Matthew 21:27

Matthew 21:27 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And they answered Jesus, and said, We cannot tell. And he said unto them, Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things.
• New International Version (NIV)So they answered Jesus, “We don’t know.” Then he said, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.
• English Standard Version (ESV)So they answered Jesus, "We do not know." And he said to them, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.
• New King James Version (NKJV)So they answered Jesus and said, “We do not know.” And He said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.

Context of Matthew 21:27

25The baptism of John was from what source: from heaven or from men?” And they began considering the implications among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will say to us, ‘Then why did you not believe him?’ 26But if we say, ‘From men,’ we fear the people; for they all regard John as a prophet.” And answering Jesus, they said, “We do not know.” He also said to them, “Neither am I telling you by what authority I do these things. 28“But what do you think? A man had two sons, and he came to the first and said, ‘Son, go work today in the vineyard.’ 29But he replied, ‘I do not want to.’ Yet afterward he regretted it and went.

Matthew 21:27 word by word

Καὶ ἀποκριθέντες τῷ Ἰησοῦ εἶπαν· οὐκ οἴδαμεν. ἔφη αὐτοῖς καὶ αὐτός· οὐδὲ ἐγὼ λέγω ὑμῖν ἐν ποίᾳ ἐξουσίᾳ ταῦτα ποιῶ.¶Read the interlinear

• And answeringἀποκρίνωapokrinomai · to answerG611
• JesusἸησοῦςIēsous · JesusG2424
• they saidλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• He alsoκαίkai · andG2532
• saidφημίphēmi · to assertG5346
• “Neitherοὐδέoude · norG3761
• am I tellingλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• you by whatποῖοςpoios · what?G4169
• authorityἐξουσίαexousia · authorityG1849
• I doποιέωpoieō · to do/make: doG4160
• theseοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778

Cross-references for Matthew 21:27

• Matthew 15:14Leave them alone; they are blind guides of blind people. And if a person who is blind guides another who is blind, both will fall into a pit.”
• Matthew 16:3And in the morning, ‘There will be a storm today, for the sky is red and threatening.’ You know how to discern the appearance of the sky, but are you unable to discern the signs of the times?
• Matthew 23:16“Woe to you, blind guides, who say, ‘Whoever swears by the temple, that is nothing; but whoever swears by the gold of the temple is obligated.’
• Isaiah 6:10Make the hearts of this people insensitive, Their ears dull, And their eyes blind, So that they will not see with their eyes, Hear with their ears, Understand with their hearts, And return and be healed.”
• Isaiah 28:9“To whom would He teach knowledge, And to whom would He interpret the message? Those just weaned from milk? Those just taken from the breast?
• Isaiah 29:10For the Lord has poured over you a spirit of deep sleep, He has shut your eyes--the prophets; And He has covered your heads--the seers.
• Isaiah 42:19Who is blind but My servant, Or so deaf as My messenger whom I send? Who is so blind as one who is at peace with Me, Or so blind as the servant of the Lord?
• Isaiah 56:10His watchmen are blind, All of them know nothing. All of them are mute dogs unable to bark, Dreamers lying down, who love to slumber;
• Jeremiah 8:7Even the stork in the sky Knows her seasons; And the turtledove, the swallow, and the crane Keep to the time of their migration; But My people do not know The judgment of the Lord.
• Malachi 2:6True instruction was in his mouth and injustice was not found on his lips; he walked with Me in peace and justice, and he turned many back from wrongdoing.
• Luke 20:7And so they answered that they did not know where it came from.
• John 9:30The man answered and said to them, “Well, here is the amazing thing, that you do not know where He is from, and yet He opened my eyes!
• Romans 1:18For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of people who suppress the truth in unrighteousness,
• 2 Corinthians 4:3And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing,
• 2 Thessalonians 2:9that is, the one whose coming is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and false signs and wonders,

Commentaries on Matthew 21:27

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 27We cannot tell - Simplicity gives a wonderful confidence and peace of mind; but double dealing causes a thousand inquietudes and troubles. Let a man do his utmost to conceal in his own heart the evidence he has of truth and innocence, to countenance his not yielding to it; God, who sees the heart, will, in the light of the last day, produce it as a witness against him, and make it his judge. We cannot tell, said they; which, in the words of truth, should…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. 27The Jewish leaders did not have the honesty or bravery to admit their beliefs about John. So, it was fair for Jesus not to answer their question.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2727. And they answered Jesus, and said, We cannot tell--Evidently their difficulty was, how to answer, so as neither to shake their determination to reject the claims of Christ nor damage their reputation with the people. For the truth itself they cared nothing whatever. Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things--What composure and dignity of wisdom does our Lord here display, as He turns their question upon themselves, and, while revealing…Read the comment

Topics related to Matthew 21:27

• Falsehood

In the dictionaries

• Jesus
• Jesus, Jesus Christ, Christ Jesus
• Authority
• Daughter
• Grind
• Loose
• Move
• Presently
• Reverence
• Seat

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