Mark 11:19-26 Meaning: Faith, Prayer, and Forgiveness
19When evening came, he went out of the city.
20As they passed by in the morning, they saw the fig tree withered away from the roots.
21Peter, remembering, said to him, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree which you cursed has withered away.”
22Jesus answered them, “Have faith in God.
23For most certainly I tell you, whoever may tell this mountain, ‘Be taken up and cast into the sea,’ and doesn’t doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says is happening, he shall have whatever he says.
24Therefore I tell you, all things whatever you pray and ask for, believe that you have received them, and you shall have them.
25Whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone; so that your Father, who is in heaven, may also forgive you your transgressions.
26But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your transgressions.”
19And when even was come, he went out of the city.
20And in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots.
21And Peter calling to remembrance saith unto him, Master, behold, the fig tree which thou cursedst is withered away.
22And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God.
23For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.
24Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.
25And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.
26But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.
19And every evening he went forth out of the city.
20And as they passed by in the morning, they saw the fig tree withered away from the roots.
21And Peter calling to remembrance saith unto him, Rabbi, behold, the fig tree which thou cursedst is withered away.
22And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God.
23Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou taken up and cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that what he saith cometh to pass; he shall have it.
24Therefore I say unto you, All things whatsoever ye pray and ask for, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.
25And whensoever ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have aught against any one; that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.
19and when evening came, he was going forth without the city.
20And in the morning, passing by, they saw the fig-tree having been dried up from the roots,
21and Peter having remembered saith to him, `Rabbi, lo, the fig-tree that thou didst curse is dried up.'
22And Jesus answering saith to them, `Have faith of God;
23for verily I say to you, that whoever may say to this mount, Be taken up, and be cast into the sea, and may not doubt in his heart, but may believe that the things that he saith do come to pass, it shall be to him whatever he may say.
24Because of this I say to you, all whatever--praying--ye do ask, believe that ye receive, and it shall be to you.
25`And whenever ye may stand praying, forgive, if ye have anything against any one, that your Father also who is in the heavens may forgive you your trespasses;
26and, if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father who is in the heavens forgive your trespasses.'
19And when it was evening he went forth without the city.
20And passing by early in the morning they saw the fig-tree dried up from the roots.
21And Peter, remembering [what Jesus had said], says to him, Rabbi, see, the fig-tree which thou cursedst is dried up.
22And Jesus answering says to them, Have faith in God.
23Verily I say to you, that whosoever shall say to this mountain, Be thou taken away and cast into the sea, and shall not doubt in his heart, but believe that what he says takes place, whatever he shall say shall come to pass for him.
24For this reason I say to you, All things whatsoever ye pray for and ask, believe that ye receive it, and it shall come to pass for you.
25And when ye stand praying, forgive if ye have anything against any one, that your Father also who is in the heavens may forgive you your offences.
26But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father who is in the heavens forgive your offences.
Meaning in one sentence
What does Jesus teach about prayer after cursing the fig tree? Discover the connection between faith, forgiveness, and effective prayer in Mark 11:19-26.
Context
This passage sits at the heart of what is sometimes called Jesus’ final week in Jerusalem. On Sunday He entered the city to shouts of praise. On Monday He cleared the temple of merchants and cursed a fig tree that had leaves but no fruit. Now Tuesday morning arrives. Jesus and His disciples walk back toward Jerusalem from Bethany, where they have been staying each night. When they pass the fig tree, Peter notices it is completely withered, from the roots up. That startling sight becomes the doorway to a teaching that moves from faith, to prayer, to forgiveness. Mark shows that Jesus habitually left the city each evening, a small detail that underscores His pattern of withdrawal from the crowded temple to quiet places. But the main lesson here is the chain reaction the withered tree sets off: what looks like a lesson about a plant becomes instruction about trusting God, asking boldly, and letting go of grudges.
Key Words
The Greek phrase Jesus uses in verse 22, often translated “Have faith in God,” is literally “Have faith of God.” Commentator Adam Clarke noted this is a Hebrew way of expressing the highest degree, like “mountains of God” meaning the greatest mountains. It is not just any faith; it is faith that takes its character from God Himself. That is the kind of trust Jesus calls for.
