1Quando se aproximaram de Jerusalém e chegaram a Betfagé, ao monte das Oliveiras, Jesus enviou dois discípulos,2dizendo-lhes: “Vão ao povoado que está adiante de vocês; logo encontrarão uma jumenta amarrada, com um jumentinho ao lado. Desamarrem-nos e tragam-nos para mim.3Se alguém perguntar algo, digam-lhe que o Senhor precisa deles e logo os enviará de volta”.4Isso aconteceu para que se cumprisse o que fora dito pelo profeta:5“Digam à cidade[1] de Sião: ‘Eis que o seu rei vem a você, humilde e montado num jumento, num jumentinho, cria de jumenta’ ”.6Os discípulos foram e fizeram o que Jesus tinha ordenado.7Trouxeram a jumenta e o jumentinho, colocaram sobre eles os seus mantos, e sobre estes Jesus montou.8Uma grande multidão estendeu seus mantos pelo caminho, outros cortavam ramos de árvores e os espalhavam pelo caminho.9A multidão que ia adiante dele e os que o seguiam gritavam: “Hosana[2] ao Filho de Davi!” “Bendito é o que vem em nome do Senhor!” “Hosana nas alturas!”10Quando Jesus entrou em Jerusalém, toda a cidade ficou agitada e perguntava: “Quem é este?”11A multidão respondia: “Este é Jesus, o profeta de Nazaré da Galileia”.
Jesus Purifica o Templo
12Jesus entrou no templo e expulsou todos os que ali estavam comprando e vendendo. Derrubou as mesas dos cambistas e as cadeiras dos que vendiam pombas,13e lhes disse: “Está escrito: ‘A minha casa será chamada casa de oração’; mas vocês estão fazendo dela um ‘covil de ladrões’ ”.14Os cegos e os mancos aproximaram-se dele no templo, e ele os curou.15Mas, quando os chefes dos sacerdotes e os mestres da lei viram as coisas maravilhosas que Jesus fazia e as crianças gritando no templo: “Hosana ao Filho de Davi”, ficaram indignados,16e lhe perguntaram: “Não estás ouvindo o que estas crianças estão dizendo?” Respondeu Jesus: “Sim, vocês nunca leram: “ ‘Dos lábios das crianças e dos recém-nascidos suscitaste louvor’ ”?17E, deixando-os, saiu da cidade para Betânia, onde passou a noite.
A Figueira Seca
18De manhã cedo, quando voltava para a cidade, Jesus teve fome.19Vendo uma figueira à beira do caminho, aproximou-se dela, mas nada encontrou, a não ser folhas. Então lhe disse: “Nunca mais dê frutos!” Imediatamente a árvore secou.20Ao verem isso, os discípulos ficaram espantados e perguntaram: “Como a figueira secou tão depressa?”21Jesus respondeu: “Eu asseguro que, se vocês tiverem fé e não duvidarem, poderão fazer não somente o que foi feito à figueira, mas também dizer a este monte: ‘Levante-se e atire-se no mar’, e assim será feito.22E tudo o que pedirem em oração, se crerem, vocês receberão”.
A Autoridade de Jesus é Questionada
23Jesus entrou no templo e, enquanto ensinava, aproximaram-se dele os chefes dos sacerdotes e os líderes religiosos do povo e perguntaram: “Com que autoridade estás fazendo estas coisas? E quem te deu tal autoridade?”24Respondeu Jesus: “Eu também farei uma pergunta. Se vocês me responderem, eu direi com que autoridade estou fazendo estas coisas.25De onde era o batismo de João? Do céu ou dos homens?” Eles discutiam entre si, dizendo: “Se dissermos: Do céu, ele perguntará: ‘Então por que vocês não creram nele?’26Mas, se dissermos: Dos homens—temos medo do povo, pois todos consideram João um profeta”.27Eles responderam a Jesus: “Não sabemos”. E ele lhes disse: “Tampouco direi com que autoridade estou fazendo estas coisas.
A Parábola dos Dois Filhos
28“O que acham? Havia um homem que tinha dois filhos. Chegando ao primeiro, disse: ‘Filho, vá trabalhar hoje na vinha’.29“E este respondeu: ‘Não quero!’ Mas depois mudou de ideia e foi.30“O pai chegou ao outro filho e disse a mesma coisa. Ele respondeu: ‘Sim, senhor!’ Mas não foi.31“Qual dos dois fez a vontade do pai?” “O primeiro”, responderam eles. Jesus lhes disse: “Digo a verdade: Os publicanos e as prostitutas estão entrando antes de vocês no Reino de Deus.32Porque João veio para mostrar o caminho da justiça, e vocês não creram nele, mas os publicanos e as prostitutas creram. E, mesmo depois de verem isso, vocês não se arrependeram nem creram nele.
