The Authority of Jesus Challenged
23 1And when he entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came up to him
2as he was teaching, and said,
3"By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?"
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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, 4from where did it come? 5From heaven or from man?" And they discussed it among themselves, saying, "If we say, 'From heaven,' he will say to us,
6'Why then did you not believe him?'
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But if we say, 'From man,'
7we are afraid of the crowd, for they all hold that John was
8a prophet."
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So they answered Jesus, "We do not know." And he said to them,
"Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.
The Parable of the Two Sons
28 9"What do you think? A man had two sons. And he went to the first and said, 'Son, go and work in 10the vineyard today.'
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And he answered, 'I will not,' but afterward he 11changed his mind and went.
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And he went to the other son and said the same. And he answered, 'I go, sir,' but did not go.
31
Which of the two did the will of his father?" They said, "The first." Jesus said to them,
"Truly, I say to you, 12the tax collectors and 13the prostitutes go into 14the kingdom of God before you.
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For John came to you 15in the way of righteousness, and 16you did not believe him, but 17the tax collectors and the prostitutes believed him. And even when you saw it, you did not afterward 18change your minds and believe him.