Matthew

Matthew 21:23–27

²³When Jesus returned to the temple courts and began to teach, the chief priests and elders of the people came up to Him. “By what authority are You doing these things?” they asked. “And who gave You this authority?”

²⁴“I will also ask you one question,” Jesus replied, “and if you answer Me, I will tell you by what authority I am doing these things. ²⁵What was the source of John’s baptism? Was it from heaven or from men?”

They deliberated among themselves and said, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will ask, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’ ²⁶But if we say, ‘From men,’ we are afraid of the people, for they all regard John as a prophet.” ²⁷So they answered, “We do not know.”

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

Read all of Matthew 21

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Greek it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

Matthew 21:23

English	Greek	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
When	Καὶ	Kai	Conjunction	G2532 and, even, also, namely
returned	ἐλθόντος	elthontos	Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Genitive Masculine Singular	G2064 I come, go
to	εἰς	eis	Preposition	G1519 into, in, among, till, for
the	τὸ	to	Article - Accusative Neuter Singular	G3588 the
temple	ἱερὸν	hieron	Noun - Accusative Neuter Singular	G2411 a temple
began to teach	διδάσκοντι	didaskonti	Verb - Present Participle Active - Dative Masculine Singular	G1321 I teach
the	οἱ	hoi	Article - Nominative Masculine Plural	G3588 the
chief priests	ἀρχιερεῖς	archiereis	Noun - Nominative Masculine Plural	G749 high priest, chief priest
and	καὶ	kai	Conjunction	G2532 and, even, also, namely
elders	πρεσβύτεροι	presbyteroi	Adjective - Nominative Masculine Plural	G4245 elder
of the	τοῦ	tou	Article - Genitive Masculine Singular	G3588 the
people	λαοῦ	laou	Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular	G2992 a people, the crowd
came up	προσῆλθον	prosēlthon	Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural	G4334 I come near, consent to
to Him	αὐτῷ	autō	Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person Singular	G846 he, she, it, they, them, same
By	Ἐν	En	Preposition	G1722 in, on, among
what	ποίᾳ	poia	Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Dative Feminine Singular	G4169 of what sort
authority	ἐξουσίᾳ	exousia	Noun - Dative Feminine Singular	G1849 power, authority, weight
are You doing	ποιεῖς	poieis	Verb - Present Indicative Active - 2nd Person Singular	G4160 I do, make
these things	ταῦτα	tauta	Demonstrative Pronoun - Accusative Neuter Plural	G3778 this, he, she, it
they asked	λέγοντες	legontes	Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plural	G3004 I say, speak
And	καὶ	kai	Conjunction	G2532 and, even, also, namely
who	τίς	tis	Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Nominative Masculine Singular	G5101 who, which, what
gave	ἔδωκεν	edōken	Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular	G1325 I offer, give
You	σοι	soi	Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 2nd Person Singular	G4771 you
this	ταύτην	tautēn	Demonstrative Pronoun - Accusative Feminine Singular	G3778 this, he, she, it
authority	ἐξουσίαν	exousian	Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular	G1849 power, authority, weight

Matthew 21:24

English	Greek	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
I will also ask	Ἐρωτήσω	Erōtēsō	Verb - Future Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular	G2065 I ask, question, request
you	ὑμᾶς	hymas	Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative 2nd Person Plural	G4771 you
one	ἕνα	hena	Adjective - Accusative Masculine Singular	G1520 one
question	λόγον	logon	Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular	G3056 a word, speech, divine utterance, analogy
Jesus	Ἰησοῦς	Iēsous	Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular	G2424 Jesus
replied	Ἀποκριθεὶς	Apokritheis	Verb - Aorist Participle Passive - Nominative Masculine Singular	G611 I answer, reply
if	ἐὰν	ean	Conjunction	G1437 if
you answer	εἴπητέ	eipēte	Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 2nd Person Plural	G2036 to speak or say (by word or writing)
Me	μοι	moi	Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 1st Person Singular	G1473 I
I	κἀγὼ	kagō	Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Nominative 1st Person Singular	G2504 I also, I too
will tell	ἐρῶ	erō	Verb - Future Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular	G2046 I say, speak
you	ὑμῖν	hymin	Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 2nd Person Plural	G4771 you
by	ἐν	en	Preposition	G1722 in, on, among
what	ποίᾳ	poia	Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Dative Feminine Singular	G4169 of what sort
authority	ἐξουσίᾳ	exousia	Noun - Dative Feminine Singular	G1849 power, authority, weight
I am doing	ποιῶ	poiō	Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular	G4160 I do, make
these things	ταῦτα	tauta	Demonstrative Pronoun - Accusative Neuter Plural	G3778 this, he, she, it

