Luke 20:5

They reasoned with themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say, ‘Why didn’t you believe him?’

World English Bible
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Other translations

WEBBE

They reasoned with themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say, ‘Why didn’t you believe him?’

BSB

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

KJV

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

ASV

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

BBE

And they said among themselves, If we say, From heaven; he will say, Why did you not have faith in him?

Original Greek

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οἱ hoi (the) G3588 δὲ de And G1161 συνελογίσαντο sunelogisanto they reasoned G4817 πρὸς pros among G4314 ἑαυτοὺς he'autous themselves G1438 λέγοντες legontes saying G3004 ὅτι hoti that G3754 ἐὰν ean If G1437 εἴπωμεν eipōmen we shall say G2036 ἐξ ex From G1537 οὐρανοῦ ouranou heaven G3772 ἐρεῖ erei He will say G4483 διὰ dia Because of G1223 τί ti why G5101 οὖν oun therefore G3767 οὐκ ouk not G3756 ἐπιστεύσατε episteusate did you believe G4100 αὐτῷ; autō in him G846

The early church

His question concerning John the Baptist is not from whence was he sprung, but whence received he his law of baptism But they feared not to shun the truth. For God sent John as a voice, crying, Prepare ye the way of the Lord. But they dreaded to speak the truth, lest it should be said, Why did ye not believe? and they scruple to blame the forerunner, not from fear of God, but of the people; as it follows, And they reasoned within themselves, saying, If we shall say, From, heaven; he will say, Why then believed ye him not.
Eusebius of Caesarea · d. 339Catena Aurea (Aquinas, 1274)
As if He should say, He whom yon confess had his gift of prophecy from heaven, and gave testimony to Me. And ye heard from him by what power I should do these things. It follows, But if we shall say, Of men; the whole people will stone us: for they be persuaded that John was a prophet. Therefore perceived they in whatever way they should answer they would fall into a trap, fearing the stoning, but much more the confession of the truth.
Bede · d. 735Catena Aurea (Aquinas, 1274)

Commentary

Matthew Henry · Verses 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.

Read Matthew Henry on Luke 20 →

Parallel passages

2

The same words or events elsewhere.

Matthew 21:25Mark 11:30–31

Cross-references

7

Topics

Reasoning

Cross-references: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. Hebrew and Greek data from STEPBible.org (Tyndale House, Cambridge), CC BY 4.0. Library: sources.