Matthew 21:23-27 - Jesus' Authority Challenged

²³ And when He had come into the temple, the high priests and elders of the people came up to Him while He was teaching, and asked, "What sort of authority have you for doing these things, and who gave you this authority?"

²⁴ Jesus answered them, "Let me too ask you just one question, and if you answer it, I will tell you what sort of authority I have for doing as I do. ²⁵ Where did John's baptism come from? From heaven, or from men?" They argued it out among themselves in this way, "If we say, 'From heaven,' He will say to us, 'Then why did you not believe him?' ²⁶ But if we say, 'From men,' we are afraid of the people, for they all consider John a prophet." ²⁷ So they answered Jesus, "We do not know." He also answered them, "Nor am I going to tell you what sort of authority I have for doing as I do.

²⁷ Then again they went into Jerusalem. And while Jesus was walking about in the temple, the high priests, scribes, and elders came up to Him ²⁸ and said to Him, "What sort of authority have you for doing as you do? Or, who gave you the authority to do as you do?"

²⁹ Jesus said to them, "Let me ask you just one question, and if you answer me, I will tell you what sort of authority I have for doing as I do. ³⁰ Was John's baptism from heaven or from men? Answer me."

³¹ Then they argued with one another in this way, "If we say, 'It was from heaven,' He will say, 'Then why did you not believe him?' ³² On the other hand, can we say, 'It was from men'?" For they were afraid of the people, because everybody thought that John was really a prophet. ³³ So they said to Jesus, "We do not know." Jesus also said to them, "Nor am I going to tell you what sort of authority I have for doing as I do."

¹ One day while He was teaching the people in the temple and preaching the good news, the high priests and the scribes, together with the elders, took a stand against Him, ² and said to Him, "Tell us what sort of authority you have for doing as you do, or who is it that gave you such authority?"

³ Then He answered them, "I will ask you a question too. Tell me, ⁴ was John's baptism from heaven or from men?"

⁵ And they argued with one another, and said, "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 to death, for they are convinced that John was a prophet."

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

⁸ Then Jesus said to them, "Nor am I going to tell you what sort of authority I have for doing as I do."