Bible Reading Plan

Mark 11

Chapter 11

The Triumphal Entry

¹ 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 young donkey tied there, on which no one has ever sat. Untie it and bring it here. 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 young donkey 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 donkey?" ⁶ They answered them just as Jesus had said, so they let them go. ⁷ Then they brought the donkey to Jesus and threw their robes on it, and He sat on it.

⁸ Many people spread their robes on the road,^(d) and others spread leafy branches cut from the fields.^{[a] 9} Then those who went ahead and those who followed kept shouting:

¹¹ And He went into Jerusalem^(j) and into the temple complex.^(k) After looking around at everything, since it was already late, He went out to Bethany^(l) with the Twelve.

The Barren Fig Tree Is Cursed

¹² The^(m) next day when they came out from Bethany, He was hungry. ¹³ After seeing in the distance a fig⁽ⁿ⁾ tree with leaves, He went to find out if there was anything on it. When He came to it, He found nothing but leaves, because it was not the season for figs. ¹⁴ He said to it, "May no one ever eat fruit^(o) from you again!" ^(p) And His disciples^(q) heard it.

Cleansing the Temple Complex

¹⁵ They came to Jerusalem,^(r) and He went into the temple complex^(s) and began to throw out those buying and selling in the temple. He overturned the money changers'^(t) tables and the chairs of those selling doves, ¹⁶ and would not permit anyone to carry goods through the temple complex.

¹⁷ Then He began to teach them: "Is it not written,^(u) My house ^(v) will be called a house of prayer ^(w) for all nations ?^[c] But you have made it a den of thieves !" ^{(x)[d] 18} Then the chief priests and the scribes^(y) heard it and started looking for a way to destroy Him. For they were afraid^(z) of Him, because the whole crowd was astonished by His teaching.

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

The Barren Fig Tree Is Withered

²⁰ Early^(aa) in the morning, as they were passing by, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots up. ²¹ Then Peter^(ab) remembered and said to Him, "Rabbi,^(ac) look! The fig tree that You cursed^(ad) is withered."

²² Jesus replied to them, "Have faith in God.^{(ae) 23} I assure you:^(af) If anyone says to this mountain, ‘Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,' and does not doubt^(ag) in his heart, but believes^(ah) that what he says will happen, it will be done for him.^{(ai) 24} Therefore I tell you, all the things you pray^(aj) and ask for^(ak)—believe that you have received ^[e](al) them, and you will have them. ²⁵ And whenever you stand^(am) praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive^(an) him, so that your Father^(ao) in heaven^(ap) will also forgive^(aq) you your wrongdoing. [²⁶ But if you don't forgive, neither will your Father in heaven^(ar) forgive your wrongdoing.]" ^[f][g]

Messiah's Authority Challenged

²⁷ They^(as) came again to Jerusalem.^(at) As He was walking in the temple complex,^(au) the chief priests, the scribes,^(av) and the elders^(aw) came ²⁸ and asked Him, "By what authority^(ax) 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;^(ay) then answer Me, and I will tell you by what authority I am doing these things. ³⁰ Was John's baptism^(az) 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^(ba) him?' ³² But if we say, ‘From men'"—they were afraid of the crowd, because everyone thought that John was a genuine prophet.^{(bb) 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."

John 12

Chapter 12

The Anointing at Bethany

¹ Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany^(a) where Lazarus^[a] was, the one Jesus had raised from the dead.^{(b) 2} So^(c) they gave a dinner for Him there; Martha^(d) was serving them, and Lazarus was one of those reclining at the table with Him. ³ Then Mary took a pound of fragrant oil—pure and expensive nard—anointed Jesus' feet, and wiped His feet with her hair.^(e) So the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil.

⁴ Then one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot^(f) (who was about to betray Him), said, ⁵ "Why wasn't this fragrant oil sold for 300 denarii^[b](g) and given to the poor?" ⁶ He didn't say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief.^(h) He was in charge of the money-bag and would steal part of what was put in it.

⁷ Jesus answered, "Leave her alone; she has kept it for the day of My burial.^{(i) 8} For you always have the poor with you,^(j) but you do not always have Me."

The Decision to Kill Lazarus

⁹ Then a large crowd of the Jews learned He was there. They came not only because of Jesus, but also to see Lazarus the one He had raised from the dead.^{(k) 10} Therefore the chief priests decided to kill Lazarus also ¹¹ because he was the reason many of the Jews were deserting them^[c] and believing in Jesus.

