Mark 11:11-15

11:11 Then Jesus entered Jerusalem and went to the temple. And after looking around at everything, he went out to Bethany with the twelve since it was already late.

Cursing of the Fig Tree

11:12 Now the next day, as they went out from Bethany, he was hungry. 11:13 After noticing in the distance a fig tree with leaves, he went to see if he could find any fruit on it. When he came to it he found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. 11:14 He said to it, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” And his disciples heard it.

Cleansing the Temple

11:15 Then they came to Jerusalem. Jesus entered the temple area 10  and began to drive out those who were selling and buying in the temple courts. 11  He turned over the tables of the money changers and the chairs of those selling doves,


tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “Then” to indicate the transition from the previous narrative.

tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.

tn Grk “anything.”

tn Grk “And answering, he said to it.” The participle ἀποκριθείς (apokriqeis) is redundant and has not been translated.

sn Mark 11:12-14. The incident of the cursing of the fig tree occurs before he enters the temple for a third time (11:27ff) and is questioned at length by the religious leaders (11:27-12:40). It appears that Mark records the incident as a portent of what is going to happen to the leadership in Jerusalem who were supposed to have borne spiritual fruit but have been found by Messiah at his coming to be barren. The fact that the nation as a whole is indicted is made explicit in chapter 13:1-37 where Jesus speaks of Jerusalem’s destruction and his second coming.

tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.

10 map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4.

11 tn Grk “He”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

12 tn Grk “the temple.”

13 tn Grk “the temple.”