Luke 20:1-8

On one of the days, as Jesus was instructing the people in the temple [area] and preaching the good news (gospel), the chief priests and the scribes along with the elders confronted Him, [Matt 21:23-27; Mark 11:27-33] and said to Him, “Tell us by what kind of authority You are doing these things? Or who is the one who gave You this authority?” Jesus replied, “I will also ask you a question. You tell Me: The baptism of John [the Baptist]—was it from heaven [that is, ordained by God] or from men?” They discussed and debated it among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will say, ‘Why did you not believe him?’ But if we say, ‘From men,’ all the people will stone us to death, for they are firmly convinced that John was a prophet.” So they replied that they did not know from where it came. Then Jesus said to them, “Nor am I telling you by what [kind of] authority I do these things.”