Luke 20:5

5 And they reasoned among themselves, saying, If we should say, Of heaven, he will say, Why have ye not believed him?

Luke 20:5 Meaning and Commentary

Luke 20:5

And they reasoned with themselves
Or "they thought with themselves", as the Syriac version; or "within themselves", as the Vulgate Latin, though they did not express it; or "one with another", as the Arabic version; they took counsel together, and debated the matter among themselves, and reasoned after this manner:

saying, if we shall say from heaven;
which was what, in their own consciences, they believed to be true,

he will say, why then believed ye him not?
in what he said concerning the Messiah; which if they had, as they should, there would have been no reason for such a question they had put; (See Gill on Matthew 21:25).

Luke 20:5 In-Context

3 And he answering said to them, *I* also will ask you [one] thing, and tell me:

4 The baptism of John, was it of heaven or of men?

5 And they reasoned among themselves, saying, If we should say, Of heaven, he will say, Why have ye not believed him?

6 but if we should say, Of men, the whole people will stone us, for they are persuaded that John was a prophet.

7 And they answered, they did not know whence.