A Parábola dos Lavradores
33“Ouçam outra parábola: Havia um proprietário de terras que plantou uma vinha. Colocou uma cerca ao redor dela, cavou um tanque para prensar as uvas e construiu uma torre. Depois arrendou a vinha a alguns lavradores e foi fazer uma viagem.34Aproximando-se a época da colheita, enviou seus servos aos lavradores, para receber os frutos que lhe pertenciam.35“Os lavradores agarraram seus servos; a um espancaram, a outro mataram e apedrejaram o terceiro.36Então enviou-lhes outros servos em maior número, e os lavradores os trataram da mesma forma.37Por último, enviou-lhes seu filho, dizendo: ‘A meu filho respeitarão’.38“Mas, quando os lavradores viram o filho, disseram uns aos outros: ‘Este é o herdeiro. Venham, vamos matá-lo e tomar a sua herança’.39Assim eles o agarraram, lançaram-no para fora da vinha e o mataram.40“Portanto, quando vier o dono da vinha, o que fará àqueles lavradores?”41Responderam eles: “Matará de modo horrível esses perversos e arrendará a vinha a outros lavradores, que lhe deem a sua parte no tempo da colheita”.42Jesus lhes disse: “Vocês nunca leram isto nas Escrituras? “ ‘A pedra que os construtores rejeitaram tornou-se a pedra angular; isso vem do Senhor, e é algo maravilhoso para nós’[3].43“Portanto, eu digo que o Reino de Deus será tirado de vocês e será dado a um povo que dê os frutos do Reino.44Aquele que cair sobre esta pedra será despedaçado, e aquele sobre quem ela cair será reduzido a pó”.[4]45Quando os chefes dos sacerdotes e os fariseus ouviram as parábolas de Jesus, compreenderam que ele falava a respeito deles.46E procuravam um meio de prendê-lo; mas tinham medo das multidões, pois elas o consideravam profeta.
1Now when they drew near to Jerusalem and came to Bethphage, to the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, (Zc 14:4; Mt 24:3; Mt 26:30; Mc 11:1; Mc 14:13; Lc 19:29; Jo 8:1; Jo 12:12; At 1:12)2saying to them, “Go into the village in front of you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Untie them and bring them to me.3If anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord needs them,’ and he will send them at once.”4This took place to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet, saying, (Mt 1:22)5“Say to the daughter of Zion, ‘Behold, your king is coming to you, humble, and mounted on a donkey, on a colt,[1] the foal of a beast of burden.’” (Is 62:11; Zc 9:9; Mt 11:29)6The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them.7They brought the donkey and the colt and put on them their cloaks, and he sat on them.8Most of the crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. (2 Rs 9:13)9And the crowds that went before him and that followed him were shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!” (Sl 118:25; Sl 118:26; Sl 148:1; Mt 20:30; Mt 23:39; Lc 2:14; Ap 7:10)10And when he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred up, saying, “Who is this?” (Mc 11:11)11And the crowds said, “This is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth of Galilee.” (Mt 2:23; Mt 21:46; Mc 6:15; Lc 7:16; Lc 9:8; Lc 9:19; Lc 13:33; Lc 24:19; Jo 1:21; Jo 4:19; Jo 6:14; Jo 7:40; Jo 9:17)
Jesus Cleanses the Temple
12And Jesus entered the temple[2] and drove out all who sold and bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons. (Ex 30:13; Lv 1:14; Lv 5:7; Lv 12:8; Mc 11:15; Lc 2:24; Lc 19:45; Jo 2:14)13He said to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you make it a den of robbers.” (Is 56:7; Jr 7:11)14And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple, and he healed them. (Mt 11:5; Mt 15:31)15But when the chief priests and the scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying out in the temple, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” they were indignant, (Mt 21:9; Lc 19:39)16and they said to him, “Do you hear what these are saying?” And Jesus said to them, “Yes; have you never read, “‘Out of the mouth of infants and nursing babies you have prepared praise’?” (Sl 8:2; Mt 11:25; Mt 12:3; Mt 12:5; Mt 19:4; Mt 21:42; Mt 22:31)17And leaving them, he went out of the city to Bethany and lodged there. (Mt 16:4; Mc 11:1; Mc 11:19; Lc 19:29; Lc 21:37; Lc 24:50; Jo 11:18)
Jesus Curses the Fig Tree
