17. And leaving them behind, he went out, beyond the city, into Bethania, and he lodged here.
18. Then, as he was returning to the city in the morning, he was hungry.
19. And seeing a certain fig tree beside the way, he approached it. And he found nothing on it, except only leaves. And he said to it, "May fruit never spring forth from you, for all time." And immediately the fig tree was dried up.
20. And seeing this, the disciples wondered, saying, "How did it dry up so quickly?"
21. And Jesus responded to them by saying: "Amen I say to you, if you have faith and do not hesitate, not only shall you do this, concerning the fig tree, but even if you would say to this mountain, 'Take and cast yourself into the sea,' it shall be done.
22. And all things whatsoever that you shall ask for in prayer: believing, you shall receive."
23. And when he had arrived at the temple, as he was teaching, the leaders of the priests and the elders of the people approached him, saying: "By what authority do you do these things? And who has given this authority to you?"
24. In response, Jesus said to them: "I also will question you with one word: if you tell me this, I also will tell you by what authority I do these things.
25. The baptism of John, where was it from? Was it from heaven, or from men?" But they thought within themselves, saying:
26. "If we say, 'From heaven,' he will say to us, 'Then why did you not believe him?' But if we say, 'From men,' we have the crowd to fear, for they all hold John to be a prophet."
27. And so, they answered Jesus by saying, "We do not know." So he also said to them: "Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.
28. But how does it seem to you? A certain man had two sons. And approaching the first, he said: 'Son, go out today to work in my vineyard.'
29. And responding, he said, 'I am not willing.' But afterwards, being moved by repentance, he went.
30. And approaching the other, he spoke similarly. And answering, he said, 'I am going, lord.' And he did not go.