⁶ But if we say it was merely human, the people will stone us because they are convinced John was a prophet.”

²⁶ But if we say it was merely human, we’ll be mobbed because the people believe John was a prophet.”

⁹ Were you looking for a prophet? Yes, and he is more than a prophet.

²⁶ The captain went with his Temple guards and arrested the apostles, but without violence, for they were afraid the people would stone them.

⁴¹ And many followed him. “John didn’t perform miraculous signs,” they remarked to one another, “but everything he said about this man has come true.”

²⁶ Were you looking for a prophet? Yes, and he is more than a prophet. ²⁷ John is the man to whom the Scriptures refer when they say,

²⁸ I tell you, of all who have ever lived, none is greater than John. Yet even the least person in the Kingdom of God is greater than he is!”

²⁹ When they heard this, all the people—even the tax collectors—agreed that God’s way was right,^[b] for they had been baptized by John.

¹² The religious leaders^[a] wanted to arrest Jesus because they realized he was telling the story against them—they were the wicked farmers. But they were afraid of the crowd, so they left him and went away.

⁵ “But not during the Passover celebration,” they agreed, “or the people may riot.”

⁴⁶ They wanted to arrest him, but they were afraid of the crowds, who considered Jesus to be a prophet.