Matthew 21:1-17

1When they came near Jerusalem and had reached Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples ahead of him.

2He said to them, “Go into the village ahead of you. You will find a donkey tied there and a colt with it. Untie them, and bring them to me.

3If anyone says anything to you, tell him that the Lord needs them. That person will send them at once.”

4This happened so that what the prophet had said came true:

5“Tell the people of Zion, ‘Your king is coming to you. He’s gentle, riding on a donkey, on a colt, a young pack animal.’ ”

6The disciples did as Jesus had directed them.

7They brought the donkey and the colt and put their coats on them for Jesus to sit on.

8Most of the people spread their coats on the road. Others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road.

9The crowd that went ahead of him and that followed him was shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest heaven!”

10When Jesus came into Jerusalem, the whole city was in an uproar. People were asking, “Who is this?”

11The crowd answered, “This is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth in Galilee.”

12Jesus went into the temple courtyard and threw out everyone who was buying and selling there. He overturned the moneychangers’ tables and the chairs of those who sold pigeons.

13He told them, “Scripture says, ‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’ but you’re turning it into a gathering place for thieves!”

14Blind and lame people came to him in the temple courtyard, and he healed them.

15When the chief priests and the experts in Moses’ Teachings saw the amazing miracles he performed and the children shouting in the temple courtyard, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” they were irritated.

16They said to him, “Do you hear what these children are saying?” Jesus replied, “Yes, I do. Have you never read, ‘From the mouths of little children and infants, you have created praise’?”

17He left them and went out of the city to Bethany and spent the night there.