37. Jesus came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives. There the whole crowd of disciples began to praise God with joy. In loud voices they praised him for all the miracles they had seen. They shouted,
38. "Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!" (Psalm 118:26) "May there be peace and glory in the highest heaven!"
39. Some of the Pharisees in the crowd spoke to Jesus. "Teacher," they said, "tell your disciples to stop!"
40. "I tell you," he replied, "if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out."
41. He approached Jerusalem. When he saw the city, he began to sob.
42. He said, "I wish you had known today what would bring you peace! But now it is hidden from your eyes.
43. "The days will come when your enemies will arrive. They will build a wall of dirt up against your city. They will surround you and close you in on every side.
44. You didn't recognize the time when God came to you. So your enemies will smash you to the ground. They will destroy you and all the people inside your walls. They will not leave one stone on top of another."
45. Then Jesus entered the temple area. He began chasing out those who were selling there.
46. He told them, "It is written that the Lord said, 'My house will be a house where people can pray.' (Isaiah 56:7) But you have made it a 'den for robbers.' " (Jeremiah 7:11)
47. Every day Jesus was teaching at the temple. But the chief priests and the teachers of the law were trying to kill him. So were the leaders among the people.