Jesus Curses a Fig Tree and Clears the Temple Courts^(A)(B)(C)

¹² The next day as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry. ¹³ Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to find out if it had any fruit. When he reached it, he found nothing but leaves, because it was not the season for figs.^{(D) 14} Then he said to the tree, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” And his disciples heard him say it.

¹⁵ On reaching Jerusalem, Jesus entered the temple courts and began driving out those who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves, ¹⁶ and would not allow anyone to carry merchandise through the temple courts. ¹⁷ And as he taught them, he said, “Is it not written: ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations’^[a]?^(E) But you have made it ‘a den of robbers.’^[b]”^(F)

¹⁸ The chief priests and the teachers of the law heard this and began looking for a way to kill him, for they feared him,^(G) because the whole crowd was amazed at his teaching.^(H)

¹⁹ When evening came, Jesus and his disciples^[c] went out of the city.^(I)

Jesus at the Temple^(A)

⁴⁵ When Jesus entered the temple courts, he began to drive out those who were selling. ⁴⁶ “It is written,” he said to them, “‘My house will be a house of prayer’^[a];^(B) but you have made it ‘a den of robbers.’^[b]”^(C)

⁴⁷ Every day he was teaching at the temple.^(D) But the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the leaders among the people were trying to kill him.^{(E) 48} Yet they could not find any way to do it, because all the people hung on his words.