Matthew 21: Jesus enters Jerusalem, the temple, and the question of his authority
A free study, verse by verse. Text: World English Bible. Notes come from the Greek. How to read a study
What happens?
Jesus sends two disciples for a donkey and a colt and rides into Jerusalem while the crowds shout. He drives the buyers and sellers out of the temple, heals the blind and the lame there, and curses a fig tree that then withers. The chief priests and elders ask by what authority he acts, and he answers with a question about John and with two parables, about two sons and about a vineyard and its farmers.
Who is speaking?
The narrator tells the story. Jesus speaks in most of it: his instructions for the donkey (verses 2-3), his words in the temple (verses 13 and 16), to the fig tree and the disciples (verses 19-22), and his question and parables (verses 24-44). The crowds, the children, the chief priests and elders, and the disciples speak for themselves. The words in verses 5, 13, 16 and 42 are quotations from the Old Testament, and the shout in verse 9 is close to Psalm 118. 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 and came to Bethsphage, to the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples,
In plain English: When they came near Jerusalem and came to Bethsphage at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples,
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2saying to them, “Go into the village that is opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Untie them and bring them to me.
In plain English: saying to them, "Go into the village opposite you. Right away you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Untie them and bring them to me.
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3If anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord needs them,’ and immediately he will send them.”
In plain English: If anyone says anything to you, you will say, 'The Lord needs them' (or: 'Their master needs them'), and right away he will send them."
The Greek words: "The Lord needs them" is ho kyrios autōn chreian echei, word for word "the Lord of them need has". Kyrios can mean "Lord", "master" or "owner" (dictionary: supreme in authority, a controller; also a respectful title). The words "of them" sit between "Lord" and "need", so they can go with either.
What changes: Read one way it is "The Lord has need of them", and the Lord is Jesus. Read the other way it is "Their lord has need", and the lord is the owner of the animals. The text does not say which.
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4All this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through the prophet, saying,
In plain English: All this happened so that what was spoken through the prophet might be fulfilled, saying:
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5“Tell the daughter of Zion, behold, your King comes to you, humble, and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.”
In plain English: "Tell the daughter of Zion, 'Look, your King comes to you, gentle, and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.'"
Good to know: Matthew says these words were spoken "through the prophet" and names no prophet. says: "your King comes to you ... lowly, and riding on a donkey, even on a colt, the foal of a donkey." The opening here, "Tell the daughter of Zion", is close to : "Say to the daughter of Zion". Matthew leaves out Zechariah's "He is righteous, and having salvation".
The Greek words: Between "a donkey" and "a colt" the Greek has the small word kai, which means "and" or "even". This Bible has a comma here in Matthew and "even" in Zechariah.
What changes: Read as "and", there are two animals, as verses 2 and 7 say. Read as "even", the colt is a description of the donkey. The text allows both and this page does not choose.
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6The disciples went and did just as Jesus commanded them,
In plain English: The disciples went and did just as Jesus had told them.
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7and brought the donkey and the colt and laid their clothes on them; and he sat on them.
In plain English: They brought the donkey and the colt, laid their clothes on them, and he sat on them.
Good to know: In "laid their clothes on them" the "them" are the donkey and the colt. In "he sat on them" the Greek has the same two words again (epanō autōn), so "them" can be the animals or the clothes. The text does not say which.
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8A very great multitude spread their clothes on the road. Others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road.
In plain English: A very large crowd spread their clothes on the road. Others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road.
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9The multitudes who went in front of him, and those who followed, kept shouting, “Hosanna to the son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!”
In plain English: The crowds that went in front of him and those that followed kept shouting, "Hosanna to the son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!"
The Greek word: "Hosanna" is hōsanna, from Hebrew words meaning "save, I pray". The dictionary gives "oh save!". It is in 2 verses of Matthew: this one (twice) and . In the Hebrew behind "Save us now, we beg you" has these two words, "save" and "I pray".
Good to know: "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord" is close to . There this Bible has "Yahweh" where Matthew's Greek has "Lord".
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10When he had come into Jerusalem, all the city was stirred up, saying, “Who is this?”
In plain English: When he came into Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred up. They were saying, "Who is this?"
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11The multitudes said, “This is the prophet, Jesus, from Nazareth of Galilee.”
In plain English: The crowds said, "This is the prophet, Jesus, from Nazareth in Galilee."
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12Jesus entered into the temple of God and drove out all of those who sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the money changers’ tables and the seats of those who sold the doves.
In plain English: Jesus went into the temple of God. He drove out everyone who was selling and buying there, and he overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves.
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13He said to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you have made it a den of robbers!”
