Mark 11:14-33

14So Jesus said to the tree, ‘Nobody will ever eat your fruit again.’ And his disciples heard what he said.

15When they arrived back in Jerusalem, Jesus went into the yard of the temple. People were buying and selling things there. Jesus began to make them all leave that place. Some men were changing coins there for people. He pushed over their tables. And he pushed over the seats of the men who sold birds.

16Jesus would not let anyone carry things through that place.

17While he was teaching the people, Jesus said, ‘The Bible says, “God's house will be a place where people from all countries pray.” But you have changed it into a place where robbers meet.’

18The leaders of the priests and the teachers of God's Law heard this. And they thought about how they could kill Jesus. They were afraid of him. That was because all the crowd were listening to him. And the things that he taught caused the crowd to be very surprised.

19When it was evening, Jesus and his disciples went out of the city again.

20The next morning, Jesus and his disciples passed the fig tree. They saw that it was completely dead.

21Peter remembered what Jesus had said. So he said to Jesus, ‘Teacher, look at that fig tree. You said that it should die, and it has died.’

22So Jesus said to them, ‘You must believe in God.

23I tell you this: A person could say to this mountain, “Move and throw yourself into the sea.” Then it will happen like he says. But he must not let other ideas come into his mind. He must really believe that those things will happen. If he does believe it, God will do those things for him.

24So I tell you this. When you pray to ask God for anything, believe in him. Believe that you have received that thing. Then you will have whatever you have asked for.

25But when you stand up to pray, first you must forgive other people. If anyone has done something bad against you, forgive that person. If you do forgive them, your Father in heaven will forgive you. God will forgive you for the bad things that you have done.’

27Jesus and his disciples arrived again in Jerusalem. Jesus was walking about in the yard at the temple. The leaders of the priests, the teachers of God's Law and the important Jews came to him.

28They asked him, ‘What authority do you have to do these things? Who gave you the authority to do them?’

29Jesus replied, ‘I will ask you one question and you should answer me. If you do that, then I will answer your question. I will tell you what authority I have to do these things.

30John baptized people. Did God give him authority to do this? Or did men tell him to do it? Now, tell me your answer.’

31Then the Jewish leaders talked to each other. They said, ‘We could say that God gave John his authority. But, if we say that, Jesus will say to us, “Then you should have believed John.”

32But we do not want to say that only men gave John his authority.’ The Jewish leaders were afraid of the crowd. All the people thought that John really was a prophet from God.

33So the Jewish leaders answered Jesus: ‘We do not know who gave John his authority.’ So Jesus said to them, ‘You will not answer my question. So I will not tell you what authority I have to do these things.’