Mark 11:27-33

27Jesus and his disciples arrived again in Jerusalem. Jesus was walking about in the yard at the temple. The leaders of the priests, the teachers of God's Law and the important Jews came to him.

28They asked him, ‘What authority do you have to do these things? Who gave you the authority to do them?’

29Jesus replied, ‘I will ask you one question and you should answer me. If you do that, then I will answer your question. I will tell you what authority I have to do these things.

30John baptized people. Did God give him authority to do this? Or did men tell him to do it? Now, tell me your answer.’

31Then the Jewish leaders talked to each other. 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.”

32But we do not want to say that only men gave John his authority.’ The Jewish leaders were afraid of the crowd. All the people thought that John really was a prophet from God.

33So the Jewish leaders answered Jesus: ‘We do not know who gave John his authority.’ So Jesus said to them, ‘You will not answer my question. So I will not tell you what authority I have to do these things.’