Matthew 21:25

English	Greek	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
What was the source	πόθεν	pothen	Adverb	G4159 whence
of	τὸ	to	Article - Nominative Neuter Singular	G3588 the
John’s	Ἰωάννου	Iōannou	Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular	G2491 John
baptism	βάπτισμα	baptisma	Noun - Nominative Neuter Singular	G908 the rite or ceremony of baptism
from	ἐξ	ex	Preposition	G1537 from out, out from among, from
heaven	οὐρανοῦ	ouranou	Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular	G3772 the sky, the heaven
or	ἢ	ē	Conjunction	G2228 or, than
from	ἐξ	ex	Preposition	G1537 from out, out from among, from
men	ἀνθρώπων	anthrōpōn	Noun - Genitive Masculine Plural	G444 a man, one of the human race
They deliberated	διελογίζοντο	dielogizonto	Verb - Imperfect Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Plural	G1260 I reason, debate, consider
among	ἐν	en	Preposition	G1722 in, on, among
themselves	ἑαυτοῖς	heautois	Reflexive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person Plural	G1438 himself, herself, itself
said	λέγοντες	legontes	Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plural	G3004 I say, speak
If	Ἐὰν	Ean	Conjunction	G1437 if
we say	εἴπωμεν	eipōmen	Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 1st Person Plural	G2036 to speak or say (by word or writing)
From	Ἐξ	Ex	Preposition	G1537 from out, out from among, from
heaven	οὐρανοῦ	ouranou	Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular	G3772 the sky, the heaven
He will ask	ἐρεῖ	erei	Verb - Future Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular	G2046 I say, speak
Why	Διὰ	Dia	Preposition	G1223 through, on account of
then	οὖν	oun	Conjunction	G3767 therefore, then
did you not believe	ἐπιστεύσατε	episteusate	Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 2nd Person Plural	G4100 I believe, have faith in
him	αὐτῷ	autō	Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person Singular	G846 he, she, it, they, them, same

Matthew 21:26

English	Greek	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
But	δὲ	de	Conjunction	G1161 but, on the other hand, and
if	ἐὰν	ean	Conjunction	G1437 if
we say	εἴπωμεν	eipōmen	Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 1st Person Plural	G2036 to speak or say (by word or writing)
From	Ἐξ	Ex	Preposition	G1537 from out, out from among, from
men	ἀνθρώπων	anthrōpōn	Noun - Genitive Masculine Plural	G444 a man, one of the human race
we are afraid	φοβούμεθα	phoboumetha	Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 1st Person Plural	G5399 I fear, am terrified
of the	τὸν	ton	Article - Accusative Masculine Singular	G3588 the
people	ὄχλον	ochlon	Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular	G3793 a crowd
for	γὰρ	gar	Conjunction	G1063 for
they all	πάντες	pantes	Adjective - Nominative Masculine Plural	G3956 all, the whole, every kind of
regard	ἔχουσιν	echousin	Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural	G2192 I have, hold, possess
John	Ἰωάννην	Iōannēn	Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular	G2491 John
as	ὡς	hōs	Adverb	G5613 as, like as, how, while, so that
a prophet	προφήτην	prophētēn	Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular	G4396 a prophet, poet

Matthew 21:27

English	Greek	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
So	καὶ	kai	Conjunction	G2532 and, even, also, namely
they answered	ἀποκριθέντες	apokrithentes	Verb - Aorist Participle Passive - Nominative Masculine Plural	G611 I answer, reply
We do not know	οἴδαμεν	oidamen	Verb - Perfect Indicative Active - 1st Person Plural	G1492 I know, remember
And	καὶ	kai	Conjunction	G2532 and, even, also, namely
replied	Ἔφη	Ephē	Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular	G5346 I say
Neither	Οὐδὲ	Oude	Adverb	G3761 neither, nor, not even
I	ἐγὼ	egō	Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Nominative 1st Person Singular	G1473 I
tell	λέγω	legō	Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular	G3004 I say, speak
you	ὑμῖν	hymin	Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 2nd Person Plural	G4771 you
by	ἐν	en	Preposition	G1722 in, on, among
what	ποίᾳ	poia	Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Dative Feminine Singular	G4169 of what sort
authority	ἐξουσίᾳ	exousia	Noun - Dative Feminine Singular	G1849 power, authority, weight
I am doing	ποιῶ	poiō	Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular	G4160 I do, make
these things	ταῦτα	tauta	Demonstrative Pronoun - Accusative Neuter Plural	G3778 this, he, she, it