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

25John’s immersion, where was it from? From heaven or from men?” They began to dialogue among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will say to us, ‘Then why didn’t you believe him?’ 26But if we say, ‘From men,’ we fear the crowd, for all hold up John as a prophet.” So answering Yeshua, they said, “We don’t know.” Then He said to them, “Neither am I telling you by what authority I do these things.” 28“Now what do you think? A man had two sons, and he went to the first and said, ‘Son, go work in the vineyard today.’ 29The son answered, ‘I won’t,’ but afterward he had a change of heart 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

Words taken from the KJV.

• Andκαίkai · andG2532
• they answeredἀποκρίνωapokrinomai · to answerG611
• Jesusὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• JesusἸησοῦςIēsous · JesusG2424
• and saidλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• Weεἴδωeidō · to perceive: understandG1492
• cannotοὐou · noG3756
• heαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• saidφημίphēmi · to assertG5346
• Neitherοὐδέoude · norG3761
• tellλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• Iἐγώegō · I/weG1473
• youσύsu · youG4771
• byἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• whatποῖοςpoios · what?G4169
• authorityἐξουσίαexousia · authorityG1849
• I doποιέωpoieō · to do/make: doG4160
• these thingsοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778

Cross-references for Matthew 21:27

• Matthew 15:14Leave them alone; they are blind guides of the blind. And if a blind man leads a blind man, both will fall into a pit.”
• Matthew 16:3and in the morning, ‘Stormy weather today, for the sky is red and gloomy.’ You know how to discern the appearance of the sky, but you cannot discern the signs of the times!
• Matthew 23:16“Woe to you, blind guides! You say, ‘Whoever swears by the Temple, it is nothing; but whoever swears by the gold of the Temple, he is obligated.’
• Isaiah 6:10Make the heart of this people fat, their ears heavy, and their eyes blind. Else they would see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and return, and be healed.”
• Isaiah 28:9To whom will He teach knowledge? To whom will He explain the message? Those just weaned from milk? Those just taken from the breast?
• Isaiah 29:10For Adonai has poured out on you a spirit of deep sleep, and has shut your eyes—the prophets, and covered your heads—the seers.
• Isaiah 42:19Who is blind, but My Servant? Or deaf as My Messenger that I send? Who is so blind as the one in covenant with Me, blind as Adonai’s Servant?
• Isaiah 56:10His watchmen are all blind. All of them know nothing. All of them are mute dogs unable to bark, dreamers lying down, lovers of slumber,
• Jeremiah 8:7Even the stork in the sky knows her appointed times, and the turtledove, swallow and crane observe the time of their migration, but My people do not know the judgments of Adonai.
• Malachi 2:6Instruction of truth was in his mouth. Injustice was not found on his lips. In shalom and uprightness he walked with Me, and he turned many from iniquity.
• Luke 20:7So they answered that they didn’t know where it came from.
• John 9:30The man replied to them, “That’s amazing! You don’t know where He is from, yet He opened my eyes!
• Romans 1:18For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men. In unrighteousness they suppress the truth,
• 2 Corinthians 4:3And even if our Good News is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing.
• 2 Thessalonians 2:9The coming of the lawless one is connected to the activity of satan, with all power and signs and false 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