² “Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? They don’t wash their hands before they eat!”^(A)

³ Jesus replied, “And why do you break the command of God for the sake of your tradition?

The Authority of Jesus Questioned^(A)

²³ Jesus entered the temple courts, and, while he was teaching, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him. “By what authority^(B) are you doing these things?” they asked. “And who gave you this authority?”

²⁴ Jesus replied, “I will also ask you one question. If you answer me, I will tell you by what authority I am doing these things. ²⁵ John’s baptism—where did it come from? Was it from heaven, or of human origin?”

They discussed it among themselves and said, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will ask, ‘Then why didn’t you believe him?’ ²⁶ But if we say, ‘Of human origin’—we are afraid of the people, for they all hold that John was a prophet.”^(C)

²⁷ So they answered Jesus, “We don’t know.”

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

⁴⁶ Then Paul and Barnabas answered them boldly: “We had to speak the word of God to you first.^(A) Since you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life, we now turn to the Gentiles.^(B)

⁹ But some of them^(A) became obstinate; they refused to believe and publicly maligned the Way.^(B) So Paul left them. He took the disciples^(C) with him and had discussions daily in the lecture hall of Tyrannus.