Jewish Leaders Doubt Jesus’ Authority^(A)

²⁷ Jesus and his followers went again to Jerusalem. Jesus was walking in the Temple area. The leading priests, the teachers of the law, and the older Jewish leaders came to him. ²⁸ They said, “Tell us! What authority do you have to do these things? Who gave you this authority?”

²⁹ Jesus answered, “I will ask you a question. You answer my question. Then I will tell you whose authority I use to do these things. ³⁰ Tell me: When John baptized people, did his authority come from God or was it only from other people? Answer me.”

³¹ These Jewish leaders talked about Jesus’ question. They said to each other, “If we answer, ‘John’s baptism was from God,’ then he will say, ‘Then why didn’t you believe John?’ ³² But we can’t say that John’s baptism was from someone else.” (These leaders were afraid of the people, because the people believed that John was a prophet.)

³³ So the leaders answered Jesus, “We don’t know the answer.”

Jesus said, “Then I will not tell you who gave me the authority to do these things.”

Jewish Leaders Doubt Jesus’ Authority^(A)

20 One day Jesus was in the Temple area teaching the people. He was telling them the Good News. The leading priests, teachers of the law, and older Jewish leaders came to talk to Jesus. ² They said, “Tell us what authority you have to do these things. Who gave you this authority?”

³ Jesus answered, “I will ask you a question too. Tell me: ⁴ When John baptized people, did his authority come from God or was it only from other people?”

⁵ The priests, the teachers of the law, and the Jewish leaders all talked about this. They said to each other, “If we answer, ‘John’s baptism was from God,’ then he will say, ‘Then why did you not believe John?’ ⁶ But if we say that John’s baptism was from someone else, the people will stone us to death. They all believe that John was a prophet.” ⁷ So they answered, “We don’t know the answer.”

⁸ So Jesus said to them, “Then I will not tell you who gave me the authority to do these things.”