1Quando se aproximavam de Jerusalém e chegavam perto de Betfagé, ao monte das Oliveiras, Jesus então enviou dois dos discípulos à frente.2Disse-lhes: “Vão até àquela aldeia além e logo à entrada encontrarão uma jumenta amarrada com a sua cria. Soltem-nas e tragam-mas.3Se alguém vos perguntar alguma coisa, respondam-lhe: ‘O Senhor precisa delas e em breve as devolverá.’ ”4Assim ia cumprir-se a antiga profecia:5“Digam à filha de Sião: ‘Vê, o teu Rei aproxima-se de ti! Manso, montado numa cria de jumento, num pequeno jumentinho.’ ”6Os dois discípulos fizeram como Jesus lhes ordenou.7Trouxeram-lhe a jumenta e a cria. Puseram os mantos sobre o lombo dos animais e ele sentou-se em cima.8Muita gente estendeu os seus mantos no caminho, enquanto outros cortaram ramos das árvores e os espalharam no caminho.9As multidões iam tanto à frente como atrás, exclamando: “Hossana ao Filho de David! Bendito aquele que vem em nome do Senhor! Hossana nas alturas!”10Entrou em Jerusalém e toda a cidade ficou em alvoroço. E perguntavam: “Quem é este?”11E o povo respondia: “É Jesus, o profeta de Nazaré da Galileia!”
Jesus no templo
12Jesus entrou no templo e expulsou todos os negociantes e compradores que ali havia; derrubou as mesas dos cambistas e as bancas dos vendedores de pombos.13E disse-lhes: “As Escrituras afirmam: ‘O meu templo será chamado casa de oração’, mas vocês transformaram-no num covil de ladrões!”14Entretanto, os cegos e os aleijados vinham ter com ele e curava-os ali no templo.15Mas quando os principais sacerdotes e especialistas na Lei viram aqueles milagres espantosos, e ouviram as próprias crianças a gritar no templo, “Hossana ao Filho do rei David!”, ficaram inquietos e indignados.16E perguntaram-lhe: “Ouves o que dizem estas crianças?” “Ouço, sim. Nunca leram as Escrituras que dizem: ‘Da boca dos pequenos e das criancinhas de peito tirarei o louvor?’ ”17Depois disto, voltou para Betânia, onde passou a noite.
A figueira mirra
18De manhã, quando ia de novo para Jerusalém, sentiu fome.19Vendo uma figueira à beira da estrada, aproximou-se dela e nada achou nela, senão folhas. E disse à figueira: “Nunca mais nasça fruto de ti, para sempre!” E logo secou.20Os discípulos ficaram pasmados: “Como foi que a figueira secou tão depressa?”21Respondeu-lhes Jesus: “É realmente como vos digo: se tiverem fé e não duvidarem, farão não só o que se fez a esta figueira, como dirão a este monte: ‘Levanta-te e atira-te ao mar!’, e assim sucederá.22Podem pedir seja o que for em oração que, se crerem, recebê-lo-ão.”
A autoridade de Jesus contestada
23Tendo ele entrado no templo, os principais sacerdotes e outros anciãos do povo foram ter com ele, enquanto estava a ensinar, e perguntaram-lhe: “Com que autoridade fazes essas coisas? Quem te deu tal autoridade?”24Em resposta, retorquiu-lhes: “Di-lo-ei, se me responderem a uma pergunta:25O batismo de João é de inspiração celeste ou humana?” Eles puseram-se a falar entre si: “Se dissermos que é de inspiração celeste, ele perguntará: ‘Então, porque não acreditaram nele?’26Mas se dissermos que é de inspiração humana, temos receio da multidão, pois todos têm João na conta de um profeta.”27Por fim, responderam: “Não sabemos!” E Jesus respondeu: “Então também não respondo à vossa pergunta!
A parábola dos dois filhos
28Que acham disto? Um homem que tinha dois filhos disse ao mais velho: ‘Filho, vai trabalhar hoje na herdade.’29‘Não vou’, respondeu. Mas pensando melhor, acabou por ir.30Depois, disse ao mais novo: ‘Vai tu também!’ E ele respondeu: ‘Sim senhor, vou já’, acabando por não ir.31Qual dos dois obedeceu ao pai?” Responderam: “O primeiro, sem dúvida.” Jesus disse-lhes: “É realmente como vos digo: os cobradores de impostos e as mulheres de má vida entrarão antes de vocês no reino de Deus.32Porque João Batista disse-vos para se arrependerem e se voltarem para Deus, e não quiseram; no entanto, muitos cobradores de impostos e mulheres mal afamadas arrependeram-se. Apesar de terem visto estas coisas, não se arrependeram e nunca chegaram a crer.
A parábola dos lavradores desonestos
33Agora ouçam outra parábola: Certo proprietário plantou uma vinha, erigiu um muro em volta e construiu um lagar. Construiu também uma torre, arrendou a vinha a uns lavradores e partiu em viagem.34Quando chegou a época das vindimas, enviou os seus servos ir ter com os lavradores e receber a sua parte da colheita.35Mas os lavradores assaltaram-nos; espancaram um, mataram outro e apedrejaram um terceiro.36Então o dono enviou um grupo ainda maior do que o primeiro, mas trataram-nos do mesmo modo.37Por fim, mandou o filho. Dizia ele: ‘Hão de respeitar o meu filho.’38Os lavradores, porém, ao verem o filho aproximar-se, disseram entre si: ‘Este é o herdeiro. Vamos matá-lo e a herança será nossa!’39Agarraram-no, mataram-no e arrastaram-no para fora da vinha.40Quando o dono voltar, que acham vocês que fará àqueles lavradores?”41Os anciãos responderam: “Dará uma morte severa a esses malvados e arrendará a vinha a outros lavradores que lhe paguem pontualmente a parte que lhe cabe dos frutos.”42Jesus perguntou-lhes: “Não se lembram de ler esta frase nas Escrituras? ‘A pedra que os construtores rejeitaram veio a tornar-se a pedra fundamental do edifício! Isto foi outra obra que o Senhor fez, e é espantosa aos nossos olhos! ’43Por isso, garanto que o reino de Deus vos será tirado e entregue a um povo que dê a sua parte da colheita.44Quem tropeçar nesta pedra será feito em pedaços e aqueles sobre quem ela cair serão esmagados.”45Quando os principais sacerdotes e os fariseus perceberam que a parábola que Jesus contara se referia a eles46procuraram prendê-lo, mas tiveram medo das multidões que tinham Jesus como 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)