They talked it over among themselves. “If we say it was from heaven, he will ask why we didn’t believe John.
Parallel translations
- WEB They reasoned with themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say, ‘Why didn’t you believe him?’
- KJV And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say, Why then believed ye him not?
- BSB They deliberated among themselves and said, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will ask, ‘Why did you not believe him?’
- ESV And they discussed it with one another, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say, ‘Why did you not believe him?’
- NKJV And they reasoned among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will say, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’
- NASB They discussed among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will say, ‘Why did you not believe him?’
Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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
The leaders reason that admitting John was from heaven would condemn their own unbelief. Their deliberation exposes their dishonesty.
Overview
Caught in a dilemma, the authorities calculate the consequences of each answer rather than seeking the truth. Their reasoning shows that their concern is self-preservation, not faithfulness to God. The episode reveals hearts unwilling to believe even clear evidence of divine authority.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 7
- Acts 13:25As John was fulfilling his course, he said, ‘What do you suppose that I am? I am not he. But behold, one comes after me the sandals of whose feet I am not worthy to untie.’
- John 5:33–35You have sent to John, and he has testified to the truth.
- John 1:30This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who is preferred before me, for he was before me.’
- John 1:15–18John testified about him. He cried out, saying, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me, for he was before me.’”
- John 3:36One who believes in the Son has eternal life, but one who disobeys the Son won’t see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.”
- John 1:34I have seen, and have testified that this is the Son of God.”
- John 3:26They came to John, and said to him, “Rabbi, he who was with you beyond the Jordan, to whom you have testified, behold, the same baptizes, and everyone is coming to him.”
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 20:5 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.