18In the morning, as he was returning to the city, he became hungry. (Mt 4:2; Mc 11:12; Mc 11:20)19And seeing a fig tree by the wayside, he went to it and found nothing on it but only leaves. And he said to it, “May no fruit ever come from you again!” And the fig tree withered at once. (Lc 13:6)20When the disciples saw it, they marveled, saying, “How did the fig tree wither at once?”21And Jesus answered them, “Truly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what has been done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ it will happen. (Sl 46:2; Mt 17:20; Jo 14:12; At 10:20; Rm 4:20; Rm 14:23; 1 Co 13:2; Tg 1:6; Ap 8:8)22And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith.” (Mt 7:7; Mt 21:21)
The Authority of Jesus Challenged
23And when he entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came up to him as he was teaching, and said, “By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?” (Ex 2:14; Mt 26:55; Mc 11:27; Lc 20:1; Jo 1:25; At 4:7)24Jesus answered them, “I also will ask you one question, and if you tell me the answer, then I also will tell you by what authority I do these things.25The baptism of John, from where did it come? From heaven or from man?” And they discussed it among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say to us, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’ (Mt 13:54; Mt 21:32; Lc 7:30; Lc 15:18; Lc 15:21; Jo 3:27)26But if we say, ‘From man,’ we are afraid of the crowd, for they all hold that John was a prophet.” (Mt 11:9; Mt 14:5; Mt 21:46; Jo 5:35)27So they answered Jesus, “We do not know.” And he said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.
The Parable of the Two Sons
28“What do you think? A man had two sons. And he went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work in the vineyard today.’ (Mt 17:25; Mt 18:12; Mt 20:1; Mt 21:33)29And he answered, ‘I will not,’ but afterward he changed his mind and went. (Mt 21:32; Mt 27:3; Hb 7:21)30And he went to the other son and said the same. And he answered, ‘I go, sir,’ but did not go.31Which of the two did the will of his father?” They said, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “Truly, I say to you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes go into the kingdom of God before you. (Mt 12:28; Lc 7:29; Lc 7:37)32For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes believed him. And even when you saw it, you did not afterward change your minds and believe him. (Pv 8:20; Mt 3:8; Mt 3:15; Mt 11:18; Mt 21:25; Mt 21:29; Lc 3:12; 2 Pe 2:21)
The Parable of the Tenants
33“Hear another parable. There was a master of a house who planted a vineyard and put a fence around it and dug a winepress in it and built a tower and leased it to tenants, and went into another country. (Sl 80:8; Ct 8:11; Is 5:1; Is 5:2; Mt 21:28; Mt 25:14; Mc 12:1; Mc 13:34; Lc 20:9)34When the season for fruit drew near, he sent his servants[3] to the tenants to get his fruit. (Mt 21:33)35And the tenants took his servants and beat one, killed another, and stoned another. (2 Cr 24:19; 2 Cr 24:21; 2 Cr 36:15; Ne 9:26; Jr 37:15; Jr 38:6; Mt 5:12; Mt 22:6; Mt 23:34; Mt 23:37; Jo 10:31; At 7:52; At 7:59; 2 Co 11:24; 1 Ts 2:15; Hb 11:36)36Again he sent other servants, more than the first. And they did the same to them. (Mt 22:4)37Finally he sent his son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’38But when the tenants saw the son, they said to themselves, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and have his inheritance.’ (1 Rs 21:19; Jo 1:11; Rm 8:17; Hb 1:2)39And they took him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. (Hb 13:12)40When therefore the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?” (Mt 24:50; Mt 25:19)41They said to him, “He will put those wretches to a miserable death and let out the vineyard to other tenants who will give him the fruits in their seasons.” (Mt 8:11; Mt 21:43; Lc 19:27; At 13:46; At 18:6; At 28:28)42Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures: “‘The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone;[4] this was the Lord’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes’? (Sl 118:22; Mt 21:16; At 4:11; 1 Pe 2:7)43Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people producing its fruits. (Is 5:4; Is 5:7; Mt 3:10; Lc 14:24)44And the one who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; and when it falls on anyone, it will crush him.”[5] (Is 8:14; Dn 2:34; Dn 2:44; Rm 9:32; 1 Pe 2:8)45When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they perceived that he was speaking about them.46And although they were seeking to arrest him, they feared the crowds, because they held him to be a prophet. (Mt 21:11; Mt 21:26; Mt 26:4; Mc 11:18; Lc 19:47; Jo 7:25; Jo 7:30; Jo 7:44)