The Authority of Jesus Challenged

1 One(A) day(a) as He was teaching(B) the people in the temple complex and proclaiming the good news,(C) the chief priests and the scribes, with the elders,(D) came up 2 and said to Him: “Tell us, by what authority are You doing these things? Who is it who gave You this authority?”
3 He answered them, “I will also ask you a question. Tell Me, 4 was the baptism of John from heaven or from men?”
5 They discussed it among themselves: “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will say, ‘Why didn’t you believe him?’ 6 But if we say, ‘From men,’ all the people(E) will stone us, because they are convinced that John was a prophet.”(F)
7 So they answered that they did not know its origin.(b)
8 And Jesus said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.”

Footnotes:

a. Luke 20:1: Lit It happened on one of the days
b. Luke 20:7: Or know where it was from

Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers.