Matthew 21:23–32

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.

²⁸But what do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first one and said, ‘Son, go and work today in the vineyard.’

²⁹‘I will not,’ he replied. But later he changed his mind and went.ⁱ

³⁰Then the man went to the second son and told him the same thing.

‘I will, sir,’ he said. But he did not go.

³¹Which of the two did the will of his father?”

“The first,^j” they answered.

Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God before you. ³²For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and prostitutes did. And even after you saw this, you did not repent and believe him.