House of Prayer
17 Then he began to teach. “Does not scripture say,” he asked, “‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations’? But you have made it a den of thieves.’” 18 Now the chief priests and the teachers of the law heard this and began to look for some way of putting Jesus to death; for they were afraid of him, since all the people were greatly impressed by his teaching.
19 As soon as evening fell, Jesus and his disciples went out of the city. 20 As they passed by early in the morning, they noticed that the fig-tree was withered up from the very roots. 21 Then Peter recollected what had occurred. “Look, Rabbi,” he exclaimed, “the fig-tree which you doomed is withered up!” 22 “Have faith in God!” replied Jesus. 23 “I tell you that if anyone should say to this hill: ‘Be lifted up and hurled into the sea!’, without ever a doubt in his mind, but in the faith that what he says will be done, he would find that it would be.”
24 “And therefore I say to you: ‘Have faith that whatever you ask for in prayer is already granted you, and you will find that it will be.’ 25 And, whenever you stand up to pray, forgive any grievance that you have against anyone, that your Father who is in heaven also may forgive you your trespasses. 26 But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses.”
27 They came to Jerusalem again. While Jesus was walking about in the temple courts, the chief priests, the teachers of the law, and the councilors came up to him. 28 “What authority have you to do these things?” they said. “Who gave you the authority to do them?” 29 “I will put one question to you,” said Jesus. “Answer me that, and then I will tell you what authority I have to act as I do. 30 It is about John’s baptism. Was it of divine or human origin? Answer me that.”
31 They began arguing together; “If we say ‘divine,’ he will say: ‘Why then did not you believe him?’ 32 Yet can we say ‘human’?” (they were afraid of the people, for everyone regarded John as undoubtedly a prophet). 33 So their answer to Jesus was: “We do not know.” “Then I,” replied Jesus, “refuse to tell you what authority I have to do these things.”
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To read Chapter 12 of the Book of Mark, please go to: There is One God
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