Matthew 21:23

KJV1611 – Modern English

And when he came into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him as he was teaching and said, By what authority do you do these things? And who gave you this authority?

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

¶Καὶ ἐλθόντι αὐτῷ 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;

Transliteration

And elthonti to him into the hieron, prosēlthon to him didaskonti the archiereis and the presbyteroi of the laou, legontes, In what exousia these things poieis? and who to you edōken the exousian this?

Grammar Details

• *elthonti*: aorist active participle, dative masculine singular - having come/when he came
• *hieron*: accusative neuter singular - temple
• *prosēlthon*: aorist active indicative, 3rd person plural - they came to
• *didaskonti*: present active participle, dative masculine singular - teaching
• *archiereis*: nominative masculine plural - chief priests
• *presbyteroi*: nominative masculine plural - elders
• *laou*: genitive masculine singular - people
• *legontes*: present active participle, nominative masculine plural - saying
• *exousia*: dative feminine singular - authority
• *poieis*: present active indicative, 2nd person singular - you do
• *edōken*: aorist active indicative, 3rd person singular - gave
• *exousian*: accusative feminine singular - authority

Word Meanings

• *elthonti*: having come/when he came/upon entering
• *hieron*: temple/sanctuary
• *prosēlthon*: came to/approached
• *didaskonti*: teaching/instructing
• *archiereis*: chief priests/high priests
• *presbyteroi*: elders/older men
• *laou*: people/nation/crowd
• *exousia*: authority/power/right
• *poieis*: do/perform/make
• *edōken*: gave/granted/bestowed

Other Translations

• Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

  When he entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him as he was teaching and said, 'By what authority are you doing these things? And who gave you this authority?'

• King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

  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?

• American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

  And{G2532} when{G2064} he{G846} was come{G2064} into{G1519} the temple,{G2411} the chief priests{G749} and{G2532} the elders{G4245} of the people{G2992} came{G4334} unto him{G846} as he was teaching,{G1321} and said,{G3004} By{G1722} what{G4169} authority{G1849} doest thou{G4160} these things?{G5023} and{G2532} who{G5101} gave{G1325} thee{G4671} this{G3778} authority?{G1849}

• King James Version with Strong's Numbers

  And{G2532} when he{G846} was come{G2064}{(G5631)} into{G1519} the temple{G2411}, the chief priests{G749} and{G2532} the elders{G4245} of the people{G2992} came{G4334}{(G5656)} unto him{G846} as he was teaching{G1321}{(G5723)}, and said{G3004}{(G5723)}, By{G1722} what{G4169} authority{G1849} doest thou{G4160}{(G5719)} these things{G5023}? and{G2532} who{G5101} gave{G1325}{(G5656)} thee{G4671} this{G5026} authority{G1849}?

• Tyndale Bible (1526/1534)

  And when he was come into the teple the chefe prestes and the elders of the people came vnto him as he was teachinge and sayde: by what auctorite doest thou these thinges? and who gave the this power?

• Coverdale Bible (1535)

  And when he was come in to the teple, the chefe prestes and the elders of the people came vnto him (as he was teachinge) & sayde: By what auctorite doest thou these thinges? and who gaue the this auctorite?

• Geneva Bible (1560)

  And whe he was come into the Temple, the chiefe Priestes, and the Elders of the people came vnto him, as he was teaching, and saide, By what authoritie doest thou these things? And who gaue thee this authoritie?

• Bishops' Bible (1568)

  And when he was come into the temple, the chiefe priestes, & the elders of the people, came vnto hym teaching, and saye: By what aucthoritie doest thou these thynges? and who gaue thee this power?

• Authorized King James Version (1611)

  ¶ 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?

• Webster's Bible (1833)

  When he had come into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him as he was teaching, and said, "By what authority do you do these things? Who gave you this authority?"

• Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

  And he having come to the temple, there came to him when teaching the chief priests and the elders of the people, saying, `By what authority dost thou do these things? and who gave thee this authority?'

• American Standard Version (1901)

  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?

• American Standard Version (1901)

  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?

• Bible in Basic English (1941)

  And when he had come into the Temple, the chief priests and those in authority over the people came to him while he was teaching, and said, By what authority do you do these things? and who gave you this authority?