The Triumphal Entry

¹² The^(l) next day, when the large crowd that had come to the festival heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, ¹³ they took palm branches^(m) and went out to meet Him. They kept shouting: " Hosanna! ⁽ⁿ⁾ He who comes in the name of the Lord is the blessed One ^(o)[d]—the King of Israel!"^(p)

¹⁴ Jesus found a young donkey^(q) and sat on it, just as it is written: ¹⁵  Fear no more, ^(r) Daughter Zion. Look, your King is coming, sitting on a donkey's colt. ^(s)[e]

¹⁶ His disciples did not understand these things at first. However, when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things had been written about Him^(t) and that they had done these things to Him. ¹⁷ Meanwhile, the crowd, which had been with Him when He called Lazarus out of the tomb^(u) and raised him from the dead, continued to testify.^{[f] 18} This is also why the crowd met Him, because they heard He had done this sign.

¹⁹ Then the Pharisees said to one another, "You see? You've accomplished nothing. Look—the world has gone after Him!"^(v)

Jesus Predicts His Crucifixion

²⁰ Now some Greeks were among those who went up to worship at the festival. ²¹ So they came to Philip,^(w) who was from Bethsaida^(x) in Galilee,^(y) and requested of him, "Sir,^(z) we want to see Jesus."

²² Philip went and told Andrew;^(aa) then Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus. ²³ Jesus replied to them, "The hour has come for the Son of Man^(ab) to be glorified.

²⁴ "I assure you: Unless a grain of wheat^(ac) falls to the ground and dies, it remains by itself. But if it dies, it produces a large crop. ^{[g](ad) 25} The one who loves his life will lose it,^(ae) and the one who hates^(af) his life^(ag) in this world will keep it for eternal life. ²⁶ If anyone serves Me, he must follow Me. Where I am, there My servant^(ah) also will be.^(ai) If anyone serves Me, the Father will honor^(aj) him.

²⁷ "Now My soul is troubled. What should I say—Father, save Me^(ak) from this hour? But that is why I came to this hour. ²⁸ Father, glorify Your name!" ^[h](al)

Then a voice^(am) came from heaven:^(an) "I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again!"^(ao)

²⁹ The crowd standing there heard it and said it was thunder. Others said that an angel had spoken to Him.

³⁰ Jesus responded, "This voice came, not for Me, but for you.^{(ap) 31} Now is the judgment of this world.^(aq) Now the ruler of this world^(ar) will be cast out.^{(as) 32} As for Me, if I am lifted up^[i] from the earth I will draw all people to Myself." ^{(at) 33} He said this to signify what kind of death He was about to die.^(au)

³⁴ Then the crowd replied to Him, "We have heard from the scripture that the Messiah will remain forever.^(av) So how can You say, ‘The Son of Man^(aw) must be lifted up' ?^[j] Who is this Son of Man?"

³⁵ Jesus answered, "The light will be with you only a little longer.^(ax) Walk while you have the light^(ay) so that darkness doesn't overtake you.^(az) The one who walks in darkness doesn't know where he's going.^{(ba) 36} While you have the light,^(bb) believe in the light so that you may become sons of light." Jesus said this, then went away and hid from them.^(bc)

Isaiah's Prophecies Fulfilled

³⁷ Even though He had performed so many signs in their presence, they did not believe in Him. ³⁸ But this was to fulfill^(bd) the word of Isaiah^(be) the prophet, who said:^[k]

³⁹ This is why they were unable to believe, because Isaiah also said:

⁴¹ Isaiah said these things because^[n] he saw His glory^(bl) and spoke about Him.

⁴² Nevertheless, many did believe in Him even among the rulers,^(bm) but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, so they would not be banned from the synagogue. ⁴³ For they loved praise from men^(bn) more than praise from God.^[o](bo)

A Summary of Jesus' Mission

⁴⁴ Then Jesus cried out, "The one who believes in Me^(bp) believes not in Me, but in Him who sent Me. ⁴⁵ And the one who sees Me sees Him^(bq) who sent Me. ⁴⁶ I have come as a light into the world, so that everyone who believes in Me would not remain in darkness. ⁴⁷ If anyone hears My words and doesn't keep^(br) them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world^(bs) but to save the world.^{(bt) 48} The one who rejects Me^(bu) and doesn't accept My sayings has this as his judge:^[p] The word I have spoken will judge him on the last day.^{(bv) 49} For I have not spoken on My own, but the Father^(bw) Himself who sent Me has given Me a command as to what I should say and what I should speak. ⁵⁰ I know that His command is eternal life.^(bx) So the things that I speak, I speak just as the Father has told Me." ^(by)