The next day, Jesus went up to the Mount of Olives. He sent two of his disciples ahead, saying, “Go into the village ahead of you. As soon as you enter it, you will find a donkey tied there, with her colt beside her. Untie them and bring them to me. If anyone asks you why you are doing this, say, ‘The Lord needs them.’”

The disciples went and found everything just as Jesus had said. As they were untying the colt, the owners asked, “Why are you taking them?” They replied, “The Lord needs them,” and the owners let them go.

They brought the donkey and colt to Jesus and placed their cloaks on them, and Jesus sat on the colt. As he rode toward Jerusalem, crowds gathered along the road. People spread their cloaks on the ground, and others cut palm branches and laid them on the path.

The crowd went ahead of him and followed behind, shouting praises to God. “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna to the Son of David!”

Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!”

But Jesus answered, “I tell you, if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.”

As he approached Jerusalem, Jesus paused and wept over the city. He said, “If you had only known, even you, in this day, what would bring you peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes. The days will come when your enemies will surround you and tear you down, because you did not recognize the time of God’s coming to you.”

Then he continued into Jerusalem, and the whole city was stirred by his arrival. People asked, “Who is this?”