1And it came to pass on one of the days, while he was teaching the people in the temple and preaching the gospel, that the chief priests and the scribes with the elders approached.2And they said to him, "Tell us by what authority you are doing these things, or who gave you this authority."3And answering, he said to them, "I also will ask you a question, and you tell me."4The baptism of John—was it from heaven or from humans?5And they discussed among themselves, saying, "If we say, 'From heaven,' he will say, 'Why did you not trust him?'"6But if we say from humans, all the people will stone us, for they are persuaded that John is a prophet.7And they answered that they did not know from where.8And Jesus said to them, Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.