Focused Passage

Matthew 21:18-22

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

18 In the morning, as Jesus was returning to the city, He was hungry.

19 Seeing a fig tree by the road, He went up to it but found nothing on it except leaves. “May you never bear fruit again!” He said. And immediately the tree withered.

20 When the disciples saw this, they marveled and asked, “How did the fig tree wither so quickly?”

21 “Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “if you have faith and do not doubt, not only will you do what was done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ it will happen.

22 If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.”

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 18

Original words

- δὲ G1161 Conjunction In the morning Πρωῒ G4404 Adverb as [Jesus] was returning ἐπανάγων* G1877 Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular to εἰς G1519 Preposition the τὴν G3588 Article - Accusative Feminine Singular city πόλιν G4172 Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular He was hungry ἐπείνασεν G3983 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Verse 19

Original words

- καὶ G2532 Conjunction Seeing ἰδὼν G3708 Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular a μίαν G1520 Adjective - Accusative Feminine Singular fig tree συκῆν G4808 Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular by ἐπὶ G1909 Preposition the τῆς G3588 Article - Genitive Feminine Singular road ὁδοῦ G3598 Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular He went up ἦλθεν G2064 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular to ἐπ’ G1909 Preposition it αὐτήν G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Feminine 3rd Person Singular but καὶ G2532 Conjunction found εὗρεν G2147 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular nothing οὐδὲν G3762 Adjective - Accusative Neuter Singular on ἐν G1722 Preposition it αὐτῇ G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Feminine 3rd Person Singular except εἰ G1487 Conjunction . . . μὴ G3361 Adverb . . . μόνον G3440 Adverb leaves φύλλα G5444 Noun - Accusative Neuter Plural vvv 〈Οὐ〉 G3756 Adverb May you never bear γένηται G1096 Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Middle - 3rd Person Singular . . . εἰς G1519 Preposition . . . τὸν G3588 Article - Accusative Masculine Singular . . . αἰῶνα G165 Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular . . . ἐκ G1537 Preposition . . . σοῦ G4771 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person Singular fruit καρπὸς G2590 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular again μηκέτι G3371 Adverb - καὶ G2532 Conjunction He said λέγει G3004 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular - αὐτῇ G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Feminine 3rd Person Singular And καὶ G2532 Conjunction immediately παραχρῆμα G3916 Adverb the G3588 Article - Nominative Feminine Singular tree συκῆ G4808 Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular withered ἐξηράνθη G3583 Verb - Aorist Indicative Passive - 3rd Person Singular
Verse 20

Original words

When Καὶ G2532 Conjunction the οἱ G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Plural disciples μαθηταὶ G3101 Noun - Nominative Masculine Plural saw [this] ἰδόντες G3708 Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plural they marveled ἐθαύμασαν G2296 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural [and] asked λέγοντες G3004 Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plural How {did} Πῶς G4459 Adverb the G3588 Article - Nominative Feminine Singular fig tree συκῆ G4808 Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular wither ἐξηράνθη G3583 Verb - Aorist Indicative Passive - 3rd Person Singular so quickly παραχρῆμα G3916 Adverb
Verse 21

Original words

Truly Ἀμὴν G281 Hebrew Word I tell λέγω G3004 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular you ὑμῖν G4771 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 2nd Person Plural - δὲ G1161 Conjunction - G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Singular Jesus Ἰησοῦς G2424 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular replied Ἀποκριθεὶς G611 Verb - Aorist Participle Passive - Nominative Masculine Singular . . . εἶπεν G2036 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular . . . αὐτοῖς G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person Plural if ἐὰν G1437 Conjunction you have ἔχητε G2192 Verb - Present Subjunctive Active - 2nd Person Plural faith πίστιν G4102 Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular and καὶ G2532 Conjunction {do} not μὴ G3361 Adverb doubt διακριθῆτε G1252 Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Passive - 2nd Person Plural not οὐ G3756 Adverb only μόνον G3440 Adverb will you do ποιήσετε G4160 Verb - Future Indicative Active - 2nd Person Plural what was done τὸ G3588 Article - Accusative Neuter Singular to the τῆς G3588 Article - Genitive Feminine Singular fig tree συκῆς G4808 Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular but ἀλλὰ G235 Conjunction even if κἂν G2579 Adverb you say εἴπητε G2036 Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 2nd Person Plural to this τούτῳ G3778 Demonstrative Pronoun - Dative Neuter Singular - τῷ G3588 Article - Dative Neuter Singular mountain ὄρει G3735 Noun - Dative Neuter Singular Be lifted up Ἄρθητι G142 Verb - Aorist Imperative Passive - 2nd Person Singular and καὶ G2532 Conjunction thrown βλήθητι G906 Verb - Aorist Imperative Passive - 2nd Person Singular into εἰς G1519 Preposition the τὴν G3588 Article - Accusative Feminine Singular sea θάλασσαν G2281 Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular it will happen γενήσεται G1096 Verb - Future Indicative Middle - 3rd Person Singular
Verse 22

Original words

- καὶ G2532 Conjunction If you believe πιστεύοντες G4100 Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plural you will receive λήμψεσθε G2983 Verb - Future Indicative Middle - 2nd Person Plural whatever πάντα G3956 Adjective - Accusative Neuter Plural . . . ὅσα G3745 Personal / Relative Pronoun - Accusative Neuter Plural . . . ἂν G302 Particle you ask for αἰτήσητε G154 Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 2nd Person Plural in ἐν G1722 Preposition - τῇ G3588 Article - Dative Feminine Singular prayer προσευχῇ G4335 Noun - Dative Feminine Singular

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.