Add parallel Print Page Options

27 They came again to Jerusalem. Jesus was walking around in the house of God. The religious leaders and the teachers of the Law and other leaders came to Him. 28 They asked, “How do You have the right and the power to do these things? Who gave You the right and the power to do them?” 29 Jesus said to them, “I will ask you one thing also. If you tell Me, then I will tell you by what right and power I do these things. 30 Was the baptism of John from heaven or from men? Tell Me.” 31 They talked among themselves. They said, “If we say from heaven, He will say, ‘Why did you not believe him?’ 32 But how can we say, ‘From men’?” They were afraid of the people because everyone believed that John was one who spoke for God. 33 So they said, “We do not know.” Then Jesus said, “Then I will not tell you by what right and power I do these things.”

Read full chapter

The Authority of Jesus Questioned(A)

27 They arrived again in Jerusalem, and while Jesus was walking in the temple courts, the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders came to him. 28 “By what authority are you doing these things?” they asked. “And who gave you authority to do this?”

29 Jesus replied, “I will ask you one question. Answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I am doing these things. 30 John’s baptism—was it from heaven, or of human origin? Tell me!”

31 They discussed it among themselves and said, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will ask, ‘Then why didn’t you believe him?’ 32 But if we say, ‘Of human origin’ …” (They feared the people, for everyone held that John really was a prophet.)(B)

33 So they answered Jesus, “We don’t know.”

Jesus said, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.”

Read full chapter

They Ask Jesus Who Gave Him the Power to Do These Things (A)

20 As He was teaching and preaching the Good News, the religious leaders and the teachers of the Law and the elders came. They said to Him, “Tell us, by what right and power are You doing these things? Who gave You the right and the power?” Jesus said to them, “I will ask you one question also. You answer Me. Was the baptism of John from heaven or from men?”

They said to themselves, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will say, ‘Then why did you not believe him?’ But if we say, ‘From men,’ then all the people will throw stones at us because they believe John was one who spoke for God.” They said that they did not know where John’s baptism came from. Jesus said to them, “And I will not tell you where I get the right and the power to do these things.”

Read full chapter

The Authority of Jesus Questioned(A)

20 One day as Jesus was teaching the people in the temple courts(B) and proclaiming the good news,(C) the chief priests and the teachers of the law, together with the elders, came up to him. “Tell us by what authority you are doing these things,” they said. “Who gave you this authority?”(D)

He replied, “I will also ask you a question. Tell me: John’s baptism(E)—was it from heaven, or of human origin?”

They discussed it among themselves and said, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will ask, ‘Why didn’t you believe him?’ But if we say, ‘Of human origin,’ all the people(F) will stone us, because they are persuaded that John was a prophet.”(G)

So they answered, “We don’t know where it was from.”

Jesus said, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.”

Read full chapter