So they answered, “We do not know.” And Jesus replied, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.
Parallel translations
- WEB They answered Jesus, and said, “We don’t know.” He also said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.
- KJV And they answered Jesus, and said, We cannot tell. And he said unto them, Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things.
- NKJV So they answered Jesus and said, “We do not know.” And He said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.
- NASB And answering Jesus, they said, “We do not know.” He also said to them, “Neither am I telling you by what authority I do these things.
- NLT So they finally replied, “We don’t know.” And Jesus responded, “Then I won’t tell you by what authority I do these things.
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
Refusing to answer honestly, the leaders say 'We don't know,' so Jesus declines to state His authority. Their evasion is itself a self-condemnation.
Overview
The leaders' professed ignorance is a dodge to avoid the consequences of either answer. Because they will not deal honestly with John's testimony, Jesus justly withholds a direct answer they would only reject. The episode shows that spiritual truth is withheld from those who close their hearts, and it sets up three parables of judgment that follow.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 17
- Rom 1:18–22The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness.
- 2 Th 2:9–10The coming of the lawless one will be accompanied by the working of Satan, with every kind of power, sign, and false wonder,
- Matt 23:16–28Woe to you, blind guides! You say, ‘If anyone swears by the temple, it means nothing; but if anyone swears by the gold of the temple, he is bound by his oath.’
- Luke 20:7–8So they answered that they did not know where it was from.
- 2 Cor 4:3And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing.
- Isa 28:9Whom is He trying to teach? To whom is He explaining His message? To infants just weaned from milk? To babies removed from the breast?
- Isa 6:10Make the hearts of this people calloused; deafen their ears and close their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed.”
- Isa 42:19–20Who is blind but My servant, or deaf like the messenger I am sending? Who is blind like My covenant partner, or blind like the servant of the LORD?
- Rom 1:28Furthermore, since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, He gave them up to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done.
- Isa 56:10–11Israel’s watchmen are blind, they are all oblivious; they are all mute dogs, they cannot bark; they are dreamers lying around, loving to slumber.
- Jer 8:7–9Even the stork in the sky knows her appointed seasons. The turtledove, the swift, and the thrush keep their time of migration, but My people do not know the requirements of the LORD.
- John 9:30“That is remarkable indeed!” the man said. “You do not know where He is from, and yet He opened my eyes.
- Matt 16:3and in the morning, ‘Today it will be stormy, for the sky is red and overcast.’ You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but not the signs of the times.
- Mal 2:6–9True instruction was in his mouth, and nothing false was found on his lips. He walked with Me in peace and uprightness, and he turned many from iniquity.
- Isa 29:10–12For the LORD has poured out on you a spirit of deep sleep. He has shut your eyes, O prophets; He has covered your heads, O seers.
- Matt 15:14Disregard them! They are blind guides. If a blind man leads a blind man, both will fall into a pit.”
- John 9:40–41Some of the Pharisees who were with Him heard this, and they asked Him, “Are we blind too?”
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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 21:27 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.