“If anyone says to you.
‘Why are you doing this?’
Just say this!
‘The Lord needs it!
He will send it
Back here immediately.’”
καὶ ἐάν τις ὑμῖν εἴπῃ Τί ποιεῖτε τοῦτο; εἴπατε Ὁ Κύριος αὐτοῦ χρείαν ἔχει, καὶ εὐθὺς αὐτὸν ἀποστέλλει πάλιν ὧδε.
Both Matthew, chapter 21:3, and Luke, chapter 19:31, are similar with slight differences. Matthew had a donkey and a colt, while Mark and Luke had just a colt. Mark indicated that Jesus said that if anyone asked them (καὶ ἐάν τις ὑμῖν εἴπῃ) about what they were doing (Τί ποιεῖτε τοῦτο), in this stealing of a young tied up colt, they were to say (εἴπατε) that the Lord needs to have this animal (Ὁ Κύριος αὐτοῦ χρείαν ἔχει), as if that was some sort of secret password. Was this a secret disciple of Jesus in this village? Mark indicated that they were to say that Jesus would immediately send it back (αὐτὸν ἀποστέλλει πάλιν ὧδε), which was not in the other 2 gospel accounts.