Then comes a key word for doubt: diakrinō. It means to be divided in one’s mind, to hesitate or waver. The person who does not doubt in the heart is someone wholeheartedly convinced. This is not a perfect absence of fear, it is a settled trust that God is who He says He is.
And when Jesus moves to forgiveness, He uses the word paraptōma for trespasses, a word that pictures a fall or a slip off the path. It is the small stumble, the misstep, the thing we hold against someone. That is precisely what He tells us to release when we stand to pray.
How Christians Read This Verse
Many Christians have read the fig tree as a symbol of Israel’s spiritual barrenness, a nation full of religious leaves but no fruit. Others focus more on the lesson about faith and prayer, seeing the tree as a vivid object lesson for the disciples. Wesley emphasized that God is the Creator and can destroy a plant to teach an eternal truth. Clarke pointed out that “have faith of God” is a Hebraism for the strongest possible faith. On forgiveness, historic Christian teaching consistently holds that our willingness to forgive others is tied to our reception of God’s forgiveness, though traditions describe the exact relationship differently. Some stress the condition as a test of genuine faith; others see it as a means of preserving fellowship with God. What all agree on is that Jesus links prayer and pardon tightly together.
A common misunderstanding
One common misreading takes verse 24 as a blank check: “I can ask for anything, believe it is mine, and I will get it.” In fact, Jesus gives this promise within a passage that begins with “Have faith in God”, faith that rests in God Himself, not in our own desires. And He immediately adds the command to forgive, which sets the whole teaching in the context of relationships and humility. Prayer is not a vending machine for whatever we want; it is trusting the Father while releasing our grip on offenses.
Living This Out
This week, take one relationship where you hold a grudge, even a small one. Before you ask God for anything, quietly release that person in your heart. You do not have to feel warm toward them. You just open your hands and say, “I am not holding this against them anymore.” Then pray about the mountain in your life, whatever feels too big to move. Trust God with it, not because your faith is perfect, but because His is. The withered tree reminds us that God can do what we cannot, if we will let go of what we should not hold.
Main takeaway: Faith in God and forgiveness of others go together; you cannot hold a grudge and hold on to God’s power at the same time.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
Jesus made a tree dry up. His friends were surprised. Then He said, “Trust God.” He also said, “When you pray, forgive.” That means say sorry and let it go.
For ages 9, 12
Jesus used a dead fig tree to teach something important. Faith in God is not just believing He exists; it is trusting Him completely. And if you are holding a grudge against someone, that can get in the way of your prayers. This week, try to forgive someone you are upset with, even if they do not say sorry first. That is what Jesus meant when He said to forgive so your Father can forgive you.
Questions People Ask
Why did Jesus curse the fig tree if it was not the season for figs?
Some scholars think the tree had leaves, which meant it should have had early figs, but it had none. Others see it as a symbolic act: the tree looked promising but produced nothing, like Israel’s religious leaders. Jesus used the moment to teach about faith and fruitfulness.
Does Mark 11:24 mean we can get anything we ask for if we just believe?
Not exactly. Jesus’ promise is given in the context of having faith in God, trusting Him, not our own wishes. And He immediately adds that we must forgive others. The promise is real, but it operates within a relationship of trust and obedience, not as a magic formula.
Why does Mark mention Jesus leaving the city each evening?
Mark uses the imperfect tense, suggesting this was a habit during Holy Week. It shows Jesus withdrew from the tension in Jerusalem to Bethany for rest and safety. It also reminds us that He balanced public ministry with private prayer and refreshment.
What does it mean to forgive when you stand praying?
Jesus is saying that forgiveness should be the posture of our hearts when we approach God. Holding a grudge while praying is like coming to the Father with clenched fists. He wants us open-handed, ready to release what others owe us, so that we can receive His forgiveness freely.
How is the fig tree connected to the temple cleansing earlier in the chapter?
Mark places the fig tree story around the temple cleansing, Jesus curses the tree, then clears the temple, and then the disciples see the tree dead. Many see a parallel: the temple had leaves of religious activity but no true fruit of prayer for all nations. The withered tree shows what happens when appearance replaces substance.
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