1. One day as he was teaching the people in the temple area and proclaiming the good news, the chief priests and scribes, together with the elders, approached him
2. and said to him, “Tell us, by what authority are you doing these things? Or who is the one who gave you this authority?”
3. He said to them in reply, “I shall ask you a question. Tell me,
4. was John’s baptism of heavenly or of human origin?”
5. They discussed this among themselves, and said, “If we say, ‘Of heavenly origin,’ he will say, ‘Why did you not believe him?’
6. But if we say, ‘Of human origin,’ then all the people will stone us, for they are convinced that John was a prophet.”
7. So they answered that they did not know from where it came.