Matthew 21:1-11 - The Triumphal Entry

¹ When they had almost reached Jerusalem, having come as far as Bethphage, on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent on two disciples. ² "Go to the village facing you," he said, "and you will immediately find an ass tethered, with a foal by her side; untie her, and lead her here for me. ³ And, if any one says anything to you, you are to say this-- 'The Master wants them'; and he will send them at once."

⁴ This happened in fulfillment of these words in the Prophet--

⁵ 'Say to the daughter of Zion--"Behold, thy King is coming to thee, Gentle, and riding on an ass, And on the foal of a beast of burden."'

⁶ So the disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them. ⁷ They led the ass and the foal back, and, when they had put their cloaks on them, he seated himself upon them. ⁸ The immense crowd of people spread their cloaks in the road, while some cut branches off the trees, and spread them on the road. ⁹ The crowds that led the way, as well as those that followed behind, kept shouting: "God save the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! God save him from on high!"

¹⁰ When he had entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred, and asked-- ¹¹ "Who is this?", to which the crowd replied--"This is the Prophet Jesus from Nazareth in Galilee."

¹ When they had almost reached Jerusalem, as far as Bethphage and Bethany, near the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent on two of his disciples. ² "Go to the village facing you," he said; "and, as soon as you get there, you will find a foal tethered, which no one has ever ridden; untie it, and bring it. ³ And, if any one says to you 'Why are you doing that?', say 'The Master wants it, and will be sure to send it back here at once.'"

⁴ The two disciples went, and, finding a foal tethered outside a door in the street, they untied it. ⁵ Some of the by-standers said to them: "What are you doing, untying the foal?" ⁶ And the two disciples answered as Jesus had told them; and they allowed them to go. ⁷ Then they brought the foal to Jesus, and, when they had laid their cloaks on it, he seated himself upon it.

⁸ Many of the people spread their cloaks on the road, while some strewed boughs which they had cut from the fields; ⁹ And those who led the way, as well as those who followed, kept shouting: "'God save him! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!' ¹⁰ Blessed is the coming Kingdom of our father David! 'God save him from on high!'"

¹¹ Jesus entered Jerusalem, and went into the Temple Courts; and, after looking round at everything, as it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the Twelve.

²⁸ After saying this, Jesus went on in front, going up to Jerusalem. ²⁹ It was when Jesus had almost reached Bethphage and Bethany, near the Mount of Olives, that he sent on two of the disciples. ³⁰ "Go to the village facing us," he said, " and, when you get there, you will find a foal tethered, which no one has yet ridden; untie it and lead it here. ³¹ And, if anybody asks you 'Why are you untying it?,' you are to say this--'The Master wants it.'"

³² So the two who were sent went and found it as Jesus had told them. ³³ While they were untying the foal, the owners asked them--"Why are you untying the foal?"

³⁴ And the two disciples answered--"The Master wants it." ³⁵ Then they led it back to Jesus, and threw their cloaks on the foal and put Jesus upon it. ³⁶ As he went along, the people kept spreading their cloaks in the road. ³⁷ When he had almost reached the place where the road led down the Mount of Olives, every one of the many disciples began in their joy to praise God loudly for all the miracles that they had seen:

³⁸ "Blessed is He who comes--Our King--in the name of the Lord! Peace in Heaven, And glory on high."

³⁹ Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him: "Teacher, reprove your disciples."

⁴⁰ But Jesus answered: "I tell you that if these men are silent, the very stones will call out."

¹² On the following day great numbers of people who had come to the Festival, hearing that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem, took palm-branches, ¹³ And went out to meet him, shouting as they went: "'God save Him! Blessed is He who Comes in the name of the Lord'--The King of Israel!"

¹⁴ Having found a young ass, Jesus seated himself on it, in accordance with the passage of Scripture-- ¹⁵ 'Fear not, Daughter of Zion; Behold, thy King is coming to thee, Sitting on the foal of an ass.'

¹⁶ His disciples did not understand all this at first; but, when Jesus had been exalted, then they remembered that these things had been said of him in Scripture, and that they had done these things for him. ¹⁷ Meanwhile the people who were with him, when he called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead, were telling what they had seen. ¹⁸ This, indeed, was why the crowd met him--because people had heard that he had given this sign of his mission.

¹⁹ So the Pharisees said to one another: "You see that you are gaining nothing! Why, all the world has run after him!"