Jesus’ Authority is Challenged^(A)

²⁷ Then they went into Jerusalem again. While Jesus^[a] was walking in the Temple, the high priests, the scribes, and the elders came to him ²⁸ and asked him, “By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority to do them?”

²⁹ Jesus told them, “I’ll ask you one question.^[b] Answer me, and then I’ll tell you by what authority I’m doing these things. ³⁰ Was John’s authority to baptize^[c] from heaven or from humans? Answer me.”

³¹ They began discussing this among themselves. “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he’ll say, ‘Then why didn’t you believe him?’ ³² But if we say, ‘From humans’…?” They were afraid of the crowd, because everyone really thought John was a prophet.

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

Then Jesus told them, “Then I won’t tell you by what authority I’m doing these things.”

Jesus’ Authority is Challenged^(A)

20 One day, while Jesus^[a] was teaching the people in the Temple and telling them the good news, the high priests and the scribes came with the elders ² and asked him, “Tell us: By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?”

³ He answered them, “I, too, will ask you a question.^[b] Tell me: ⁴ Was John’s authority to baptize^[c] from heaven or from humans?”

⁵ They discussed this among themselves: “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will ask, ‘Then why didn’t you believe him?’ ⁶ But if we say, ‘From humans,’ all the people will stone us to death, because they are convinced that John was a prophet.” ⁷ So they answered that they didn’t know where it was from.

⁸ Then Jesus told them, “Then I won’t tell you by what authority I’m doing these things.”