Luke 20:5

5 And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven, he will say, Why then did ye not believe 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 answered and said unto them, I will also ask you one thing, and answer me:
4 The baptism of John, was it from heaven or of men?
5 And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven, he will say, Why then did ye not believe him?
6 But and if we say, Of men, all the people will stone us; for they are certain that John was a prophet.
7 And they answered that they knew not from where.
The Jubilee Bible (from the Scriptures of the Reformation), edited by Russell M. Stendal, Copyright © 2000, 2001, 2010