disciples went out of the city.
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20As they passed by in the morning, they saw the fig tree withered away from the roots.
In plain English: In the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots.
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21Peter, remembering, said to him, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree which you cursed has withered away.”
In plain English: Peter remembered and said to Jesus, "Rabbi, look! The fig tree that you cursed has withered."
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22Jesus answered them, “Have faith in God.
In plain English: Jesus answered them, "Have faith in God (or: have faith from God).
The Greek words: "Have faith in God" is echete pistin theou. Word by word it is "have faith of God".
How it is translated: This Bible has "Have faith in God".
What changes: Read as "have faith from God", Jesus would be speaking of a faith that comes from God. The Greek puts the two words side by side and does not say which is meant.
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23For most certainly I tell you, whoever may tell this mountain, ‘Be taken up and cast into the sea,’ and doesn’t doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says is happening, he shall have whatever he says.
In plain English: For I tell you the truth: whoever says to this mountain, 'Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says is happening, he will have whatever he says.
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24Therefore I tell you, all things whatever you pray and ask for, believe that you have received them, and you shall have them.
In plain English: So I tell you, whatever you pray and ask for, believe that you have received it, and you will have it.
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25Whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone; so that your Father, who is in heaven, may also forgive you your transgressions.
In plain English: And when you stand praying, forgive if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your wrongdoings.
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26But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your transgressions.”
In plain English: But if you do not forgive, your Father in heaven will not forgive your wrongdoings either."
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27They came again to Jerusalem, and as he was walking in the temple, the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders came to him,
In plain English: They came again to Jerusalem. As Jesus was walking in the temple, the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders came to him
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28and they began saying to him, “By what authority do you do these things? Or who gave you this authority to do these things?”
In plain English: and said, "By what authority (or: power) are you doing these things? Who gave you this authority to do them?"
The Greek word: "Authority" is exousia. The dictionary gives "privilege, force, capacity, competency, freedom, mastery, delegated influence". It is in 9 verses of Mark. In this chapter it is in verses 28, 29 and 33.
How it is translated: This Bible has "authority" each time.
What changes: Read as "power", the question would be by what power he does these things. The same word can mean either.
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29Jesus said to them, “I will ask you one question. Answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things.
In plain English: Jesus said to them, "I will ask you one question. Answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things.
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30The baptism of John—was it from heaven, or from men? Answer me.”
In plain English: Was John's baptism from heaven or from men? Answer me."
Good to know: John's baptism is told in : "John came baptizing in the wilderness and preaching the baptism of repentance for forgiveness of sins." Jesus's question here has two choices, "from heaven" or "from men", and he does not answer it himself.
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31They reasoned with themselves, saying, “If we should say, ‘From heaven;’ he will say, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’
In plain English: They talked it over among themselves and said, "If we say, 'From heaven,' he will say, 'Then why did you not believe him?'
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32If we should say, ‘From men’”—they feared the people, for all held John to really be a prophet.
In plain English: But if we say, 'From men'..." They were afraid of the people, because everyone held that John really was a prophet.
Good to know: The sentence breaks off. The chief priests, scribes and elders say "But if we say, 'From men'" and the text does not finish what they would say. It goes on to say why: they were afraid of the people.
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33They answered Jesus, “We don’t know.” Jesus said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.”
In plain English: So they answered Jesus, "We do not know." Jesus said to them, "Then I will not tell you by what authority I do these things either."
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