Matthew 21:23-27

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Authority Challenged

²³When He entered the temple area, the ^[a]chief priests and elders of the people came to Him as He was teaching and said, “By what [kind of] authority are You doing these things, and who gave You this authority [to exercise this power]?”^(A) ²⁴Jesus replied to them, “I will also ask you a question, and if you tell Me the answer, then I will tell you by what authority I do these things. ²⁵The baptism of John—from where did it come? From heaven [that is, ordained by God] or from men?” And they began debating among themselves [considering the implications of their answer], saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will say to us, ‘Then why did you not believe John?’ ²⁶But if we say, ‘From men,’ we are afraid of the [response of the] crowd; for they all regard John as a prophet.” ²⁷So they answered Jesus, “We do not know.” And He said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what [kind of] authority I do these things.”

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Footnotes

Matthew 21:23 I.e. the official delegation from the Sanhedrin, Jewish High Court.

Luke 20:1-8

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Jesus’ Authority Questioned

20 On one of the days, as Jesus was instructing the people in the temple [area] and preaching the good news (gospel), ^[a]the chief priests and the scribes along with the elders confronted Him,^(A) ²and said to Him, “Tell us by what kind of authority You are doing these things? Or who is the one who gave You this authority?” ³Jesus replied, “I will also ask you a question. You tell Me: ⁴The baptism of John [the Baptist]—was it from heaven [that is, ordained by God] or from men?” ⁵They discussed and debated it among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will say, ‘Why did you not believe him?’ ⁶But if we say, ‘From men,’ all the people will stone us to death, for they are firmly convinced that John was a prophet.” ⁷So they replied that they did not know from where it came. ⁸Then Jesus said to them, “Nor am I telling you by what [kind of] authority I do these things.”