Matthew 21:23

Matthew 21:23 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And when he was come into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came unto him as he was teaching, and said, By what authority doest thou these things? and who gave thee this authority?
• New International Version (NIV)Jesus entered the temple courts, and, while he was teaching, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him. “By what authority are you doing these things?” they asked. “And who gave you this authority?”
• English Standard Version (ESV)And when he entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came up to him as he was teaching, and said, "By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?"
• New Living Translation (NLT)When Jesus returned to the Temple and began teaching, the leading priests and elders came up to him. They demanded, “By what authority are you doing all these things? Who gave you the right?”

Context of Matthew 21:23

21So Jesus answered and said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but also if you say to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ it will be done. 22And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.” Now when He came into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people confronted Him as He was teaching, and said, “By what authority are You doing these things? And who gave You this authority?” 24But Jesus answered and said to them, “I also will ask you one thing, which if you tell Me, I likewise will tell you by what authority I do these things: 25The 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?’

Matthew 21:23 word by word

Καὶ ἐλθόντος αὐτοῦ εἰς τὸ ἱερὸν προσῆλθον αὐτῷ διδάσκοντι οἱ ἀρχιερεῖς καὶ οἱ πρεσβύτεροι τοῦ λαοῦ λέγοντες· ἐν ποίᾳ ἐξουσίᾳ ταῦτα ποιεῖς καὶ τίς σοι ἔδωκεν τὴν ἐξουσίαν ταύτην;¶Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Andκαίkai · andG2532
• whenἔρχομαιerchomai · to come/goG2064
• heαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• intoεἰςeis · towardG1519
• the templeἱερόνhieron · templeG2411
• the chief priestsἀρχιερεύςarchiereus · high-priestG749
• the eldersπρεσβύτεροςpresbuteros · elder (leader)G4245
• of the peopleλαόςlaos · a peopleG2992
• cameπροσέρχομαιproserchomai · to come near/agreeG4334
• as he was teachingδιδάσκωdidaskō · to teachG1321
• and saidλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• Byἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• whatποῖοςpoios · what?G4169
• authorityἐξουσίαexousia · authorityG1849
• doest thouποιέωpoieō · to do/make: doG4160
• these thingsοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
• whoτίςtis · which?G5101
• gaveδίδωμιdidōmi · to giveG1325
• theeσύsu · youG4771

Cross-references for Matthew 21:23

• Mark 11:27Then they came again to Jerusalem. And as He was walking in the temple, the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders came to Him.
• Luke 19:47And He was teaching daily in the temple. But the chief priests, the scribes, and the leaders of the people sought to destroy Him,
• Luke 20:1Now it happened on one of those days, as He taught the people in the temple and preached the gospel, that the chief priests and the scribes, together with the elders, confronted Him
• 1 Chronicles 24:1Now these are the divisions of the sons of Aaron. The sons of Aaron were Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.
• Exodus 2:14Then he said, “Who made you a prince and a judge over us? Do you intend to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?” So Moses feared and said, “Surely this thing is known!”
• Acts 4:7And when they had set them in the midst, they asked, “By what power or by what name have you done this?”
• Acts 7:27But he who did his neighbor wrong pushed him away, saying, ‘Who made you a ruler and a judge over us?

Commentaries on Matthew 21:23

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 23By what authority doest thou these things? - The things which the chief priests allude to, were his receiving the acclamations of the people as the promised Messiah, his casting the traders out of the temple, and his teaching the people publicly in it. Who gave thee this authority? - Not them: for, like many of their successors, they were neither teachers nor cleansers; though they had the name and the profits of the place.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. 23Elders of the people: This refers to the family leaders from each tribe. They were part of the Sanhedrin, the Jewish council in Jerusalem (compare Ezra 5:5; 6:14; 10:8).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 23For the exposition of this majestic scene--recorded, as will be seen, by all the Evangelists--see on Lu 19:29-40. For the exposition, see on Lu 19:45-48; and Mr 11:12-26. Now commences, as Alford remarks, that series of parables and discourses of our Lord with His enemies, in which He develops, more completely than ever before, His hostility to their hypocrisy and iniquity: and so they are stirred up to compass His death. The Authority of Jesus…Read the comment

Topics related to Matthew 21:23

• Government
• Jesus Continued
• Worship

In the dictionaries

• Authority
• Daughter
• Elder
• Grind
• Loose
• Move
• Presently
• Reverence
• Seat
• Thief

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