Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

The Priests Ask By What Authority He Does This. From Where Was John’s Authority?

20 And it came about on one of the days while He was teaching the people in the temple and announcing-the-good-news, that the chief priests and the scribes with the elders stood-near. ² And they spoke, saying to Him, “Tell us, by what-kind-of ^[a] authority are You doing these things, or who is the one having given You this authority?” ³ And having responded, He said to them, “I also will ask you a thing, and you tell Me— ⁴ was the baptism of John from heaven, or from humans?” ⁵ And the ones reasoned with themselves, saying that “If we say, ‘From heaven’, He will say, ‘For what reason did you not believe him?’ ⁶ But if we say, ‘From humans’, all the people will stone us to death. For they are convinced that John is a prophet”. ⁷ And they answered that they did not know from where it was. ⁸ And Jesus said to them, “Nor am I telling you by what-kind-of authority I am doing these things”.