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Mark 11

1As they approached Jerusalem, near Bethphage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples 2and said to them, “Go into the village opposite you, and immediately upon entering it you will find a colt tied up, on which no human has ever sat. Untie it and bring it. 3If anyone says to you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘The Lord needs it, and immediately he will send it back here.’” 4They went and found a colt tied at a door outside in the street, and they untied it. 5Some standing there said to them, “What are you doing, untying the colt?” 6They answered as Jesus had told them, and the people let them go. 7They brought the colt to Jesus, threw their garments over it, and he sat on it. 8Many spread their garments on the road; others spread leafy branches they had cut in the fields. 9Those going ahead and those following cried out:

“Hosanna! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord! 10Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David! Hosanna in the highest!”

11He entered Jerusalem and went into the temple. After looking around at everything, since it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the Twelve.

12The next day, as they left Bethany, he was hungry. 13Seeing from a distance a fig tree with leaves, he went to see whether he might find anything on it. When he reached it, he found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. 14He said to it, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” And his disciples heard.

15They came to Jerusalem. Entering the temple, he began driving out those selling and buying there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those selling doves, 16and would not allow anyone to carry a load through the temple. 17He taught them, saying, “Is it not written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations’? But you have made it a robbers' cave.” 18The chief priests and scribes heard and sought how they might destroy him, for they feared him, because the whole crowd was astonished at his teaching. 19Whenever evening came, they went out of the city.

20Passing by in the morning, they saw the fig tree withered from its roots. 21Peter remembered and said to him, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree you cursed has withered.” 22Jesus answered them, “Have faith in God. 23Truly I tell you, 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 will happen, it will be done for him. 24Therefore I tell you, whatever you pray and ask for, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. 25And whenever you stand praying, forgive if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father in the heavens may also forgive you your trespasses.”

27They came again to Jerusalem. As he walked in the temple, the chief priests, scribes, and elders came to him 28and said, “By what authority are you doing these things? Or who gave you this authority to do them?” 29Jesus said to them, “I will ask you one thing. Answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things. 30Was John's baptism from heaven or from humans? Answer me.” 31They reasoned with one another, “What shall we say? If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say, ‘Why, then, did you not believe him?’ 32But shall we say, ‘From humans’?” They feared the crowd, for everyone held that John really was a prophet. 33So they answered Jesus, “We do not know.” Jesus said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.”

Translation notes 7

11:3 — The Lord and the colt. The draft understands Jesus to be promising to send the colt back. Another interpretation makes the final clause describe what the person addressed will do. The Greek does not name that final subject separately.

11:9–10 — Hosanna. An expression meaning “save, please,” used as an acclamation. Mark retains the expression rather than translating it into Greek.

11:13 — Fig season. “It was not the season for figs” is part of Mark's explanation. The translation leaves its tension with the search for fruit intact.

11:16 — A load. The Greek term can refer broadly to equipment or goods being carried, not only to a container. The wording does not identify the load as sacred or commercial.

11:23 — “Will happen.” The Greek present tense looks ahead to the outcome here. The final clause promises that the request will be fulfilled for the speaker.

11:24 — “Have received.” The Greek base places the receiving before the future “will be yours.” “Believe that you will receive” is easier English but changes that feature.

11:26 — Numbering gap. Some witnesses add: “But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in the heavens forgive your trespasses.” The Greek base does not include this verse in its main text.