Matthew 21:25

Matthew 21:25 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)The baptism of John, whence was it? from heaven, or of men? And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say unto us, Why did ye not then believe him?
• New International Version (NIV)John’s baptism—where did it come from? Was it from heaven, or of human origin?” They discussed it among themselves and said, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will ask, ‘Then why didn’t you believe him?’
• English Standard Version (ESV)The baptism of John, from where did it come? From heaven or from man?" And they discussed it among themselves, saying, "If we say, 'From heaven,' he will say to us, 'Why then did you not believe him?'
• New King James Version (NKJV)The baptism of John—where was it from? From heaven or from men?” And they reasoned among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will say to us, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’

Context of Matthew 21:25

23Then Jesus returned to the yard of the temple. While he was teaching the people there, the leaders of the priests and important Jews went to him. They asked him, ‘What authority do you have to do these things? Tell us. Who gave you the authority to do them?’ 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. John 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.’

Matthew 21:25 word by word

τὸ βάπτισμα τὸ Ἰωάννου πόθεν ἦν; ἐξ οὐρανοῦ ἢ ἐξ ἀνθρώπων;¶ Οἱ δὲ διελογίζοντο ἐν ἑαυτοῖς λέγοντες· ἐὰν εἴπωμεν· ἐξ οὐρανοῦ, ἐρεῖ ἡμῖν· διὰ τί οὖν οὐκ ἐπιστεύσατε αὐτῷ;Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• The baptismβάπτισμαbaptisma · baptismG908
• of JohnἸωάννηςIōannēs · JohnG2491
• whenceπόθενpothen · whenceG4159
• was itεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• fromἐκek ex · out fromG1537
• heavenοὐρανόςouranos · heavenG3772
• orἤē · orG2228
• menἄνθρωποςanthrōpos · a humanG444
• Andδέde · thenG1161
• they reasonedδιαλογίζομαιdialogizomai · to discussG1260
• withπαράpara · from/with/besideG3844
• themselvesἑαυτοῦheautou · themselfG1438
• sayingλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• Ifἐάνean · ifG1437
• we shall sayλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• he will sayἐρῶereō · to sayG2046
• unto usἐγώegō · I/weG1473
• ·διάdia · through/because ofG1223
• Whyτίςtis · which?G5101
• did yeπιστεύωpisteuō · to trust (in)G4100
• notοὐou · noG3756
• thenοὖνoun · therefore/thenG3767
• himαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846

Cross-references for Matthew 21:25

• Matthew 3:1While Jesus still lived in Nazareth, a man called John the Baptist was speaking a message from God. He was doing this in the wilderness in Judea.
• 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 17:12But I tell you that Elijah has already come. People did not recognize him. They did to him all the things that they wanted to do. In the same way, they will also give me, the Son of Man, great pain.’
• Mark 1:1This is the start of the good news about Jesus Christ. He is the Son of God.
• Mark 11:27Jesus 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.
• Luke 1:11The incense was burning on a special altar, when one of God's angels appeared to Zechariah. The angel was standing at the right hand side of the altar.
• Luke 3:2At this time, the leaders of the priests were Annas and Caiaphas. John was living in the wilderness. While he was there, God spoke to him.
• 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.’
• John 1:6God sent a man to bring his message. His name was John.
• John 3:26The disciples then came to John. They said to him, ‘Teacher, remember the man, Jesus, that you spoke to us about. He was with you on the other side of the Jordan River. Now he is baptizing people and everyone is going to him.’
• Luke 20:5The 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.”
• John 3:18God will not punish anyone who believes in his Son. But if people refuse to believe in the Son, God has already decided that he must punish them. They have not believed in God's one and only Son.
• John 5:33You have sent your people to ask John about me. What he has told you about me is true.
• John 10:25Jesus answered, ‘I have already told you, but you do not believe. The things that I do by my Father's authority show you who I am.
• John 12:37Jesus had done many miracles that the people themselves had seen. But even then, they still did not believe in him.
• 1 John 3:20Even if our thoughts tell us that we have done something wrong, we still will not be afraid of God. We can trust God more than we trust our thoughts. He already knows everything about us.

Commentaries on Matthew 21:25

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 25The baptism of John - Had John a Divine commission or not, for his baptism and preaching? Our Lord here takes the wise in their own cunning. He knew the estimation John was in among the people; and he plainly saw that, if they gave any answer at all, they must convict themselves: and so they saw, when they came to examine the question. See Matthew 21:25, Matthew 21:26.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 23-27Verses 23-27 See also Mark 11:27-33; Luke 20:1-9. Matthew 21:23 When he was come into the temple - That is, probably, into the inner court - the court of the Israelites. They took this opportunity of questioning him on this subject when he was not surrounded by the multitude. By what authority … - There was a show of propriety in this question. He was making great changes in the affairs of the temple, and they claimed the right to know why this was done…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 23-27Verses 23-27 As our Lord now openly appeared as the Messiah, the chief priests and scribes were much offended, especially because he exposed and removed the abuses they encouraged. Our Lord asked what they thought of John's ministry and baptism. Many are more afraid of the shame of lying than of the sin, and therefore scruple not to speak what they know to be false, as to their own thoughts, affections, and intentions, or their remembering and forgetting…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 25The minsitry of John, like the ministry of Jesus, was controversial (see Matthew 3:1, 5–6). This was true especially after John publicly criticized Herod Antipas for his sins (see 14:4). The Jewish leaders did not want to admit that John's work was from God. They had refused to believe John and repent of their sins (3:2). They also refused to accept Jesus as the Messiah (John 1:29–34).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2525. The baptism of John--meaning his whole mission and ministry, of which baptism was the proper character. whence was it? from heaven, or of men?--What wisdom there was in this way of meeting their question will best appear by their reply. If we shall say, From heaven; he will say unto us, Why did ye not then believe him?--"Why did ye not believe the testimony which he bore to Me, as the promised and expected Messiah?" for that was the burden of John's…Read the comment

Topics related to Matthew 21:25

• Baptism
• Falsehood

In the dictionaries

• Authority
• Daughter
• Grind
• Loose
• Move
• Presently
• Reverence
• Seat
• Thief
• Authority in Religion

Commentaries on Matthew 21

• 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