15. The leading priests and the teachers of the law saw that Jesus was doing wonderful things. They saw the children praising him in the Temple. The children were saying, “Praise to the Son of David.” All these things made the priests and the teachers of the law very angry.
16. They asked Jesus, “Do you hear the things these children are saying?”Jesus answered, “Yes. Haven’t you read in the Scriptures, ‘You have taught children and babies to sing praises’?”
17. Then Jesus left and went out of the city to Bethany, where he spent the night.
18. Early the next morning, Jesus was going back to the city. He was very hungry.
19. He saw a fig tree beside the road. Jesus went to it, but there were no figs on the tree. There were only leaves. So Jesus said to the tree, “You will never again have fruit!” The tree immediately dried up.
20. His followers saw this and were amazed. They asked, “How did the fig tree dry up so quickly?”
21. Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth. If you have faith and do not doubt, you will be able to do what I did to this tree. And you will be able to do more. You will be able to say to this mountain, ‘Go, mountain, fall into the sea.’ And if you have faith, it will happen.
22. If you believe, you will get anything you ask for in prayer.”
23. Jesus went to the Temple. While he was teaching there, the leading priests and the elders of the people came to Jesus. They said to him, “Tell us! What authority do you have to do these things? Who gave you this authority?”
24. Jesus answered, “I will ask you a question, too. If you answer me, then I will tell you what authority I have to do these things.
25. Tell me: When John baptized people, did that come from God or from man?”The priests and the leaders argued about Jesus’ question. They said to each other, “If we answer, ‘John’s baptism was from God,’ then Jesus will say, ‘Then why didn’t you believe John?’
26. But if we say, ‘It was from man,’ we are afraid of what the people will do because they all believe that John was a prophet.”