In plain English: He said to them, "It is written, 'My house will be called a house of prayer,' but you have made it a den of robbers."
Good to know: Jesus says "It is written" and gives two sets of words. "My house will be called a house of prayer" is close to , which goes on "for all peoples"; Jesus's words stop at "prayer". "A den of robbers" is close to : "Has this house ... become a den of robbers in your eyes?"
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14The lame and the blind came to him in the temple, and he healed them.
In plain English: The lame and the blind came to him in the temple, and he healed them.
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15But when the chief priests and the scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children who were crying in the temple and saying, “Hosanna to the son of David!” they were indignant,
In plain English: But the chief priests and the scribes saw the wonderful things he did, and they saw the children crying out in the temple, "Hosanna to the son of David!" They were angry,
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16and said to him, “Do you hear what these are saying?” Jesus said to them, “Yes. Did you never read, ‘Out of the mouth of children and nursing babies, you have perfected praise’?”
In plain English: and said to him, "Do you hear what these are saying?" Jesus said to them, "Yes. Have you never read, 'Out of the mouth of children and nursing babies you have made praise complete (or: prepared praise for yourself)'?"
Good to know: The words Jesus quotes, "you have perfected praise", are close to , which in this Bible says "From the lips of babes and infants you have established strength". The Greek for "prepared" is katartizō, dictionary meaning "to complete thoroughly, to repair or adjust", and "praise" is ainos. The two texts word it differently, and this page does not say why.
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17He left them and went out of the city to Bethany, and camped there.
In plain English: He left them and went out of the city to Bethany, and stayed the night there.
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18Now in the morning, as he returned to the city, he was hungry.
In plain English: In the morning, as he was coming back to the city, he became hungry.
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19Seeing a fig tree by the road, he came to it and found nothing on it but leaves. He said to it, “Let there be no fruit from you forever!” Immediately the fig tree withered away.
In plain English: He saw one fig tree by the road and came to it. He found nothing on it but leaves. He said to it, "Let there be no more fruit from you, for ever!" At once the fig tree withered.
The Greek words: "For ever" is eis ton aiōna, word for word "into the age". Aiōn is in 9 verses of Matthew, and this Bible gives it as "age" in 6, "forever" in 2 and "world" in 1.
What changes: "For ever" and "for the age" both fit the Greek. The verse does not say how long the age is.
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20When the disciples saw it, they marveled, saying, “How did the fig tree immediately wither away?”
In plain English: When the disciples saw it, they were amazed. They said, "How did the fig tree wither so quickly?"
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21Jesus answered them, “Most certainly I tell you, if you have faith and don’t doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but even if you told this mountain, ‘Be taken up and cast into the sea,’ it would be done.
In plain English: Jesus answered them, "I tell you for certain, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree. Even if you said to this mountain, 'Be taken up and thrown into the sea,' it would happen.
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22All things, whatever you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.”
In plain English: Everything you ask for in prayer, if you believe, you will receive."
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23When he had come into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him as he was teaching, and said, “By what authority do you do these things? Who gave you this authority?”
In plain English: When he had come into the temple and was teaching, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him. They said, "By what authority do you do these things? Who gave you this authority?"
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24Jesus answered them, “I also will ask you one question, which if you tell me, I likewise will tell you by what authority I do these things.
In plain English: Jesus answered them, "I will also ask you one question. If you tell me the answer, I will tell you by what authority I do these things.
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25The baptism of John, where was it from? From heaven or from men?” They reasoned with themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will ask us, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’
In plain English: John's baptism, where was it from? From heaven or from men?" They reasoned among themselves: "If we say 'From heaven,' he will ask us, 'Then why did you not believe him?'
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26But if we say, ‘From men,’ we fear the multitude, for all hold John as a prophet.”
In plain English: But if we say 'From men,' we fear the crowd, for they all hold John to be a prophet."
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27They answered Jesus, and said, “We don’t know.” He also said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.
In plain English: They answered Jesus, "We do not know." He said to them, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.
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28But what do you think? A man had two sons, and he came to the first, and said, ‘Son, go work today in my vineyard.’
In plain English: "But what do you think? A man had two sons. He came to the first and said, 'Son, go and work in my vineyard today.'
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29He answered, ‘I will not,’ but afterward he changed his mind, and went.
In plain English: He answered, 'I will not,' but afterward he changed his mind and went.
The Greek word: "Changed his mind" is metamelētheis, from metamellomai. The dictionary meaning is "to care afterwards, to regret". It is in 3 verses of Matthew: here, verse 32 ("repent") and , where Judas "felt remorse". It is not the word translated "repent" in , which is metanoeō.
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30He came to the second, and said the same thing. He answered, ‘I’m going, sir,’ but he didn’t go.
In plain English: The man came to the second and said the same thing. He answered, 'I am going, sir,' but he did not go.
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31Which of the two did the will of his father?” They said to him, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “Most certainly I tell you that the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering into God’s Kingdom before you.
In plain English: Which of the two did what their father wanted?" They said to him, "The first." Jesus said to them, "I tell you for certain that the tax collectors and the prostitutes are going into God's Kingdom ahead of you.
The Greek word: "Are entering ahead of you" is proagousin hymas. Proagō means to go ahead of someone, to lead forward (dictionary), and is in 6 verses of Matthew, for example the crowds that "went in front of him" in verse 9. The verse says the tax collectors and prostitutes go in ahead of the ones Jesus is speaking to. It does not say what happens to those behind them.
Good to know: Here the Greek says "kingdom of God". This Bible has "God's Kingdom" in 5 verses of Matthew (, , , 21:31, 21:43) and "Kingdom of Heaven" in 31.
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32For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you didn’t believe him; but the tax collectors and the prostitutes believed him. When you saw it, you didn’t even repent afterward, that you might believe him.
In plain English: For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him. But the tax collectors and the prostitutes believed him. When you saw it, you did not even change your mind (this Bible: repent) afterward and believe him.
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33“Hear another parable. There was a man who was a master of a household who planted a vineyard, set a hedge about it, dug a wine press in it, built a tower, leased it out to farmers, and went into another country.
In plain English: "Listen to another parable. There was a man who was the master of a household. He planted a vineyard, put a hedge around it, dug a wine press in it and built a tower. He leased it to farmers and went to another country.
Good to know: The vineyard, the tower and the wine press are also in , where a beloved has a vineyard on a fruitful hill and builds a tower in it. Matthew does not say it is quoting Isaiah here.
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34When the season for the fruit came near, he sent his servants to the farmers to receive his fruit.
In plain English: When the season for the fruit came near, he sent his servants to the farmers to receive his fruit.
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35The farmers took his servants, beat one, killed another, and stoned another.
In plain English: The farmers took his servants. They beat one, killed another and stoned another.
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36Again, he sent other servants more than the first; and they treated them the same way.
In plain English: Again he sent other servants, more than the first time, and the farmers did the same to them.
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37But afterward he sent to them his son, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’
In plain English: At last he sent his son to them, saying, 'They will respect my son.'
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38But the farmers, when they saw the son, said among themselves, ‘This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him and seize his inheritance.’
In plain English: But when the farmers saw the son, they said among themselves, 'This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and take his inheritance.'
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39So they took him and threw him out of the vineyard, then killed him.
In plain English: So they took him, threw him out of the vineyard and killed him.
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40When therefore the lord of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those farmers?”
In plain English: So when the lord of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those farmers?"
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41They told him, “He will miserably destroy those miserable men, and will lease out the vineyard to other farmers who will give him the fruit in its season.”
In plain English: They told him, "He will destroy those wretched men miserably, and he will lease the vineyard to other farmers who will give him the fruit in its season."
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42Jesus said to them, “Did you never read in the Scriptures, ‘The stone which the builders rejected was made the head of the corner. This was from the Lord. It is marvelous in our eyes’?
In plain English: Jesus said to them, "Have you never read in the Scriptures, 'The stone that the builders rejected has become the head of the corner. This was from the Lord, and it is marvelous in our eyes'?
The Greek words: "The head of the corner" is kephalē gōnias, word for word "head of corner". The words are close to , where this Bible has "the cornerstone" and "This is Yahweh's doing". Where Matthew's Greek has "the Lord", the Psalm has "Yahweh".
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43“Therefore I tell you, God’s Kingdom will be taken away from you and will be given to a nation producing its fruit.
In plain English: So I tell you, God's Kingdom will be taken away from you and given to a nation producing its fruit.
The Greek word: "A nation" is ethnos, whose dictionary meaning is "a tribe; specially, a foreign (non-Jewish) one". It is in 14 verses of Matthew. This Bible has "nation" in 10 and "Gentiles" in 4. The verse says the Kingdom will be given to "a nation producing its fruit" and does not name the nation.
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44He who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces, but on whomever it will fall, it will scatter him as dust.”
In plain English: Whoever falls on this stone will be broken to pieces, but anyone it falls on, it will scatter like dust."
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45When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they perceived that he spoke about them.
In plain English: When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they understood that he was speaking about them.
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46When they sought to seize him, they feared the multitudes, because they considered him to be a prophet.
In plain English: They wanted to seize him, but they feared the crowds, because the crowds considered him a prophet.
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