• World English Bible (2000)

  When he had come into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him as he was teaching, and said, "By what authority do you do these things? Who gave you this authority?"

• NET Bible® (New English Translation)

  The Authority of Jesus Now after Jesus entered the temple courts, the chief priests and 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?”

Referenced Verses

• Acts 4:7 : 7 And when they had set them in the midst, they asked, By what power or by what name have you done this?
• Acts 7:27 : 27 But he who did his neighbor wrong pushed him away, saying, Who made you a ruler and a judge over us?
• Exod 2:14 : 14 And he said, Who made you a prince and a judge over us? Are you intending to kill me as you killed the Egyptian? And Moses was afraid and said, Surely this thing is known.
• 1 Chr 24:1-9 : 1 Now these are the divisions of the sons of Aaron: The sons of Aaron were Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. 2 But Nadab and Abihu died before their father and had no children; therefore, Eleazar and Ithamar executed the priest's office. 3 And David distributed them, both Zadok of the sons of Eleazar, and Ahimelech of the sons of Ithamar, according to their offices in their service. 4 And there were more chief men found of the sons of Eleazar than of the sons of Ithamar, and thus they were divided: Among the sons of Eleazar, there were sixteen chief men of the house of their fathers, and eight among the sons of Ithamar according to the house of their fathers. 5 Thus, they were divided by lot, one group with another, for the leaders of the sanctuary and the leaders of the house of God were of the sons of Eleazar and of the sons of Ithamar. 6 And Shemaiah the son of Nethaneel the scribe, one of the Levites, wrote them down before the king, and the princes, and Zadok the priest, and Ahimelech the son of Abiathar, and before the chiefs of the fathers of the priests and Levites: one principal household being taken for Eleazar and one taken for Ithamar. 7 Now the first lot came to Jehoiarib, the second to Jedaiah, 8 The third to Harim, the fourth to Seorim, 9 The fifth to Malchijah, the sixth to Mijamin, 10 The seventh to Hakkoz, the eighth to Abijah, 11 The ninth to Jeshua, the tenth to Shecaniah, 12 The eleventh to Eliashib, the twelfth to Jakim, 13 The thirteenth to Huppah, the fourteenth to Jeshebeab, 14 The fifteenth to Bilgah, the sixteenth to Immer, 15 The seventeenth to Hezir, the eighteenth to Aphses, 16 The nineteenth to Pethahiah, the twentieth to Jehezekel, 17 The twenty-first to Jachin, the twenty-second to Gamul, 18 The twenty-third to Delaiah, the twenty-fourth to Maaziah. 19 These were their appointed orderings in their service to come into the house of the LORD, according to their manner, under Aaron their father, as the LORD God of Israel had commanded him.
• Matt 26:55 : 55 In that same hour Jesus said to the multitudes, Are you come out as against a thief with swords and clubs to take me? I sat daily with you teaching in the temple, and you laid no hold on me.
• Luke 19:47-20:8 : 47 And he taught daily in the temple. But the chief priests and the scribes and the leaders of the people sought to destroy him, 48 And could not find what they might do, for all the people were very attentive to hear him. 1 And it happened, on one of those days, as he taught the people in the temple and preached the gospel, the chief priests and the scribes came upon him with the elders, 2 And spoke to him, saying, Tell us, by what authority do you do these things? Or who is he who gave you this authority? 3 And he answered and said to them, I will also ask you one thing; and you answer me: 4 The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or from men? 5 And they reasoned among themselves, saying, If we say, From heaven; he will say, Why then did you not believe him? 6 But if we say, From men; all the people will stone us: for they are persuaded that John was a prophet. 7 And they answered that they could not tell where it was from. 8 And Jesus said to them, Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.
• Mark 11:27-33 : 27 And they came again to Jerusalem: and as he was walking in the temple, there came to him the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders, 28 And said to him, By what authority do you do these things? and who gave you this authority to do these things? 29 And Jesus answered and said to them, I will also ask you one question, and answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things. 30 The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or from men? answer me. 31 And they reasoned among themselves, saying, If we say, From heaven; he will say, Why then did you not believe him? 32 But if we say, From men; they feared the people: for all men counted John, that he was a prophet indeed. 33 And they answered and said to Jesus, We cannot tell. And Jesus answering said to them, Neither do I tell you by what authority I do these things.