¹⁹ And whenever evening came, they would go out of the city.

The Barren Fig Tree Is Withered

²⁰ Early^(A) in the morning, as they were passing by, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots up. ²¹ Then Peter^(B) remembered and said to Him, “Rabbi,^(C) look! The fig tree that You cursed^(D) is withered.”

²² Jesus replied to them, “Have faith in God.^{(E) 23} I assure you:^(F) If anyone says to this mountain, ‘Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt^(G) in his heart, but believes^(H) that what he says will happen, it will be done for him.^{(I) 24} Therefore I tell you, all the things you pray^(J) and ask for^(K)—believe that you have received^[a](L) them, and you will have them. ²⁵ And whenever you stand^(M) praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive^(N) him, so that your Father^(O) in heaven^(P) will also forgive^(Q) you your wrongdoing. [²⁶ But if you don’t forgive, neither will your Father in heaven^(R) forgive your wrongdoing.]”^[b][c]

Messiah’s Authority Challenged

²⁷ They^(S) came again to Jerusalem.^(T) As He was walking in the temple complex,^(U) the chief priests, the scribes,^(V) and the elders^(W) came ²⁸ and asked Him, “By what authority^(X) are You doing these things? Who gave You this authority to do these things?”

²⁹ Jesus said to them, “I will ask you one question;^(Y) then answer Me, and I will tell you by what authority I am doing these things. ³⁰ Was John’s baptism^(Z) from heaven or from men? Answer Me.”

³¹ They began to argue among themselves: “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will say, ‘Then why didn’t you believe^(AA) him?’ ³² But if we say, ‘From men’”—they were afraid of the crowd, because everyone thought that John was a genuine prophet.^{(AB) 33} So they answered Jesus, “We don’t know.”

And Jesus said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.”