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

¹² Jesus went into the Temple Courts, and drove out all those who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money-changers, and the seats of the pigeon-dealers, ¹³ And said to them: "Scripture says??My House shall be called a house of prayer'; but you are making it 'a den of robbers.'"

¹⁴ While he was still in the Temple Courts, some blind and some lame people came up to him, and he cured them. ¹⁵ But, when the Chief Priests and the Teachers of the Law saw the wonderful things that Jesus did, and the boys who were calling out in the Temple Courts "God save the Son of David!", they were indignant, ¹⁶ And said to him: "Do you hear what these boys are saying?" "Yes," answered Jesus; "but did you never read the words--'Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings thou hast called forth perfect praise'?"

¹⁷ Then he left them, and went out of the city to Bethany, and spent the night there.

¹⁵ They came to Jerusalem. Jesus went into the Temple Courts, and began to drive out those who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money-changers, and the seats of the pigeon-dealers, ¹⁶ And would not allow any one to carry anything across the Temple Courts.

¹⁷ Then he began to teach. "Does not Scripture say," he asked, "'My House shall be called a House of Prayer for all the nations'? But you have made it a den of robbers.'" ¹⁸ Now the Chief Priests and the Teachers of the Law heard this and began to look for some way of putting Jesus to death; for they were afraid of him, since all the people were greatly impressed by his teaching.

¹⁹ As soon as evening fell, Jesus and his disciples went out of the city.

⁴⁵ Jesus went into the Temple Courts and began to drive out those who were selling, ⁴⁶ Saying as he did so: "Scripture says--'My House shall be a House of Prayer'; but you have made it 'a den of robbers.'"

⁴⁷ Jesus continued to teach each day in the Temple Courts; but the Chief Priests and Teachers of the Law were eager to take his life, and so also were the leading men. ⁴⁸ Yet they could not see what to do, for the people all hung upon his words.

¹⁴ In the Temple Courts he found people who were selling bullocks, sheep, and pigeons, and the money-changers at their counters. ¹⁵ So he made a whip of cords, and drove them all out of the Temple Courts, and the sheep and bullocks as well; he scattered the money of the money-changers, and overturned their tables, ¹⁶ And said to the pigeon-dealers: "Take these things away. Do not turn my Father's House into a market-house."

¹⁷ His disciples remembered that Scripture said--'Zeal for thy House will consume me.'

¹⁸ Upon this the Jews asked Jesus: "What sign are you going to show us, since you act in this way?"

¹⁹ "Destroy this temple," was his answer, "and I will raise it in three days."

²⁰ "This Temple," replied the Jews, "has been forty-six years in building, and are you going to 'raise it in three days'?"

²¹ But Jesus was speaking of his body as a temple. ²² Afterwards, when he had risen from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this; and they believed the passage of Scripture, and the words which Jesus had spoken.