Matthew 21:20-26

20 When the disciples saw it, they marveled, saying, “How did the fig tree wither at once? ”

21 And Jesus answered them, ¹“Truly, I say to you, ²if you have faith and ³do not doubt, you will not only do what has been done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, ⁴‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea, ’ it will happen.

22 And ⁵whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, ⁶if you have faith. ”

The Authority of Jesus Challenged

23 ⁷And when he entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came up to him ⁸as he was teaching, and said, ⁹“By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority? ”

24 Jesus answered them, “I also will ask you one question, and if you tell me the answer, then I also will tell you by what authority I do these things.

25 The baptism of John, ¹⁰from where did it come? ¹¹From heaven or from man? ”And they discussed it among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven, ’ he will say to us, ¹²‘Why then did you not believe him? ’

26 But if we say, ‘From man, ’ ¹³we are afraid of the crowd, for they all hold that John was ¹⁴a prophet. ”