Matthew 21:25
 Matthew 21:25 
New International Version (©2011)
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?'

New Living Translation (©2007)
"Did John's authority to baptize come from heaven, or was it merely human?" They talked it over among themselves. "If we say it was from heaven, he will ask us why we didn't believe John.

English Standard Version (©2001)
The baptism of John, from where did it come? From heaven or from man?” And they discussed it among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say to us, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’

New American Standard Bible (©1995)
"The baptism of John was from what source, from heaven or from men?" And they began reasoning among themselves, saying, "If we say, 'From heaven,' He will say to us, 'Then why did you not believe him?'

King James Bible (Cambridge Ed.)
The baptism of John, whence was it? from heaven, or of men? And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say unto us, Why did ye not then believe him?

Holman Christian Standard Bible (©2009)
Where did John's baptism come from? From heaven or from men?" They began to argue among themselves, "If we say, 'From heaven,' He will say to us, 'Then why didn't you believe him?'

International Standard Version (©2012)
Where did John's authority to baptize come from? From heaven or from humans?" They began discussing this among themselves: "If we say, 'From heaven,' he will ask us, 'Then why didn't you believe him?'

NET Bible (©2006)
Where 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?'

Aramaic Bible in Plain English (©2010)
“From where was the baptism of Yohannan, from Heaven or was it from men?” But they were counseling among themselves and saying, “If we say, 'From Heaven', he will say to us, 'And why did you not trust him?' “

GOD'S WORD® Translation (©1995)
Did John's right to baptize come from heaven or from humans?" They discussed this among themselves. They said, "If we say, 'from heaven,' he will ask us, 'Then why didn't you believe him?'

King James 2000 Bible (©2003)
The baptism of John, from where was it? from heaven, or of men? And they reasoned among themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say unto us, Why did you not then believe him?

American King James Version
The baptism of John, from where was it? from heaven, or of men? And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say to us, Why did you not then believe him?

American Standard Version
The baptism of John, whence was it? from heaven or from men? And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say unto us, Why then did ye not believe him?

Douay-Rheims Bible
The baptism of John, whence was it? from heaven or from men? But they thought within themselves, saying:

Darby Bible Translation
The baptism of John, whence was it? of heaven or of men? And they reasoned among themselves, saying, If we should say, Of heaven, he will say to us, Why then have ye not believed him?

English Revised Version
The baptism of John, whence was it? from heaven or from men? And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say unto us, Why then did ye not believe him?

Webster's Bible Translation
The baptism of John, whence was it? from heaven, or from men? And they reasoned with themselves, saying, if we shall say, From heaven; he will say to us, Why then did ye not believe him?

Weymouth New Testament
John's Baptism, whence was it? --had it a heavenly or a human origin?" So they debated the matter among themselves. "If we say 'a heavenly origin,'" they argued, "he will say, 'Why then did you not believe him?'

World English Bible
The baptism of John, where was it from? From heaven or from men?" They reasoned with themselves, saying, "If we say, 'From heaven,' he will ask us, 'Why then did you not believe him?'

Young's Literal Translation
the baptism of John, whence was it? -- from heaven, or from men?' And they were reasoning with themselves, saying, 'If we should say, From heaven; he will say to us, Wherefore, then, did ye not believe him?

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

The baptism of John, whence was it?.... By the baptism of John, is meant the ordinance of water baptism, which was first administered by him; from whence he took the name of John the Baptist: and the doctrine which he preached concerning it, and previous to it, and even the whole of his ministry; which is denominated from a principal part of it, and which greatly distinguished his ministry from all others: and the question put by Christ concerning it is, whence it was? by what authority did John administer the ordinance of water baptism, which had never been administered before by any? who sent him to preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins, a doctrine the world had never heard of before? who gave him a commission to discharge the several parts of his ministry, which he performed in such a wonderful and powerful manner? did he receive his authority

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Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

The baptism of John - Had John a Divine commission or not, for his baptism and preaching? Our Lord here takes the wise in their own cunning. He knew the estimation John was in among the people; and he plainly saw that, if they gave any answer at all, they must convict themselves: and so they saw, when they came to examine the question. See Matthew 21:25, Matthew 21:26.


Geneva Study Bible

The {m} baptism of John, whence was it? from {n} heaven, or of men? And they {o} reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say unto us, Why did ye not then believe him?

(m) The preaching of John is called by the figure baptism because he preached the baptism of repentance, etc.; Mr 1:4 Ac 19:3.

(n) From God, and so it is plainly seen how these are set one against another.

(o) Beat their heads about it, and mused, or laid their heads together.


People's New Testament

21:25,26 The baptism of John. Though the people generally had obeyed John, they had rejected his baptism. Yet they dared not say it was of men, for fear of the people; nor that it was of heaven, because they had disobeyed it. They therefore say, We cannot tell (Mt 21:27).


Wesley's Notes

21:25 Why did ye not believe him - Testifying this.


Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

25. The baptism of John-meaning his whole mission and ministry, of which baptism was the proper character.

whence was it? from heaven, or of men?-What wisdom there was in this way of meeting their question will best appear by their reply.

Continued...


Matthew 21:25 Parallel Commentaries
Bible Hub: Online Parallel Bible


Jesus' Authority Challenged
23And when he was 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 these things? and who gave you this authority? 24And Jesus answered and said to them, I also will ask you one thing, which if you tell me, I in like wise will tell you by what authority I do these things. 25The baptism of John, from where was it? from heaven, or of men? And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say to us, Why did you not then believe him?

Matthew 16:7 They discussed this among themselves and said, "It is because we didn't bring any bread."
Matthew 21:24 Jesus replied, "I will also ask you one question. If you answer me, I will tell you by what authority I am doing these things.
Matthew 21:26 But if we say, 'Of human origin'--we are afraid of the people, for they all hold that John was a prophet."
Luke 20:5 They discussed it among themselves and said, "If we say, 'From heaven,' he will ask, 'Why didn't you believe him?'