23And when he entered the temple precincts, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him as he was teaching and said, "By what authority are you doing these things? And who gave you this authority?" [21:24] Jesus answered and said to them, "I also will ask you one question, and if you tell me, I too will tell you by what authority I do these things. [21:25] The baptism of John — where was it from? From heaven or from men?" And they were calculating among themselves, saying, "If we say, 'From heaven,' he will say to us, 'Why then did you not believe him?' [21:26] But if we say, 'From men,' we fear the crowd — for all hold John as a prophet." [21:27] And they answered Jesus and said, "We do not know." He also said to them, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things."
MAT 21:23-27
Jesusʼ Authority Challenged
In the world it was spoken into
In 1st-century Judea, the temple was the center of religious and political power, controlled by the chief priests and elders who were part of the Sanhedrin, the Jewish ruling council. These leaders were often appointed by Roman authorities, making their authority both religious and political. The chief priests held significant influence over temple operations and were seen as mediators between God and the people. The elders were respected community leaders, often representing the traditional Jewish elite. When Jesus enters the temple and teaches, his actions challenge their authority , which was tied to their roles and institutional legitimacy. By asking about the source of Jesus’ authority, they seek to undermine his credibility. Jesus’ counter-question about John the Baptist’s baptism forces them into a dilemma: acknowledging John’s divine authority would expose their failure to accept him, while denying it would alienate the people who revered John. Their internal debate reflects the tension between maintaining their authority and risking public disapproval. This exchange highlights the clash between institutional power and prophetic authority in a society deeply shaped by honor-shame dynamics.
›See the receipts
How other translations render this
MAT 21:23
- KJV
- And when he was come into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came unto him as he was teaching, and said, By what authority doest thou these things? and who gave thee this authority?
- BSB
- When Jesus returned to the temple courts and began to teach, the chief priests and elders of the people came up to Him. “By what authority are You doing these things?” they asked. “And who gave You this authority?”
- Koinōnos
- And when he entered the temple precincts, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him as he was teaching and said, "By what authority are you doing these things? And who gave you this authority?
MAT 21:24
- KJV
- And Jesus answered and said unto them, I also will ask you one thing, which if ye tell me, I in like wise will tell you by what authority I do these things.
- BSB
- “I will also ask you one question,” Jesus replied, “and if you answer Me, I will tell you by what authority I am doing these things.
- Koinōnos
- Jesus answered and said to them, "I also will ask you one question, and if you tell me, I too will tell you by what authority I do these things.
MAT 21:25
- KJV
- The baptism of John, whence was it? from heaven, or of men? And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say unto us, Why did ye not then believe him?
- BSB
- What was the source of Johnʼs baptism? Was it from heaven or from men?” They deliberated among themselves and said, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will ask, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’
- Koinōnos
- The baptism of John — where was it from? From heaven or from men?" And they were calculating among themselves, saying, "If we say, 'From heaven,' he will say to us, 'Why then did you not believe him?
MAT 21:26
- KJV
- But if we shall say, Of men; we fear the people; for all hold John as a prophet.
- BSB
- But if we say, ‘From men,’ we are afraid of the people, for they all regard John as a prophet.”
- Koinōnos
- But if we say, 'From men,' we fear the crowd — for all hold John as a prophet.
MAT 21:27
- KJV
- And they answered Jesus, and said, We cannot tell. And he said unto them, Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things.
- BSB
- So they answered, “We do not know.” And Jesus replied, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.
- Koinōnos
- And they answered Jesus and said, "We do not know." He also said to them, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.
Only verses where the wording diverges meaningfully are shown. Identical phrasings are suppressed.
Translator's notes
MAT 21:23
- chief priests:The term translated 'chief priests' referred to the heads of the priestly families, who held significant religious and political power in 1st-century Judea, often acting as a ruling class.
- elders:The word translated 'elders' referred to respected, often older, leaders within the community who held positions of authority and influence in local governance and religious matters.
- authority:The word translated 'authority' carried the sense of both the right and the power to act, often implying official sanction or inherent capability to command and enforce.
MAT 21:25
- they were reasoning:The word translated 'they were reasoning' suggests an internal debate or a careful, often conflicted, calculation of consequences, rather than a simple discussion.