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Matthew 21 NLT
<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1" /><title>Matthew 21 NLT</title><link rel="stylesheet" href="/chapnew2.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="../spec.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="/print.css" type="text/css" media="Print" /></head><body><div id="fx"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx2"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="30" scrolling="no" src="../cmenus/matthew/21.htm" align="left" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div><div id="blnk"></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable"><tr><td><div id="fx5"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx6"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="245" scrolling="no" src="../topmenuchap/matthew/21-1.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable3"><tr><td><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center" id="announce"><tr><td><div id="l1"><div id="breadcrumbs"><a href="http://biblehub.com">Bible</a> > <a href="../">NLT</a> > Matthew 21</div><div id="anc"><iframe src="/anc.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></div><div id="anc2"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><iframe src="/anc2.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></div></td></tr></table><div id="movebox2"><table border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td><div id="topheading"><a href="../matthew/20.htm" title="Matthew 20">◄</a> Matthew 21 <a href="../matthew/22.htm" title="Matthew 22">►</a></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center" class="maintable2"><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><div id="leftbox"><div class="padleft"><div class="vheading"><table width="100%"><tr><td width="99%" valign="top">New Living Translation</td><td width="1%" valign="top"><a href="/p/nlt/esv/matthew/21.shtml" style="color:#001320" title="Parallel Chapters"> Par ▾ </a></td></tr></table></div><div class="chap"><p class="hdg">Jesus’ Triumphant Entry</p><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/matthew/21-1.htm"><b>1</b></a></span>As Jesus and the disciples approached Jerusalem, they came to the town of Bethphage on the Mount of Olives. Jesus sent two of them on ahead. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/matthew/21-2.htm"><b>2</b></a></span><span class="red">“Go into the village over there,”</span> he said. <span class="red">“As soon as you enter it, you will see a donkey tied there, with its colt beside it. Untie them and bring them to me.</span> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/matthew/21-3.htm"><b>3</b></a></span><span class="red">If anyone asks what you are doing, just say, ‘The Lord needs them,’ and he will immediately let you take them.”</span></p><p class="reg"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/matthew/21-4.htm"><b>4</b></a></span>This took place to fulfill the prophecy that said,</p><p class="b"/><p class="line1"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/matthew/21-5.htm"><b>5</b></a></span>“Tell the people of Jerusalem,<a href="#footnotes"><span class="fn">a</span></a></p><p class="line2">‘Look, your King is coming to you.</p><p class="line1">He is humble, riding on a donkey—</p><p class="line2">riding on a donkey’s colt.’”<a href="#footnotes"><span class="fn">b</span></a></p><p class="b"/><p class="reg"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/matthew/21-6.htm"><b>6</b></a></span>The two disciples did as Jesus commanded. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/matthew/21-7.htm"><b>7</b></a></span>They brought the donkey and the colt to him and threw their garments over the colt, and he sat on it.<a href="#footnotes"><span class="fn">c</span></a></p><p class="reg"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/matthew/21-8.htm"><b>8</b></a></span>Most of the crowd spread their garments on the road ahead of him, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/matthew/21-9.htm"><b>9</b></a></span>Jesus was in the center of the procession, and the people all around him were shouting, </p><p class="b"/><p class="line1">“Praise God<a href="#footnotes"><span class="fn">d</span></a> for the Son of David!</p><p class="line2">Blessings on the one who comes in the name of the LORD!</p><p class="line2">Praise God in highest heaven!”<a href="#footnotes"><span class="fn">e</span></a></p><p class="b"/><p class="reg"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/matthew/21-10.htm"><b>10</b></a></span>The entire city of Jerusalem was in an uproar as he entered. “Who is this?” they asked.</p><p class="reg"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/matthew/21-11.htm"><b>11</b></a></span>And the crowds replied, “It’s Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.”</p><p class="hdg">Jesus Clears the Temple</p><p class="reg"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/matthew/21-12.htm"><b>12</b></a></span>Jesus entered the Temple and began to drive out all the people buying and selling animals for sacrifice. He knocked over the tables of the money changers and the chairs of those selling doves. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/matthew/21-13.htm"><b>13</b></a></span>He said to them, <span class="red">“The Scriptures declare, ‘My Temple will be called a house of prayer,’ but you have turned it into a den of thieves!”<a href="#footnotes"><span class="fn">f</span></a></span></p><p class="reg"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/matthew/21-14.htm"><b>14</b></a></span>The blind and the lame came to him in the Temple, and he healed them. