Matthew 21:23

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?”

Additional Resources

Referenced Verses

  • Acts 4:7 : 7 After making Peter and John stand in their midst, they began to inquire,“By what power or by what name did you do this?”
  • Acts 7:27 : 27 But the man who was unfairly hurting his neighbor pushed Moses aside, saying,‘Who made you a ruler and judge over us?
  • Exod 2:14 : 14 The man replied,“Who made you a ruler and a judge over us? Are you planning to kill me like you killed that Egyptian?” Then Moses was afraid, thinking,“Surely what I did has become known.”
  • 1 Chr 24:1-9 : 1 David Organizes the Priests The divisions of Aaron’s descendants were as follows:The sons of Aaron:Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. 2 Nadab and Abihu died before their father did; they had no sons. Eleazar and Ithamar served as priests. 3 David, Zadok(a descendant of Eleazar), and Ahimelech(a descendant of Ithamar) divided them into groups to carry out their assigned responsibilities. 4 The descendants of Eleazar had more leaders than the descendants of Ithamar, so they divided them up accordingly; the descendants of Eleazar had sixteen leaders, while the descendants of Ithamar had eight. 5 They divided them by lots, for there were officials of the holy place and officials designated by God among the descendants of both Eleazar and Ithamar. 6 The scribe Shemaiah son of Nethanel, a Levite, wrote down their names before the king, the officials, Zadok the priest, Ahimelech son of Abiathar, and the leaders of the priestly and Levite families. One family was drawn by lot from Eleazar, and then the next from Ithamar. 7 The first lot went to Jehoiarib,the second to Jedaiah, 8 the third to Harim,the fourth to Seorim, 9 the fifth to Malkijah,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 Happizzez, 16 the nineteenth to Pethahiah,the twentieth to Jehezkel, 17 the twenty-first to Jakin,the twenty-second to Gamul, 18 the twenty-third to Delaiah,the twenty-fourth to Maaziah. 19 This was the order in which they carried out their assigned responsibilities when they entered the LORD’s temple, according to the regulations given them by their ancestor Aaron, just as the LORD God of Israel had instructed him.
  • Matt 26:55 : 55 At that moment Jesus said to the crowd,“Have you come out with swords and clubs to arrest me like you would an outlaw? Day after day I sat teaching in the temple courts, yet you did not arrest me.
  • Luke 19:47-20:8 : 47 Jesus was teaching daily in the temple courts. The chief priests and the experts in the law and the prominent leaders among the people were seeking to assassinate him, 48 but they could not find a way to do it, for all the people hung on his words. 1 The Authority of Jesus Now one day, as Jesus was teaching the people in the temple courts and proclaiming the gospel, the chief priests and the experts in the law with the elders came up 2 and said to him,“Tell us: By what authority are you doing these things? Or who is it who gave you this authority?” 3 He answered them,“I will also ask you a question, and you tell me: 4 John’s baptism– was it from heaven or from people?” 5 So they discussed it with one another, saying,“If we say,‘From heaven,’ he will say,‘Why did you not believe him?’ 6 But if we say,‘From people,’ all the people will stone us, because they are convinced that John was a prophet.” 7 So they replied that they did not know where it came from. 8 Then Jesus said to them,“Neither will I tell you by whose authority I do these things.”
  • Mark 11:27-33 : 27 The Authority of Jesus They came again to Jerusalem. While Jesus was walking in the temple courts, the chief priests, the experts in the law, and the elders came up to him 28 and said,“By what authority are you doing these things? Or who gave you this authority to do these things?” 29 Jesus said to them,“I will ask you one question. Answer me and I will tell you by what authority I do these things: 30 John’s baptism– was it from heaven or from people? Answer me.” 31 They discussed with one another, saying,“If we say,‘From heaven,’ he will say,‘Then why did you not believe him?’ 32 But if we say,‘From people–’”(they feared the crowd, for they all considered John to be truly a prophet). 33 So they answered Jesus,“We don’t know.” Then Jesus said to them,“Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.”

Similar Verses (AI)

These verses are found using AI-powered semantic similarity based on meaning and context. Results may occasionally include unexpected connections.

  • Mark 11:27-30
    4 verses
    91%

    27The Authority of Jesus They came again to Jerusalem. While Jesus was walking in the temple courts, the chief priests, the experts in the law, and the elders came up to him

    28and said,“By what authority are you doing these things? Or who gave you this authority to do these things?”

    29Jesus said to them,“I will ask you one question. Answer me and I will tell you by what authority I do these things:

    30John’s baptism– was it from heaven or from people? Answer me.”

  • Luke 20:1-3
    3 verses
    90%

    1The Authority of Jesus Now one day, as Jesus was teaching the people in the temple courts and proclaiming the gospel, the chief priests and the experts in the law with the elders came up

    2and said to him,“Tell us: By what authority are you doing these things? Or who is it who gave you this authority?”

    3He answered them,“I will also ask you a question, and you tell me:

  • Matt 21:24-25
    2 verses
    86%

    24Jesus answered them,“I will also ask you one question. If you answer me then I will also tell you by what authority I do these things.

    25Where did John’s baptism come from? From heaven or from people?” They discussed this among themselves, saying,“If we say,‘From heaven,’ he will say,‘Then why did you not believe him?’

  • Matt 21:27-28
    2 verses
    79%

    27So they answered Jesus,“We don’t know.” Then he said to them,“Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.

