Luke 19:29-44

29He was getting near to two villages called Bethphage and Bethany. They were on the Mount of Olives. Then Jesus sent two of his disciples to go further.

30He told them, ‘Go into the village that is in front of you. When you arrive there, you will find a young donkey. Someone has tied it there. Nobody has yet ridden on it. Undo the rope and bring the donkey here to me.

31Someone may ask you, “Why are you taking the donkey?” Then say to them, “The Master needs it.” ’

32The two men went into the village. They saw everything there that Jesus had told them about.

33While they were taking the young donkey, some men spoke to them. It was their own donkey. They asked, ‘Why are you taking the donkey?’

34‘The Master needs it,’ the disciples replied.

35They brought the donkey to Jesus. They put their coats on its back. Then they helped Jesus to sit on it.

36While he was riding along, the people were putting their coats down on the road in front of him.

37Jesus got near to the lowest part of the Mount of Olives. The whole crowd of his disciples were very happy. They began to praise God with loud voices. They thanked him for all the great things that they had seen.

38They said: ‘May the Lord God bless the king who comes with his authority! We want everything to be well in heaven. We praise our powerful God above!’

39Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, ‘Teacher, stop your disciples from saying these things.’

40‘Let me tell you this,’ Jesus replied. ‘If these people were quiet, the stones of the city would shout out instead!’

41When Jesus got near to the city, he looked at it. He cried because he felt very sorry for the people in it.

42He said, ‘You need to know what would really help you. Then you could have lived without trouble. But now, you are unable to understand properly.

43As a result, days of trouble will come to you. Your enemies will build a wall round you. They will shut you in completely, and they will not let you leave.

44So your enemies will knock you down. They will completely destroy your city and all the people who live in it. They will not leave even one stone on top of another stone. You did not understand that God had come to save you at this time. That is why these bad things will happen to you.’