The Saints Gospel 124
By What Authority
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Woven from Matthew 21:23–32 · Mark 11:27–33 · Luke 20:1–8
They returned to Jerusalem. As Jesus walked in the temple, teaching the people and proclaiming good news, the chief priests, scribes, and elders approached: “By what authority do You do these things? Who gave You this authority?” He answered, “I too will ask you one thing. Tell Me, and I too will tell you by what authority I do these things. John’s baptism—from where was it? From heaven or from human beings?”
They reasoned among themselves, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will say, ‘Why, then, did you not believe him?’ But if we say, ‘From human beings,’ all the people will stone us, for they are convinced John was a prophet.” Fearing the crowd, they answered, “We do not know.” Jesus said, “Neither do I tell you by what authority I do these things.
“But what do you think? A man had two children. He came to the first and said, ‘Child, go work in the vineyard today.’ He answered, ‘I do not want to,’ but afterward he changed his mind and went. He came to the second and said the same. He answered, ‘I will, sir,’ but did not go. Which of the two did the father’s will?” They said, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you that tax collectors and prostitutes go ahead of you into the kingdom of God. For John came to you in the way of righteousness and you did not believe him, but tax collectors and prostitutes believed him. Even after seeing this, you did not afterward change your minds and believe him.”
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Saints Translation · The Saints Gospel · a harmony of Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, and Acts 1 · words of Christ in red · working draft awaiting specialist review.