Luke 20:4

Luke 20:4 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or of men?
• New International Version (NIV)John’s baptism—was it from heaven, or of human origin?”
• English Standard Version (ESV)was the baptism of John from heaven or from man?"
• New King James Version (NKJV)The baptism of John—was it from heaven or from men?”

Context of Luke 20:4

2They asked him, ‘Tell us what authority you have to do these things? Who gave you the authority to do them?’ 3Jesus replied, ‘I also will ask you a question. Tell me the answer. John baptized people. Did God give him the authority to do this? Or did men tell him to do it?’ 5The Jewish leaders talked to each other about Jesus' question. ‘We could say that God gave John his authority. But if we say that, Jesus will say to us, “Then you should have believed John.” 6But we do not want to say that only men gave John his authority. Then all the people would throw stones at us to kill us. They are sure that John really was a prophet from God.’

Luke 20:4 word by word

τὸ βάπτισμα Ἰωάννου ἐξ οὐρανοῦ ἦν ἢ ἐξ ἀνθρώπων;Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• The baptismὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• The baptismβάπτισμαbaptisma · baptismG908
• of JohnἸωάννηςIōannēs · JohnG2491
• was itεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• fromἐκek ex · out fromG1537
• heavenοὐρανόςouranos · heavenG3772
• orἤē · orG2228
• menἄνθρωποςanthrōpos · a humanG444

Cross-references for Luke 20:4

• Luke 7:28Jesus also said to the people, ‘I tell you, John is greater than any person who has ever lived up to now. But now anyone who belongs in the kingdom of God is greater than John, even the least important of them.’
• Matthew 11:7John's disciples went away again. Jesus spoke to the crowd about John. He said to them, ‘You went out to the wilderness. What did you go there to see? Was it a tall piece of grass which the wind was blowing this way and that? No, you did not go to see that.
• Matthew 17:11Jesus replied, ‘Yes, Elijah does come first. He gets everything ready.
• Matthew 21:25John baptized people. Did God give him the authority to do this? Or did men tell him to do it?’ Then the Jewish leaders talked to each other about Jesus' question. They said, ‘We could say that God gave John his authority. But if we say that, Jesus will say to us, “Then you should have believed John.”
• John 1:6God sent a man to bring his message. His name was John.
• Luke 15:18So I will go to my father and tell him, ‘I have done bad things against God, and I have done bad things against you.
• Daniel 4:25People will chase you away from the city, so that you have to live with the wild animals. You will eat grass like cows do. Dew from the sky will make you wet. You will live in that way for seven years. Then you will understand that the powerful God above rules over human kingdoms. He gives authority to rule to anyone that he chooses.

Commentaries on Luke 20:4

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1-8Verses 1-8 See this passage explained in the notes at Matthew 21:23-27.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 4-6The question Jesus asked trapped the religious leaders (see 20:5–6) because either answer would accuse them.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 44. baptism of John--his whole ministry and mission, of which baptism was the seal.Read the comment

Topics related to Luke 20:4

• Baptism
• Instruction

In the dictionaries

• Jesus Christ
• Luke, the Gospel of

Commentaries on Luke 20

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Catena Aurea
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• John Lightfoot Commentary
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings