Focused Passage

Luke 20:1-8

The Rejected Son, the Questioned Authority, and the Lord Who Silences His Opponents

Jesus answers the leaders’ challenge to his authority, exposes their rejection of God’s beloved Son through the tenant parable, silences attempts to trap him politically and theologically, reveals the Messiah as David’s Lord, and warns against religious teachers who use piety for status and exploitation.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

1 One day as Jesus was teaching the people in the temple courts and proclaiming the gospel, the chief priests and scribes, together with the elders, came up to Him.

2 “Tell us,” they said, “by what authority are You doing these things, and who gave You this authority?”

3 “I will also ask you a question,” Jesus replied. “Tell Me:

4 John’s baptism—was it from heaven, or from men?”

5 They deliberated among themselves and said, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will ask, ‘Why did you not believe him?’

6 But if we say, ‘From men,’ all the people will stone us, for they are convinced that John was a prophet.”

7 So they answered that they did not know where it was from.

8 And Jesus replied, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.”

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 1

Original words

- Καὶ G2532 Conjunction - ἐγένετο G1096 Verb - Aorist Indicative Middle - 3rd Person Singular - ἐν G1722 Preposition One μιᾷ G1520 Adjective - Dative Feminine Singular - τῶν G3588 Article - Genitive Feminine Plural day ἡμερῶν G2250 Noun - Genitive Feminine Plural [as Jesus] αὐτοῦ G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular was teaching διδάσκοντος G1321 Verb - Present Participle Active - Genitive Masculine Singular the τὸν G3588 Article - Accusative Masculine Singular people λαὸν G2992 Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular in ἐν G1722 Preposition the τῷ G3588 Article - Dative Neuter Singular temple [courts] ἱερῷ G2411 Noun - Dative Neuter Singular and καὶ G2532 Conjunction proclaiming the gospel εὐαγγελιζομένου G2097 Verb - Present Participle Middle - Genitive Masculine Singular the οἱ G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Plural chief priests ἀρχιερεῖς G749 Noun - Nominative Masculine Plural and καὶ G2532 Conjunction - οἱ G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Plural scribes γραμματεῖς G1122 Noun - Nominative Masculine Plural together with σὺν G4862 Preposition the τοῖς G3588 Article - Dative Masculine Plural elders πρεσβυτέροις G4245 Adjective - Dative Masculine Plural came up [to Him] ἐπέστησαν G2186 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural

BSB notes

  • Literally the temple
Verse 2

Original words

Tell Εἰπὸν G2036 Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 2nd Person Singular us ἡμῖν G1473 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 1st Person Plural - καὶ G2532 Conjunction - εἶπαν G2036 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural they said λέγοντες G3004 Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plural - πρὸς G4314 Preposition - αὐτόν G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person Singular by ἐν G1722 Preposition what ποίᾳ G4169 Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Dative Feminine Singular authority ἐξουσίᾳ G1849 Noun - Dative Feminine Singular are You doing ποιεῖς G4160 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 2nd Person Singular these things ταῦτα G3778 Demonstrative Pronoun - Accusative Neuter Plural [and] G2228 Conjunction who τίς G5101 Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Nominative Masculine Singular - ἐστιν G1510 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular - G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Singular gave δούς G1325 Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular You σοι G4771 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 2nd Person Singular this ταύτην G3778 Demonstrative Pronoun - Accusative Feminine Singular - τὴν G3588 Article - Accusative Feminine Singular authority ἐξουσίαν G1849 Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Verse 3

Original words

vvv κἀγὼ G2504 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Nominative 1st Person Singular I will also ask Ἐρωτήσω G2065 Verb - Future Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular you ὑμᾶς G4771 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative 2nd Person Plural a question λόγον G3056 Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular - δὲ G1161 Conjunction - Ἀποκριθεὶς G611 Verb - Aorist Participle Passive - Nominative Masculine Singular [Jesus] replied εἶπεν G2036 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular - πρὸς G4314 Preposition - αὐτούς G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person Plural - καὶ G2532 Conjunction Tell εἴπατέ G2036 Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 2nd Person Plural Me μοι G1473 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 1st Person Singular
Verse 4

Original words

John’s Ἰωάννου G2491 Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular - Τὸ G3588 Article - Nominative Neuter Singular baptism βάπτισμα G908 Noun - Nominative Neuter Singular was it ἦν G1510 Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular from ἐξ G1537 Preposition heaven οὐρανοῦ G3772 Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular or G2228 Conjunction from ἐξ G1537 Preposition men ἀνθρώπων G444 Noun - Genitive Masculine Plural
Verse 5

Original words

- δὲ G1161 Conjunction - Οἱ G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Plural They deliberated συνελογίσαντο G4817 Verb - Aorist Indicative Middle - 3rd Person Plural among πρὸς G4314 Preposition themselves ἑαυτοὺς G1438 Reflexive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person Plural [and] said λέγοντες G3004 Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plural - ὅτι G3754 Conjunction If Ἐὰν G1437 Conjunction we say εἴπωμεν G2036 Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 1st Person Plural From Ἐξ G1537 Preposition heaven οὐρανοῦ G3772 Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular He will ask ἐρεῖ G2046 Verb - Future Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular Why Διὰ G1223 Preposition . . . τί G5101 Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Accusative Neuter Singular vvv οὐκ G3756 Adverb did you not believe ἐπιστεύσατε G4100 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 2nd Person Plural him αὐτῷ G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Verse 6

Original words

But δὲ G1161 Conjunction if ἐὰν G1437 Conjunction we say εἴπωμεν G2036 Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 1st Person Plural From Ἐξ G1537 Preposition men ἀνθρώπων G444 Noun - Genitive Masculine Plural all ἅπας G537 Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singular the G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Singular people λαὸς G2992 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular will stone καταλιθάσει G2642 Verb - Future Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular us ἡμᾶς G1473 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative 1st Person Plural for γάρ G1063 Conjunction they are ἐστιν G1510 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular convinced [that] πεπεισμένος G3982 Verb - Perfect Participle Middle or Passive - Nominative Masculine Singular John Ἰωάννην G2491 Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular was εἶναι G1510 Verb - Present Infinitive Active a prophet προφήτην G4396 Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular
Verse 7

Original words

So Καὶ G2532 Conjunction they answered [that] ἀπεκρίθησαν G611 Verb - Aorist Indicative Passive - 3rd Person Plural vvv μὴ G3361 Adverb they did not know εἰδέναι G1492 Verb - Perfect Infinitive Active where [it was] from πόθεν G4159 Adverb
Verse 8

Original words

And Καὶ G2532 Conjunction - G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Singular Jesus Ἰησοῦς G2424 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular replied εἶπεν G2036 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular . . . αὐτοῖς G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person Plural Neither Οὐδὲ G3761 Adverb {will} I ἐγὼ G1473 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Nominative 1st Person Singular tell λέγω G3004 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular you ὑμῖν G4771 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 2nd Person Plural by ἐν G1722 Preposition what ποίᾳ G4169 Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Dative Feminine Singular authority ἐξουσίᾳ G1849 Noun - Dative Feminine Singular I am doing ποιῶ G4160 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular these things ταῦτα G3778 Demonstrative Pronoun - Accusative Neuter Plural

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.