Luke 20:1-8

Jesus' Authority Questioned

1 ¹On one of the days while ²He was teaching the people in the temple and ³preaching the gospel, the chief priests and the scribes with the elders ⁴confronted Him,

2 and they spoke, saying to Him, "Tell us by what authority You are doing these things, or who is the one who gave You this authority?"

3 Jesus answered and said to them, "I will also ask you a question, and you tell Me:

4 "Was the baptism of John from heaven or from men?"

5 They reasoned among themselves, saying, "If we say, 'From heaven,' He will say, 'Why * did you not believe him?'

6 "But if we say, 'From men,' all the people will stone us to death, for they are convinced that John was a ⁵prophet."

7 So they answered that they did not know where it came from.

8 And Jesus said to them, "Nor will I tell you by what authority I do these things."

Cross References

• 1. Luke 20:1-8: {Matthew 21:23-27; Mark 11:27-33}
• 2. Matthew 26:55
• 3. Luke 8:1
• 4. Acts 4:1; Acts 6:12
• 5. Matthew 11:9; Luke 7:29, 30

Footnotes

• [a]. Lit "word"
• [b]. Lit "do I tell"