The Power of Faith^(A)

¹⁸ Early the next morning, as Jesus was going back to the city, he became hungry. ¹⁹ Seeing a fig tree beside the road, Jesus went to it, but ·there were no figs [^Lhe found nothing] on the tree, only leaves [Is. 5:1–7]. So Jesus said to the tree, “·You will [May you] never again have fruit.” The tree immediately ·dried up [withered].

²⁰ When his ·followers [disciples] saw this, they were amazed. They asked, “How did the fig tree ·dry up [wither] ·so quickly [immediately]?”

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 even more. You will be able to say to this mountain, ‘·Go, fall [^LBe lifted up and thrown] into the sea.’ And if you have faith, it will ·happen [be done]. ²² If you ·believe [have faith], you will get anything you ask for in prayer.”

¹² The next day as Jesus was leaving Bethany, he became hungry. ¹³ Seeing a fig tree in leaf from far away, he went to see if it had any figs on it. But he found no figs, only leaves, because it was not the right season for figs. ¹⁴ So Jesus said to the tree, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” And Jesus’ ·followers [disciples] heard him say this.

The Power of Faith^(A)

²⁰ The next morning as Jesus was passing by with his ·followers [disciples], they saw the fig tree ·dry and dead [withered], even to the roots. ²¹ Peter ·remembered the tree and said to Jesus, “·Teacher [^LRabbi], look! The fig tree you cursed is ·dry and dead [withered]!”

²² Jesus answered, “Have faith in God. ²³ I tell you the truth, you can say to this mountain, ‘·Go [Be lifted up], fall into the sea.’ And if you have no doubts in your ·mind [heart] and believe that what you say will happen, ·God will do it for you [it will be done for you]. ²⁴ So I tell you to believe that you have received ·the things [everything] you ask for in prayer, and ·God will give them to you [you will receive them]. ²⁵ When you ·are praying [^Lstand praying], if you ·are angry with [have anything against] someone, forgive him so that your Father in heaven will also forgive your ·sins [transgressions; trespasses]. |²⁶ But if you don’t forgive other people, then your Father in heaven will not forgive your ·sins [transgressions; trespasses].|”^[a]