“Tell us,” they said, “by what authority are You doing these things, and who gave You this authority?”
Parallel translations
- WEB They asked him, “Tell us: by what authority do you do these things? Or who is giving you this authority?”
- KJV And spake unto him, saying, Tell us, by what authority doest thou these things? or who is he that gave thee this authority?
- NKJV and spoke to Him, saying, “Tell us, by what authority are You doing these things? Or who is he who gave You this authority?”
- NASB and they declared, saying to Him, “Tell us by what authority You are doing these things, or who is the one who gave You this authority?”
- NLT They demanded, “By what authority are you doing all these things? Who gave you the right?”
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
They demand to know by what authority Jesus acts and who gave it to him. The leaders question his right to teach and to cleanse the temple.
Overview
The authorities seek to trap Jesus, for any claim to divine authority could be used against him. Their question, however, exposes their refusal to recognize the authority plainly evident in his words and works. The exchange centers on the true source of Jesus's authority, which is from God himself.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 11
- Matt 21:23–27When Jesus returned to the temple courts and began to teach, the chief priests and elders of the people came up to Him. “By what authority are You doing these things?” they asked. “And who gave You this authority?”
- Mark 11:28–33“By what authority are You doing these things?” they asked. “And who gave You the authority to do them?”
- Exod 2:14But the man replied, “Who made you ruler and judge over us? Are you planning to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?” Then Moses was afraid and thought, “This thing I have done has surely become known.”
- Acts 7:27But the man who was abusing his neighbor pushed Moses aside and said, ‘Who made you ruler and judge over us?
- John 2:18On account of this, the Jews demanded, “What sign can You show us to prove Your authority to do these things?”
- Acts 7:35–39This Moses, whom they had rejected with the words, ‘Who made you ruler and judge?’ is the one whom God sent to be their ruler and redeemer through the angel who appeared to him in the bush.
- Acts 7:51You stiff-necked people with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit, just as your fathers did.
- Acts 4:7–10They had Peter and John brought in and began to question them: “By what power or what name did you do this?”
- Luke 19:45–46Then Jesus entered the temple courts and began to drive out those who were selling there.
- Luke 19:35–40Then they led the colt to Jesus, threw their cloaks over it, and put Jesus on it.
- John 5:22–27Furthermore, the Father judges no one, but has assigned all judgment to the Son,
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Luke shows Jesus the Savior for all — outsiders, the poor, the nations — the one who, on the Emmaus road, opened all the Scriptures to show they were about himself.
How Luke 20:2 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.