Luke 20:5
 Luke 20:5 
New International Version (©2011)
They discussed it among themselves and said, "If we say, 'From heaven,' he will ask, 'Why didn't you believe him?'

New Living Translation (©2007)
They talked it over among themselves. "If we say it was from heaven, he will ask why we didn't believe John.

English Standard Version (©2001)
And they discussed it with one another, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say, ‘Why did you not believe him?’

New American Standard Bible (©1995)
They reasoned among themselves, saying, "If we say, 'From heaven,' He will say, 'Why did you not believe him?'

King James Bible (Cambridge Ed.)
And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say, Why then believed ye him not?

Holman Christian Standard Bible (©2009)
They discussed it among themselves: "If we say, 'From heaven,' He will say, 'Why didn't you believe him?'

International Standard Version (©2012)
They discussed this among themselves: "If we say, 'From heaven,' he will ask, 'Then why didn't you believe him?'

NET Bible (©2006)
So they discussed it with one another, saying, "If we say, 'From heaven,' he will say, 'Why did you not believe him?'

Aramaic Bible in Plain English (©2010)
But they were counseling among themselves and they were saying, “If we say, 'From Heaven', he will say to us, 'And why did you not believe him?' “

GOD'S WORD® Translation (©1995)
They talked about this among themselves. They said, "If we say, 'from heaven,' he will ask, 'Why didn't you believe him?'

King James 2000 Bible (©2003)
And they reasoned among themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say, Why then did you not believe him?

American King James Version
And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say, Why then believed you him not?

American Standard Version
And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say, Why did ye not believe him?

Douay-Rheims Bible
But they thought within themselves, saying: If we shall say, From heaven: he will say: Why then did you not believe him?

Darby Bible Translation
And they reasoned among themselves, saying, If we should say, Of heaven, he will say, Why have ye not believed him?

English Revised Version
And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say, Why did ye not believe him?

Webster's Bible Translation
And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say, Why then believed ye him not?

Weymouth New Testament
So they debated the matter with one another. "If we say 'Heavenly,'" they argued, "he will say, 'Why did you not believe him?'

World English Bible
They reasoned with themselves, saying, "If we say, 'From heaven,' he will say, 'Why didn't you believe him?'

Young's Literal Translation
And they reasoned with themselves, saying -- 'If we may say, From heaven, he will say, Wherefore, then, did ye not believe him?

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

20:1-8 Men often pretend to examine the evidences of revelation, and the truth of the gospel, when only seeking excuses for their own unbelief and disobedience. Christ answered these priests and scribes with a plain question about the baptism of John, which the common people could answer. They all knew it was from heaven, nothing in it had an earthly tendency. Those that bury the knowledge they have, are justly denied further knowledge. It was just with Christ to refuse to give account of his authority, to those who knew the baptism of John to be from heaven, yet would not believe in him, nor own their knowledge.


Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And they reasoned with themselves,.... Or "they thought with themselves", as the Syriac version; or "within themselves", as the Vulgate Latin, though they did not express it; or "one with another", as the Arabic version; they took counsel together, and debated the matter among themselves, and reasoned after this manner:

saying, if we shall say from heaven; which was what, in their own consciences, they believed to be true,

he will say, why then believed ye him not? in what he said concerning the Messiah; which if they had, as they should, there would have been no reason for such a question they had put; See Gill on Matthew 21:25.


Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

5. Why then believed ye him not?—that is, in his testimony to Jesus, the sum of his whole witness.


Luke 20:5 Parallel Commentaries

Luke 20:5 NIV
Luke 20:5 NLT
Luke 20:5 ESV
Luke 20:5 NASB
Luke 20:5 KJV

Bible Hub: Online Parallel Bible


Jesus' Authority Challenged
4The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or of men? 5And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say, Why then believed you him not? 6But and if we say, Of men; all the people will stone us: for they be persuaded that John was a prophet. …

Matthew 16:7 They discussed this among themselves and said, "It is because we didn't bring any bread."
Matthew 21:25 John's baptism--where did it come from? Was it from heaven, or of human origin?" They discussed it among themselves and said, "If we say, 'From heaven,' he will ask, 'Then why didn't you believe him?'
Luke 20:4 John's baptism--was it from heaven, or of human origin?"
Luke 20:6 But if we say, 'Of human origin,' all the people will stone us, because they are persuaded that John was a prophet."