Focused Passage

Matthew 21:12-17

The King Enters Jerusalem, Judges Fruitless Religion, and Exposes Rejected-Son Leadership

Matthew moves from messianic entry, to temple judgment and healing, to children’s praise and leader indignation, to the prophetic sign of the fig tree, to a challenge over Jesus’ authority, to parables exposing false obedience and murderous stewardship, and finally to Jesus’ declaration that the rejected stone becomes the cornerstone and the kingdom will be given to a fruit-bearing people.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

12 Then Jesus entered the temple courts and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those selling doves.

13 And He declared to them, “It is written: ‘My house will be called a house of prayer.’ But you are making it ‘a den of robbers.’”

14 The blind and the lame came to Him at the temple, and He healed them.

15 But the chief priests and scribes were indignant when they saw the wonders He performed and the children shouting in the temple courts, “Hosanna to the Son of David!”

16 “Do You hear what these children are saying?” they asked. “Yes,” Jesus answered. “Have you never read: ‘From the mouths of children and infants You have ordained praise’?”

17 Then He left them and went out of the city to Bethany, where He spent the night.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 12

Original words

Then Καὶ G2532 Conjunction Jesus Ἰησοῦς G2424 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular entered εἰσῆλθεν G1525 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular . . . εἰς G1519 Preposition the τὸ G3588 Article - Accusative Neuter Singular temple [courts] ἱερόν G2411 Noun - Accusative Neuter Singular and καὶ G2532 Conjunction drove out ἐξέβαλεν G1544 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular all πάντας G3956 Adjective - Accusative Masculine Plural who were τοὺς G3588 Article - Accusative Masculine Plural buying ἀγοράζοντας G59 Verb - Present Participle Active - Accusative Masculine Plural and καὶ G2532 Conjunction selling πωλοῦντας G4453 Verb - Present Participle Active - Accusative Masculine Plural [there] ἐν G1722 Preposition . . . τῷ G3588 Article - Dative Neuter Singular . . . ἱερῷ G2411 Noun - Dative Neuter Singular - καὶ G2532 Conjunction He overturned κατέστρεψεν G2690 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular the τὰς G3588 Article - Accusative Feminine Plural tables τραπέζας G5132 Noun - Accusative Feminine Plural of the τῶν G3588 Article - Genitive Masculine Plural money changers κολλυβιστῶν G2855 Noun - Genitive Masculine Plural and καὶ G2532 Conjunction the τὰς G3588 Article - Accusative Feminine Plural seats καθέδρας G2515 Noun - Accusative Feminine Plural of those τῶν G3588 Article - Genitive Masculine Plural selling πωλούντων G4453 Verb - Present Participle Active - Genitive Masculine Plural - τὰς G3588 Article - Accusative Feminine Plural doves περιστεράς G4058 Noun - Accusative Feminine Plural

BSB notes

  • Literally the temple; also in verses 15 and 23; BYZ and TR the temple of God
Verse 13

Original words

And καὶ G2532 Conjunction He declared λέγει G3004 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular to them αὐτοῖς G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person Plural It is written Γέγραπται G1125 Verb - Perfect Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular My μου G1473 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 1st Person Singular - G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Singular house οἶκός G3624 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular will be called κληθήσεται G2564 Verb - Future Indicative Passive - 3rd Person Singular a house οἶκος G3624 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular of prayer προσευχῆς G4335 Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular But δὲ G1161 Conjunction you ὑμεῖς G4771 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Nominative 2nd Person Plural are making ποιεῖτε G4160 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 2nd Person Plural it αὐτὸν G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person Singular a den Σπήλαιον G4693 Noun - Accusative Neuter Singular of robbers λῃστῶν G3027 Noun - Genitive Masculine Plural

