Matthew 21:23-27 - Jesus' Authority Challenged

²³ And when he entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came up to him as he was teaching, and said, "By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?"

²⁴ Jesus answered them, "I also will ask you one question; and if you tell me the answer, then I also will tell you by what authority I do these things. ²⁵ The baptism of Johnwhere was it from? From heaven or from men?" And they reasoned among themselves, saying, "If we say, 'From heaven,' he will say to us, 'Why then did you not believe him?' ²⁶ But if we say, 'From men,' we are afraid of the multitude; for all hold that John was a prophet." ²⁷ So they answered Jesus, "We do not know." And he said to them, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.

²⁷ Then they came again to Jerusalem. And as he was walking in the temple, the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders came to him. ²⁸ And they said to him, "By what authority are you doing these things? Who gave you this authority to do them?"

²⁹ Jesus said to them, "I will ask you one question; answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things. ³⁰ The baptism of Johnwas it from heaven or from men? Answer me."

³¹ And they reasoned among themselves, "If we say, 'From heaven,' He will say, 'Why then did you not believe him?' ³² But if we say, 'From men'"they feared the people, for all held that John was a real prophet. ³³ So they answered Jesus, "We do not know." And Jesus said to them, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things."

¹ One day as he was teaching the people in the temple and preaching the gospel, the chief priests and the scribes, together with the elders, came up to him ² and said to him, "Tell us by what authority are you doing these things? Or who it is that gave you this authority."

³ He answered them, "I also will ask you a question; now tell me, ⁴ the baptism of Johnwas it from heaven or from men?"

⁵ And they reasoned among themselves, saying, "If we say, 'From heaven,' he will say, 'Why did you not believe him?' ⁶ But if we say, 'From men,' all the people will stone us, for they are persuaded that John was a prophet."

⁷ So they answered that they did not know where it was from.

⁸ And Jesus said to them, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things."