Matthew 21:23-32
The Authority of Jesus Challenged
23 aAnd when he entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came up to him bas he was teaching, and said, c“By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?” 24 Jesus answered them, “I also will ask you one question, and if you tell me the answer, then I also will tell you by what authority I do these things. 25 The baptism of John, afrom where did it come? bFrom heaven or from man?” And they discussed it among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say to us, c‘Why then did you not believe him?’ 26 But if we say, ‘From man,’ awe are afraid of the crowd, for they all hold that John was ba prophet.” 27 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.
The Parable of the Two Sons
28 a“What do you think? A man had two sons. And he went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work in bthe vineyard today.’ 29 And he answered, ‘I will not,’ but afterward he achanged his mind and went. 30 And he went to the other son and said the same. And he answered, ‘I will, sir,’ but did not go. 31 Which of the two did the will of his father?” They said, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “Truly, I say to you, athe tax collectors and bthe prostitutes go into cthe kingdom of God before you. 32 For John came to you ain the way of righteousness, and byou did not believe him, but cthe tax collectors and the prostitutes believed him. And even when you saw it, you did not afterward dchange your minds and believe him.
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway,
a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.