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/matthew/21-15.htm"><b>15</b></a></span>The leading priests and the teachers of religious law saw these wonderful miracles and heard even the children in the Temple shouting, “Praise God for the Son of David.”</p><p class="reg">But the leaders were indignant. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/matthew/21-16.htm"><b>16</b></a></span>They asked Jesus, “Do you hear what these children are saying?”</p><p class="reg"><span class="red">“Yes,”</span> Jesus replied. <span class="red">“Haven’t you ever read the Scriptures? For they say, ‘You have taught children and infants to give you praise.’<a href="#footnotes"><span class="fn">g</span></a>”</span> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/matthew/21-17.htm"><b>17</b></a></span>Then he returned to Bethany, where he stayed overnight.</p><p class="hdg">Jesus Curses the Fig Tree</p><p class="reg"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/matthew/21-18.htm"><b>18</b></a></span>In the morning, as Jesus was returning to Jerusalem, he was hungry, <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/matthew/21-19.htm"><b>19</b></a></span>and he noticed a fig tree beside the road. He went over to see if there were any figs, but there were only leaves. Then he said to it, <span class="red">“May you never bear fruit again!”</span> And immediately the fig tree withered up.</p><p class="reg"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/matthew/21-20.htm"><b>20</b></a></span>The disciples were amazed when they saw this and asked, “How did the fig tree wither so quickly?”</p><p class="reg"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/matthew/21-21.htm"><b>21</b></a></span>Then Jesus told them, <span class="red">“I tell you the truth, if you have faith and don’t doubt, you can do things like this and much more. You can even say to this mountain, ‘May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and it will happen.</span> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/matthew/21-22.htm"><b>22</b></a></span><span class="red">You can pray for anything, and if you have faith, you will receive it.”</span></p><p class="hdg">The Authority of Jesus Challenged</p><p class="reg"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/matthew/21-23.htm"><b>23</b></a></span>When Jesus returned to the Temple and began teaching, the leading priests and elders came up to him. They demanded, “By what authority are you doing all these things? Who gave you the right?”</p><p class="reg"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/matthew/21-24.htm"><b>24</b></a></span><span class="red">“I’ll tell you by what authority I do these things if you answer one question,”</span> Jesus replied. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/matthew/21-25.htm"><b>25</b></a></span><span class="red">“Did John’s authority to baptize come from heaven, or was it merely human?”</span></p><p class="reg">They talked it over among themselves. “If we say it was from heaven, he will ask us why we didn’t believe John. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/matthew/21-26.htm"><b>26</b></a></span>But if we say it was merely human, we’ll be mobbed because the people believe John was a prophet.” <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/matthew/21-27.htm"><b>27</b></a></span>So they finally replied, “We don’t know.”</p><p class="reg">And Jesus responded, <span class="red">“Then I won’t tell you by what authority I do these things.</span></p><p class="hdg">Parable of the Two Sons</p><p class="reg"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/matthew/21-28.htm"><b>28</b></a></span><span class="red">“But what do you think about this? A man with two sons told the older boy, ‘Son, go out and work in the vineyard today.’</span> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/matthew/21-29.htm"><b>29</b></a></span><span class="red">The son answered, ‘No, I won’t go,’ but later he changed his mind and went anyway.</span> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/matthew/21-30.htm"><b>30</b></a></span><span class="red">Then the father told the other son, ‘You go,’ and he said, ‘Yes, sir, I will.’ But he didn’t go.</span></p><p class="reg"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/matthew/21-31.htm"><b>31</b></a></span><span class="red">“Which of the two obeyed his father?”</span></p><p class="reg">They replied, “The first.”<a href="#footnotes"><span class="fn">h</span></a></p><p class="reg">Then Jesus explained his meaning: <span class="red">“I tell you the truth, corrupt tax collectors and prostitutes will get into the Kingdom of God before you do.</span> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/matthew/21-32.htm"><b>32</b></a></span><span class="red">For John the Baptist came and showed you the right way to live, but you didn’t believe him, while tax collectors and prostitutes did. And even when you saw this happening, you refused to believe him and repent of your sins.</span></p><p class="hdg">Parable of the Evil Farmers</p><p class="reg"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/matthew/21-33.htm"><b>33</b></a></span><span class="red">“Now listen to another story. A certain landowner planted a vineyard, built a wall around it, dug a pit for pressing out the grape juice, and built a lookout tower. Then he leased the vineyard to tenant farmers and moved to another country.</span> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/matthew/21-34.htm"><b>34</b></a></span><span class="red">At the time of the grape harvest, he sent his servants to collect his share of the crop.