Matthew 21:24-27

24Jesus replied, ‘I also will ask you one question. If you tell me the answer, then I will answer your question. I will tell you what authority I have to do these things.

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.”

26But we do not want to say that only men gave John his authority. All the people think that John was a prophet from God. We are afraid that the crowd might attack us.’

27So the Jewish leaders answered Jesus: ‘We do not know who gave John his authority.’ Jesus said to them, ‘You will not answer my question. So I will not tell you what authority I have to do these things.’