Mark 11:27-33

Easy-to-Read Version

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.”