BSB notes

  • Isaiah 56:7
  • Jeremiah 7:11
Verse 14

Original words

- Καὶ G2532 Conjunction [The] blind τυφλοὶ G5185 Adjective - Nominative Masculine Plural and καὶ G2532 Conjunction [the] lame χωλοὶ G5560 Adjective - Nominative Masculine Plural came προσῆλθον G4334 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural to Him αὐτῷ G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person Singular at ἐν G1722 Preposition the τῷ G3588 Article - Dative Neuter Singular temple ἱερῷ G2411 Noun - Dative Neuter Singular and καὶ G2532 Conjunction He healed ἐθεράπευσεν G2323 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular them αὐτούς G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person Plural
Verse 15

Original words

But δὲ G1161 Conjunction the οἱ G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Plural chief priests ἀρχιερεῖς G749 Noun - Nominative Masculine Plural and καὶ G2532 Conjunction - οἱ G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Plural scribes γραμματεῖς G1122 Noun - Nominative Masculine Plural were indignant ἠγανάκτησαν G23 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural when they saw ἰδόντες G3708 Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plural the τὰ G3588 Article - Accusative Neuter Plural wonders θαυμάσια G2297 Adjective - Accusative Neuter Plural - G3739 Personal / Relative Pronoun - Accusative Neuter Plural He performed ἐποίησεν G4160 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular and καὶ G2532 Conjunction the τοὺς G3588 Article - Accusative Masculine Plural children παῖδας G3816 Noun - Accusative Masculine Plural vvv καὶ G2532 Conjunction vvv λέγοντας G3004 Verb - Present Participle Active - Accusative Masculine Plural vvv τοὺς G3588 Article - Accusative Masculine Plural shouting κράζοντας G2896 Verb - Present Participle Active - Accusative Masculine Plural in ἐν G1722 Preposition the τῷ G3588 Article - Dative Neuter Singular temple [courts] ἱερῷ G2411 Noun - Dative Neuter Singular Hosanna Ὡσαννὰ G5614 Hebrew Word to the τῷ G3588 Article - Dative Masculine Singular Son υἱῷ G5207 Noun - Dative Masculine Singular of David Δαυίδ G1138 Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular
Verse 16

Original words

Do You hear Ἀκούεις G191 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 2nd Person Singular what τί G5101 Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Accusative Neuter Singular these [children] οὗτοι G3778 Demonstrative Pronoun - Nominative Masculine Plural are saying λέγουσιν G3004 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural - καὶ G2532 Conjunction they asked εἶπαν G2036 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural - αὐτῷ G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person Singular Yes Ναί G3483 Particle - δὲ G1161 Conjunction - G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Singular Jesus Ἰησοῦς G2424 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular answered λέγει G3004 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular - αὐτοῖς G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person Plural vvv οὐδέποτε G3763 Adverb Have you never read ἀνέγνωτε G314 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 2nd Person Plural - ὅτι G3754 Conjunction From Ἐκ G1537 Preposition [the] mouths στόματος G4750 Noun - Genitive Neuter Singular of children νηπίων G3516 Adjective - Genitive Masculine Plural and καὶ G2532 Conjunction infants θηλαζόντων G2337 Verb - Present Participle Active - Genitive Masculine Plural You have ordained Κατηρτίσω G2675 Verb - Aorist Indicative Middle - 2nd Person Singular praise αἶνον G136 Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular

BSB notes

  • Psalm 8:2 (see also LXX)
Verse 17

Original words

Then Καὶ G2532 Conjunction He left καταλιπὼν G2641 Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular them αὐτοὺς G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person Plural [and] went ἐξῆλθεν G1831 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular out of ἔξω G1854 Preposition the τῆς G3588 Article - Genitive Feminine Singular city πόλεως G4172 Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular to εἰς G1519 Preposition Bethany Βηθανίαν G963 Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular - καὶ G2532 Conjunction where He spent the night ηὐλίσθη G835 Verb - Aorist Indicative Passive - 3rd Person Singular . . . ἐκεῖ G1563 Adverb

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.