Mark 11:27-33

Expanded Bible

Leaders Doubt Jesus’ Authority^(A)

²⁷ Jesus and his ·followers [disciples] went again to Jerusalem. As Jesus was walking in the Temple [complex; area; courts; see 11:15], the ·leading [^Tchief] priests, the ·teachers of the law [scribes], and the elders came to him. ²⁸ They said to him, “What authority do you have to do these things? Who gave you this authority?”

²⁹ Jesus answered, “I will ask you one question. If you answer me, I will tell you what authority I have to do these things. ³⁰ Tell me: When John baptized people, was that authority from ·God [^Lheaven; ^Ca reverential Jewish way of referring to God] or just from ·other people [human beings]?”

³¹ They argued about Jesus’ question, saying, “If we answer, ‘John’s baptism was from ·God [^Lheaven],’ Jesus will say, ‘Then why didn’t you believe him?’ ³² But if we say, ‘It was from ·other people [human beings],’ the crowd will be against us.” (These leaders were afraid of the people, because all the people believed that John was a prophet.)

³³ So they answered Jesus, “We don’t know.”

Jesus said to them, “Then I won’t tell you what authority I have to do these things.”