John 2:13-25 In the Temple area he saw merchants selling cattle, sheep and doves for sacrifices, and money changers behind their counters. ¹⁵ Jesus made a whip from some ropes and chased them all out, and drove money changers’ coins over the floor and turning over their tables! 16 Then, going over to the men selling doves, he told them, “Get these things out of here. Don’t turn my Father’s House into market!” ¹⁷ Then his disciples remembered this prophesy from the Scriptures. “Concern for God’s House will be my undoing.”
18 “What right have you to order them out?” the Jewish leaders demanded. “If you have this authority from God, show us a miracle to prove it.” ¹⁹ “All right,” Jesus replied, “this is the miracle I will do for you: Destroy this sanctuary and in three days I will raise it up!”
20 “What!” they exclaimed. “It took forty-six years to build this Temple, and you can do it in three days?” ²¹ But by “this sanctuary” he meant his body. ²² After he came back to life again, the disciples remembered his saying this and realized that what he had quoted from the Scriptures really did refer to him, and had all come true!
23 Because of the miracles he did in Jerusalem at the Passover celebration, many people were convinced that he was indeed the Messiah. ²⁴,²⁵ But Jesus didn’t trust them, for he knew mankind to the core. No one needed to tell him how changeable human nature is! TLBV