Matthew 21:23-31
The Authority of Jesus Challenged
23 aAnd when he entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came up to him bas he was teaching, and said, c“By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?” 24Jesus 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. 25The baptism of John, dfrom where did it come? eFrom heaven or from man?” And they discussed it among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say to us, f‘Why then did you not believe him?’ 26But if we say, ‘From man,’ gwe are afraid of the crowd, for they all hold that John was ha prophet.” 27So 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 i“What do you think? A man had two sons. And he went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work in jthe vineyard today.’ 29And he answered, ‘I will not,’ but afterward he kchanged his mind and went. 30And he went to the other son and said the same. And he answered, ‘I go, sir,’ but did not go. 31Which of the two did the will of his father?” They said, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “Truly, I say to you, lthe tax collectors and mthe prostitutes go into nthe kingdom of God before you.
Copyright information for
ESV