    28The Parable of the Two Sons“What do you think? A man had two sons. He went to the first and said,‘Son, go and work in the vineyard today.’

  • Mark 11:33
    77%

    33So they answered Jesus,“We don’t know.” Then Jesus said to them,“Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.”

  • Luke 20:8
    76%

    8Then Jesus said to them,“Neither will I tell you by whose authority I do these things.”

  • Luke 22:52
    76%

    52Then Jesus said to the chief priests, the officers of the temple guard, and the elders who had come out to get him,“Have you come out with swords and clubs like you would against an outlaw?

  • Matt 21:15
    76%

    15But when the chief priests and the experts in the law saw the wonderful things he did and heard the children crying out in the temple courts,“Hosanna to the Son of David,” they became indignant

  • Mark 1:22
    75%

    22The people there were amazed by his teaching, because he taught them like one who had authority, not like the experts in the law.

  • Matt 23:1
    74%

    1Seven Woes Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples,

  • John 18:21
    74%

    21Why do you ask me? Ask those who heard what I said. They know what I said.”

  • Luke 22:66
    74%

    66When day came, the council of the elders of the people gathered together, both the chief priests and the experts in the law. Then they led Jesus away to their council

  • Matt 7:29
    74%

    29because he taught them like one who had authority, not like their experts in the law.

  • Matt 21:10
    74%

    10As he entered Jerusalem the whole city was thrown into an uproar, saying,“Who is this?”

  • Matt 22:41
    73%

    41The Messiah: David’s Son and Lord While the Pharisees were assembled, Jesus asked them a question:

  • John 18:19
    73%

    19Jesus Questioned by Annas While this was happening, the high priest questioned Jesus about his disciples and about his teaching.

  • Matt 21:12-13
    2 verses
    73%

    12Cleansing the Temple Then Jesus entered the temple area and drove out all those who were selling and buying in the temple courts, and turned over the tables of the money changers and the chairs of those selling doves.

    13And he said to them,“It is written,‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’ but you are turning it into a den of robbers!”

  • Mark 11:17-18
    2 verses
    73%

    17Then he began to teach them and said,“Is it not written:‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations’? But you have turned it into a den of robbers!”

    18The chief priests and the experts in the law heard it and they considered how they could assassinate him, for they feared him, because the whole crowd was amazed by his teaching.

  • Luke 20:21-22
    2 verses
    73%

    21Thus they asked him,“Teacher, we know that you speak and teach correctly, and show no partiality, but teach the way of God in accordance with the truth.

    22Is it right for us to pay the tribute tax to Caesar or not?”

  • Mark 1:27
    73%

    27They were all amazed so that they asked each other,“What is this? A new teaching with authority! He even commands the unclean spirits and they obey him.”

  • Luke 19:45-47
    3 verses
    73%

    45Cleansing the Temple Then Jesus entered the temple courts and began to drive out those who were selling things there,

    46saying to them,“It is written,‘My house will be a house of prayer,’ but you have turned it into a den of robbers!”

    47Jesus was teaching daily in the temple courts. The chief priests and the experts in the law and the prominent leaders among the people were seeking to assassinate him,

  • Luke 21:38
    73%

    38And all the people came to him early in the morning to listen to him in the temple courts.

  • John 8:2
    73%

    2Early in the morning he came to the temple courts again. All the people came to him, and he sat down and began to teach them.

  • Luke 21:7
    73%

    7So they asked him,“Teacher, when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that these things are about to take place?”

  • Acts 4:7
    73%

    7After making Peter and John stand in their midst, they began to inquire,“By what power or by what name did you do this?”

  • Mark 9:16
    73%

    16He asked them,“What are you arguing about with them?”

  • Mark 11:15
    72%

    15Cleansing the Temple Then they came to Jerusalem. Jesus entered the temple area and began to drive out those who were selling and buying in the temple courts. He turned over the tables of the money changers and the chairs of those selling doves,

  • Matt 26:55
    72%

    55At that moment Jesus said to the crowd,“Have you come out with swords and clubs to arrest me like you would an outlaw? Day after day I sat teaching in the temple courts, yet you did not arrest me.

  • Acts 5:27
    72%

    27When they had brought them, they stood them before the council, and the high priest questioned them,

  • Matt 22:20
    72%

    20Jesus said to them,“Whose image is this, and whose inscription?”

  • Luke 20:45
    72%

    45Jesus Warns the Disciples against Pride As all the people were listening, Jesus said to his disciples,

  • John 18:34
    72%

    34Jesus replied,“Are you saying this on your own initiative, or have others told you about me?”

  • Matt 26:62
    72%

    62So the high priest stood up and said to him,“Have you no answer? What is this that they are testifying against you?”

  • Mark 12:14
    72%

    14When they came they said to him,“Teacher, we know that you are truthful and do not court anyone’s favor, because you show no partiality but teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not? Should we pay or shouldn’t we?”

  • Matt 22:17
    71%

    17Tell us then, what do you think? Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not?”

  • Matt 15:1
    71%

    1Breaking Human Traditions Then Pharisees and experts in the law came from Jerusalem to Jesus and said,

  • Luke 23:2
    71%

    2They began to accuse him, saying,“We found this man subverting our nation, forbidding us to pay the tribute tax to Caesar and claiming that he himself is Christ, a king.”

  • Luke 23:13
    71%

    13Jesus Brought Before the Crowd Then Pilate called together the chief priests, the leaders, and the people,