The Triumphal Entry

21 When they approached Jerusalem^(A) and came to Bethphage at the Mount of Olives,^(B) Jesus then sent two disciples, ² telling them, “Go into the village ahead of you. At once you will find a donkey tied there with her colt. Untie them and bring them to me. ³ If anyone says anything to you, say that the Lord needs them, and he will send them at once.”

⁴ This took place so that what was spoken through the prophet might be fulfilled:

⁶ The disciples went and did just as Jesus directed them. ⁷ They brought the donkey and the colt; then they laid their clothes on them, and he sat on them. ⁸ A very large crowd spread their clothes on the road; others were cutting branches from the trees and spreading them on the road. ⁹ Then the crowds who went ahead of him and those who followed shouted:

¹⁰ When he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was in an uproar, saying, “Who is this?” ¹¹ The crowds were saying, “This is the prophet Jesus^(E) from Nazareth in Galilee.”

The Triumphal Entry

11 When^(A) they approached Jerusalem,^(B) at Bethphage and Bethany^(C) near the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples ² and told them, “Go into the village ahead of you. As soon as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, on which no one has ever sat. Untie it and bring it. ³ If anyone says to you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘The Lord needs it and will send it back here right away.’”

⁴ So they went and found a colt outside in the street, tied by a door. They untied it, ⁵ and some of those standing there said to them, “What are you doing, untying the colt?” ⁶ They answered them just as Jesus had said; so they let them go.

⁷ They brought the colt to Jesus and threw their clothes on it, and he sat on it. ⁸ Many people spread their clothes on the road,^(D) and others spread leafy branches cut from the fields.^{[a] 9} Those who went ahead and those who followed shouted:

¹¹ He went into Jerusalem^(J) and into the temple.^(K) After looking around at everything, since it was already late, he went out to Bethany^(L) with the Twelve.

The Triumphal Entry

²⁸ When^(A) he had said these things, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem.^{(B) 29} As he approached Bethphage and Bethany, at the place called the Mount of Olives,^(C) he sent two of the disciples ³⁰ and said, “Go into the village ahead of you. As you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, on which no one has ever sat. Untie it and bring it. ³¹ If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ say this: ‘The Lord needs it.’”

³² So those who were sent left and found it just as he had told them.^{(D) 33} As they were untying the colt, its owners said to them, “Why are you untying the colt?”

³⁴ “The Lord needs it,” they said. ³⁵ Then^(E) they brought it to Jesus, and after throwing their clothes on the colt, they helped Jesus get on it.^{(F) 36} As he was going along, they were spreading their clothes on the road.^{(G) 37} Now he came near the path down the Mount of Olives, and the whole crowd of the disciples began to praise God joyfully with a loud voice for all the miracles they had seen:

³⁹ Some of the Pharisees from the crowd told him, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples.”

⁴⁰ He answered, “I tell you, if they were to keep silent, the stones would cry out.”^(L)

Jesus’s Love for Jerusalem

⁴¹ As he approached and saw the city, he wept^(M) for it, ⁴² saying, “If you knew^(N) this day what would bring peace—but now it is hidden^(O) from your eyes. ⁴³ For the days will come on you^(P) when your enemies will build a barricade around you, surround you, and hem you in on every side.^{(Q) 44} They will crush you and your children among you to the ground,^(R) and they will not leave one stone on another^(S) in your midst, because you did not recognize the time when God visited you.”^(T)