The baptism of John, whence was it? from heaven, or of men? And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say unto us, Why did ye not then believe him?
Parallel translations
- WEB The baptism of John, where was it from? From heaven or from men?” They reasoned with themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will ask us, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’
- BSB What was the source of John’s baptism? Was it from heaven or from men?” They deliberated among themselves and said, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will ask, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’
- NKJV The baptism of John—where was it from? From heaven or from men?” And they reasoned among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will say to us, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’
- NASB The baptism of John was from what source: from heaven or from men?” And they began considering the implications among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will say to us, ‘Then why did you not believe him?’
- NLT “Did John’s authority to baptize come from heaven, or was it merely human?” They talked it over among themselves. “If we say it was from heaven, he will ask us why we didn’t believe John.
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
Jesus asks whether John's baptism was from God or merely human. The leaders are caught, because either answer condemns them.
Overview
John the Baptist's ministry pointed directly to Jesus, so the source of John's authority is bound up with the source of Jesus' authority. The leaders privately admit that affirming John as God-sent would expose their failure to believe him. Their reasoning shows they care more about self-protection than truth, the very root of their rejection of Christ.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 20
- 1 Jn 3:20For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.
- Mark 1:1–11The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God;
- Matt 3:1–12In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea,
- Luke 20:5And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say, Why then believed ye him not?
- John 3:18He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
- John 1:15John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me.
- John 10:25–26Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in my Father’s name, they bear witness of me.
- John 5:44–47How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only?
- John 5:33–36Ye sent unto John, and he bare witness unto the truth.
- Matt 17:12–13But I say unto you, That Elias is come already, and they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they listed. Likewise shall also the Son of man suffer of them.
- John 1:6There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.
- Luke 1:11–17And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense.
- John 12:37–43But though he had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on him:
- Luke 7:28–35For I say unto you, Among those that are born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist: but he that is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.
- John 1:25–34And they asked him, and said unto him, Why baptizest thou then, if thou be not that Christ, nor Elias, neither that prophet?
- Matt 11:7–15And as they departed, Jesus began to say unto the multitudes concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken with the wind?
- Luke 3:2–20Annas and Caiaphas being the high priests, the word of God came unto John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness.
- Luke 1:67–80And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophesied, saying,
- John 3:26–36And they came unto John, and said unto him, Rabbi, he that was with thee beyond Jordan, to whom thou barest witness, behold, the same baptizeth, and all men come to him.
- Mark 11:27–33And they come again to Jerusalem: and as he was walking in the temple, there come to him the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders,
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.
Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.
Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.
Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.
The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
Matthew presents Jesus as the promised King — son of David, son of Abraham — the new Moses and true Israel in whom every prophecy reaches 'that it might be fulfilled.'
How Matthew 21:25 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.