</span> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/matthew/21-35.htm"><b>35</b></a></span><span class="red">But the farmers grabbed his servants, beat one, killed one, and stoned another.</span> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/matthew/21-36.htm"><b>36</b></a></span><span class="red">So the landowner sent a larger group of his servants to collect for him, but the results were the same.</span></p><p class="reg"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/matthew/21-37.htm"><b>37</b></a></span><span class="red">“Finally, the owner sent his son, thinking, ‘Surely they will respect my son.’</span></p><p class="reg"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/matthew/21-38.htm"><b>38</b></a></span><span class="red">“But when the tenant farmers saw his son coming, they said to one another, ‘Here comes the heir to this estate. Come on, let’s kill him and get the estate for ourselves!’</span> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/matthew/21-39.htm"><b>39</b></a></span><span class="red">So they grabbed him, dragged him out of the vineyard, and murdered him.</span></p><p class="reg"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/matthew/21-40.htm"><b>40</b></a></span><span class="red">“When the owner of the vineyard returns,”</span> Jesus asked, <span class="red">“what do you think he will do to those farmers?”</span></p><p class="reg"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/matthew/21-41.htm"><b>41</b></a></span>The religious leaders replied, “He will put the wicked men to a horrible death and lease the vineyard to others who will give him his share of the crop after each harvest.”</p><p class="reg"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/matthew/21-42.htm"><b>42</b></a></span>Then Jesus asked them, <span class="red">“Didn’t you ever read this in the Scriptures?</span></p><p class="b"/><p class="line1"><span class="red">‘The stone that the builders rejected</span></p><p class="line2"><span class="red">has now become the cornerstone.</span></p><p class="line1"><span class="red">This is the </span><span class="red"><span class="sc">Lord</span></span><span class="red">’s doing,</span></p><p class="line2"><span class="red">and it is wonderful to see.’<a href="#footnotes"><span class="fn">i</span></a></span></p><p class="b"/><p class="m"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/matthew/21-43.htm"><b>43</b></a></span><span class="red">I tell you, the Kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a nation that will produce the proper fruit.</span> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/matthew/21-44.htm"><b>44</b></a></span><span class="red">Anyone who stumbles over that stone will be broken to pieces, and it will crush anyone it falls on.<a href="#footnotes"><span class="fn">j</span></a>”</span></p><p class="reg"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/matthew/21-45.htm"><b>45</b></a></span>When the leading priests and Pharisees heard this parable, they realized he was telling the story against them—they were the wicked farmers. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/matthew/21-46.htm"><b>46</b></a></span>They wanted to arrest him, but they were afraid of the crowds, who considered Jesus to be a prophet.</p><A name="footnotes"></a><hr size="1" color="DDEEFF"><span class="mainfootnotes"><span class="mainfootnoteshdg">Footnotes:</span><br><span class="fn">a</span><note caller="+" style="f"><span class="fr">21:5a </span><span class="ft">Greek </span><span class="it">Tell the daughter of Zion.</span><span class="ft"> Isa 62:11.</span><br><span class="fn">b</span><note caller="+" style="f"><span class="fr">21:5b </span><span class="ft">Zech 9:9.</span><br><span class="fn">c</span><note caller="+" style="f"><span class="fr">21:7 </span><span class="ft">Greek </span><span class="it">over them, and he sat on them.</span><br><span class="fn">d</span><note caller="+" style="f"><span class="fr">21:9a </span><span class="ft">Greek </span><span class="it">Hosanna,</span><span class="ft"> an exclamation of praise that literally means “save now”; also in 21:9b, 15.</span><br><span class="fn">e</span><note caller="+" style="f"><span class="fr">21:9b </span><span class="ft">Pss 118:25-26; 148:1.</span><br><span class="fn">f</span><note caller="+" style="f"><span class="fr">21:13 </span><span class="ft">Isa 56:7; Jer 7:11.</span><br><span class="fn">g</span><note caller="+" style="f"><span class="fr">21:16 </span><span class="ft">Ps 8:2 (Greek version).</span><br><span class="fn">h</span><note caller="+" style="f"><span class="fr">21:29-31 </span><span class="ft">Other manuscripts read </span><span class="it">“The second.”</span><span class="ft"> In still other manuscripts the first son says “Yes” but does nothing, the second son says “No” but then repents and goes, and the answer to Jesus’ question is that the second son obeyed his father.</span><br><span class="fn">i</span><note caller="+" style="f"><span class="fr">21:42 </span><span class="ft">Ps 118:22-23.</span><br><span class="fn">j</span><note caller="+" style="f"><span class="fr">21:44 </span><span class="ft">This verse is not included in some early manuscripts. Compare Luke 20:18.</span><br></span></div></div><div id="botbox"><div class="padbot"><div align="center"><em>Holy Bible</em>, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of <a href="http://www.tyndale.com">Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.</a>, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. 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