Matthew 21:12-17 - The Cleansing Of The Temple

¹² Jesus went into the Temple and drove out all who were trading there. He overturned the tables of the moneychangers and the seats of those trading in doves. ¹³ He told them: It is written, 'My house is to be named a house of prayer,' but you are making it a hiding place of thieves.

¹⁴ The blind and the crippled came to him in the Temple, and he made them well. ¹⁵ The chief priests and the scribes saw the powerful works he did. They heard the children crying out in the Temple: Glory to the son of David. This made them very angry. ¹⁶ Have you any idea what these people are saying? Jesus answered: Yes. It is written, 'From the lips of children and babies at the breast you have made your praise complete.'

¹⁷ He left them and went out of the town to Bethany where he stayed for the night.

¹⁵ When in Jerusalem he entered the temple and turned over the tables of the moneychangers and the seats of the people who sold doves. ¹⁶ He would not allow any man to carry merchandise through the temple.

¹⁷ When he taught, he said: Is it not written, my house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations? But you have made it a den of robbers. ¹⁸ The chief priests and the scribes heard it, and sought how they might destroy him. They feared him because the crowd was astonished at his teaching.

¹⁹ And every evening he left the city.

⁴⁵ Jesus entered the temple and drove out the merchants. ⁴⁶ He said: It is written my house shall be a house of prayer. You have made it a den of robbers.

⁴⁷ Everyday he taught in the temple. The chief priests, scribes and other important men of the people looked for ways to destroy him. ⁴⁸ They could not find a way for the people listened to every thing he said.

¹⁴ He found the merchants who sold oxen, sheep and doves. The moneychangers were sitting nearby. ¹⁵ He made a whip of cords, and chased them all out of the temple, including the sheep and the oxen. He poured out the coins of the moneychangers and overturned the tables. ¹⁶ He told those who sold doves: Take these things away. Do not make my Father's house a house of merchandise.

¹⁷ His disciples remembered what was written. 'Zeal for your house shall eat me up.' (Psalm 69:9)

¹⁸ The Jews asked him: What sign would you show us seeing that you do these things?

¹⁹ Jesus replied: Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up.

²⁰ The Jews responded: It took forty-six years to build this temple and you will raise it up in three days?

²¹ But he spoke of the temple of his body. ²² When he was raised from the dead his disciples remembered that he said this. Then they believed the Scripture and the word that Jesus said.