When Jesus had entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, “Who is this?”
Parallel translations
- WEB When he had come into Jerusalem, all the city was stirred up, saying, “Who is this?”
- KJV And when he was come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, Who is this?
- NKJV And when He had come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, “Who is this?”
- NASB When He had entered Jerusalem, all the city was stirred, saying, “Who is this?”
- NLT The entire city of Jerusalem was in an uproar as he entered. “Who is this?” they asked.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Jesus' entry stirs the whole city, which asks, 'Who is this?' His arrival forces Jerusalem to confront his identity.
Overview
The triumphal entry throws Jerusalem into commotion, prompting the city's question about who Jesus is. The same word for 'stirred' recalls the turmoil at his birth (Matthew 2:3). His coming demands a verdict on his identity—a question that hangs over the whole Passion narrative and confronts every reader.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 12
- Acts 9:5“Who are You, Lord?” Saul asked. “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” He replied.
- Luke 5:21But the scribes and Pharisees began thinking to themselves, “Who is this man who speaks blasphemy? Who can forgive sins but God alone?”
- Isa 63:1Who is this coming from Edom, from Bozrah with crimson-stained garments? Who is this robed in splendor, marching in the greatness of His strength? “It is I, proclaiming vindication, mighty to save.”
- Ruth 1:19So Naomi and Ruth traveled until they came to Bethlehem. When they entered Bethlehem, the whole city was stirred because of them, and the women of the city exclaimed, “Can this be Naomi?”
- John 12:16–19At first His disciples did not understand these things, but after Jesus was glorified they remembered what had been done to Him, and they realized that these very things had also been written about Him.
- Luke 7:49But those at the table began to say to themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?”
- Song 3:6Who is this coming up from the wilderness like a column of smoke, scented with myrrh and frankincense from all the spices of the merchant?
- 1 Sam 16:4So Samuel did what the LORD had said and went to Bethlehem. When the elders of the town met him, they trembled and asked, “Do you come in peace?”
- Luke 9:9“I beheaded John,” Herod said, “but who is this man I hear such things about?” And he kept trying to see Jesus.
- John 2:18On account of this, the Jews demanded, “What sign can You show us to prove Your authority to do these things?”
- Matt 2:3When King Herod heard this, he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him.
- Luke 20:2“Tell us,” they said, “by what authority are You doing these things, and who gave You this authority?”
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.
Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.
Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.
Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.
The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
Matthew presents Jesus as the promised King — son of David, son of Abraham — the new Moses and true Israel in whom every prophecy reaches 'that it might be fulfilled.'
How Matthew 21:10 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.