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, where was it from? from heaven, or from men? And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say to us, Why then did ye not believe him? 26But if we shall say, From men; we fear the people; for all hold John as a prophet. And they answered Jesus, and said, We cannot tell. And he said to them, Neither do I tell you by what authority I do these things. 28But what think ye? A certainman had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work to day in my vineyard. 29He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, 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

• Andκαίkai · andG2532
• answeredἀποκρίνωapokrinomai · to answerG611
• JesusἸησοῦςIēsous · JesusG2424
• saidεἶπονepō · to sayG2036
• cannotοὐou · noG3756
• tellεἴδωeidō · to perceive: understandG1492
• heαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• saidφημίphēmi · to assertG5346
• Neitherοὐδέoude · norG3761
• Iἐγώegō · I/weG1473
• tellλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• youὑμῖνhumin · to youG5213
• byἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• whatποῖοςpoios · what?G4169
• authorityἐξουσίαexousia · authorityG1849
• doποιέωpoieō · to do/make: doG4160
• thingsταῦταtauta · thisG5023

Cross-references for Matthew 21:27

• Matthew 15:14Let them alone: they are blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind leadeth the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.
• Matthew 16:3And in the morning, It will be foul weather to day: for the sky is red and threatening. O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times?
• Matthew 23:16Woe to you, ye blind guides, who say, Whoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but whoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, he is a debtor!
• Isaiah 6:10Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and be converted, and be healed.
• Isaiah 28:9Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that areweaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts.
• Isaiah 29:10For the LORD hath poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep, and hath closed your eyes: the prophets and your rulers, the seers hath he covered.
• Isaiah 42:19Who isblind, but my servant? or deaf, as my messengerthat I sent? who is blind as he that is perfect, and blind as the LORD’S servant?
• Isaiah 56:10His watchmen are blind: they are all ignorant, they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber.
• Jeremiah 8:7Yea, the stork in the heaven knoweth her appointed times; and the turtledove and the crane and the swallow observe the time of their coming; but my people know not the judgment of the LORD.
• Malachi 2:6The law of truth was in his mouth, and iniquity was not found in his lips: he walked with me in peace and equity, and turned many away from iniquity.
• Luke 20:7And they answered, that they could not tell where it was from.
• John 9:30The man answered and said to them, Why here is a marvellous thing, that ye know not where he is from, and yet he hath opened my eyes.
• Romans 1:18For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;
• 2 Corinthians 4:3But if our gospel is hid, it is hid to them that are lost:
• 2 Thessalonians 2:9Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying 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