Mark 11:27-33
New Catholic Bible
27 The Authority of Jesus Questioned.[a] They returned once again to Jerusalem. As Jesus was walking in the temple, the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders approached him 28 and asked, “By what authority are you doing these things? Or who gave you the authority to do them?” 29 Jesus said to them, “I will ask you one question. Give me an answer, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things. 30 Did John’s baptism originate from heaven or from men? Tell me!”
31 They argued among themselves, “If we say: ‘From heaven,’ he will say, ‘Then why did you not believe him?’ 32 But how can we say, ‘From men’?”—for they were afraid of the people, who all regarded John as a true prophet.
33 Therefore, they answered Jesus, “We do not know.” And Jesus said to them, “Then neither shall I tell you by what authority I do these things.”
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Mark 11:27 The increasing hostility toward Jesus arose from the chief priests, scribes, and elders (v. 27) as well as the Herodians and Pharisees (Mk 12:13) and the Sadducees (Mk 12:18). They rejected the messengers sent by God—John the Baptist and Jesus—and so incurred the judgment alluded to in these verses and confirmed by the parable of the tenants (Mk 12:1-12).
