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When they had approached Jerusalem and had come to Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, Jesus then sent two disciples,
Matthew 21:1 · New American Standard Bible
Parallel translations
  • WEB When they came near to Jerusalem, and came to Bethsphage, to the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples,
  • KJV And when they drew nigh unto Jerusalem, and were come to Bethphage, unto the mount of Olives, then sent Jesus two disciples,
  • BSB As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent out two disciples,
  • NKJV Now when they drew near Jerusalem, and came to Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples,
  • NLT As Jesus and the disciples approached Jerusalem, they came to the town of Bethphage on the Mount of Olives. Jesus sent two of them on ahead.

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

As they near Jerusalem at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sends two disciples ahead. This begins the triumphal entry into the city.

Overview

Approaching Jerusalem by way of Bethphage and the Mount of Olives, Jesus deliberately arranges his entry. The Mount of Olives carried messianic associations (cf. Zechariah 14). Jesus' careful preparation shows he is orchestrating a planned, prophetic entrance that openly presents him as Israel's promised King.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 10

  • Zech 14:4His feet will stand in that day on the Mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east; and the Mount of Olives will be split in two, from east to west, making a very great valley. Half of the mountain will move toward the north, and half of it toward the south.
  • Mark 11:1–10When they came near to Jerusalem, to Bethsphage and Bethany, at the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples,
  • Luke 21:37Every day Jesus was teaching in the temple, and every night he would go out and spend the night on the mountain that is called Olivet.
  • John 8:1but Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.
  • Luke 19:28–38Having said these things, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem.
  • Matt 24:3As he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be? What is the sign of your coming, and of the end of the age?”
  • Matt 26:30When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.
  • Acts 1:12Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mountain called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey away.
  • Luke 22:39He came out, and went, as his custom was, to the Mount of Olives. His disciples also followed him.
  • Mark 14:26When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (2)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — Matthew videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on Matthew 21:1YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on MatthewMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    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 21:1 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.