A question about Jesus' authority
1 One day, Jesus was teaching people in the yard of the temple. He was telling people the good news about God. Then the leaders of the priests and the teachers of God's Law came to him. With them were some other important Jews. 2 The Jewish leaders asked him, ‘Tell us what authority you have to do these things. Who gave you the authority to do them?’
3 Jesus replied, ‘I will also ask you a question. Tell me the answer. 4 John baptized people. Did God give him the authority to do this? Or did men tell him to do it?’
5 The Jewish leaders talked to each other about Jesus' question. They said, ‘We could say that God gave John his authority. But if we say that, Jesus will say to us, “Then you should have believed John.” 6 But we cannot say that John received his authority from people. Then all the people would throw stones at us to kill us. They are sure that John was a prophet from God.’
7 So the Jewish leaders answered Jesus, ‘We do not know who gave John his authority.’
8 Jesus said to them, ‘You will not answer my question. So I will not tell you what authority I have to do these things.’
