Matthew 21:23-27

Good News Translation

The Question about Jesus' Authority^(A)

²³Jesus came back to the Temple; and as he taught, the chief priests and the elders came to him and asked, “What right do you have to do these things? Who gave you such right?”

²⁴Jesus answered them, “I will ask you just one question, and if you give me an answer, I will tell you what right I have to do these things. ²⁵Where did John's right to baptize come from: was it from God or from human beings?”

They started to argue among themselves, “What shall we say? If we answer, ‘From God,’ he will say to us, ‘Why, then, did you not believe John?’ ²⁶But if we say, ‘From human beings,’ we are afraid of what the people might do, because they are all convinced that John was a prophet.” ²⁷So they answered Jesus, “We don't know.”

And he said to them, “Neither will I tell you, then, by what right I do these things.

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Luke 20:1-8

Good News Translation

The Question about Jesus' Authority^(A)

20 One day when Jesus was in the Temple teaching the people and preaching the Good News, the chief priests and the teachers of the Law, together with the elders, came ²and said to him, “Tell us, what right do you have to do these things? Who gave you such right?”

³Jesus answered them, “Now let me ask you a question. Tell me, ⁴did John's right to baptize come from God or from human beings?”

⁵They started to argue among themselves, “What shall we say? If we say, ‘From God,’ he will say, ‘Why, then, did you not believe John?’ ⁶But if we say, ‘From human beings,’ this whole crowd here will stone us, because they are convinced that John was a prophet.” ⁷So they answered, “We don't know where it came from.”

⁸And Jesus said to them, “Neither will I tell you, then, by what right I do these things.”

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