Matthew 21:27
Translations
King James Version (KJV)
And they answered Jesus, and said, We cannot tell. And he said to them, Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things.
American King James Version (AKJV)
And they answered Jesus, and said, We cannot tell. And he said to them, Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things.
American Standard Version (ASV)
And they answered Jesus, and said, We know not. He also said unto them, Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things.
Basic English Translation (BBE)
And they made answer and said, We have no idea. Then he said to them, And I will not say to you by what authority I do these things.
Webster's Revision
And they answered Jesus, and said, We cannot tell. And he said to them, Neither do I tell you by what authority I do these things.
World English Bible
They answered Jesus, and said, "We don't know." He also said to them, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.
English Revised Version (ERV)
And they answered Jesus, and said, We know not. He also said unto them, Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things.
Definitions for Matthew 21:27
Clarke's Matthew 21:27 Bible Commentary
We cannot tell - Simplicity gives a wonderful confidence and peace of mind; but double dealing causes a thousand inquietudes and troubles. Let a man do his utmost to conceal in his own heart the evidence he has of truth and innocence, to countenance his not yielding to it; God, who sees the heart, will, in the light of the last day, produce it as a witness against him, and make it his judge.
We cannot tell, said they; which, in the words of truth, should have been, We will not tell, for we will not have this man for the Messiah: because, if we acknowledge John as his forerunner, we must, of necessity, receive Jesus as the Christ.
They who are engaged against the truth are abandoned to the spirit of falsity, and scruple not at a lie. Pharisaical pride, according to its different interests, either pretends to know every thing, or affects to know nothing. Among such, we may meet with numerous instances of arrogance and affected humility. God often hides from the wise and prudent what he reveals unto babes; for, when they use their wisdom only to invent the most plausible excuses for rejecting the truth when it comes to them, it is but just that they should be punished with that ignorance to which, in their own defense, they are obliged to have recourse.
Barnes's Matthew 21:27 Bible Commentary
We cannot tell - This was a direct falsehood. They could have told; and the answer should have been, "We will not tell." There was no reason but that why they did not tell. The reason, probably, why they would not acknowledge that John was a prophet, was that, if they did, they saw he could easily show them by "what authority" he did those things; that is, by his authority as Messiah. John came as his forerunner, pointed him out to the people, baptized him, and bore his public and solemn testimony to the fact that he was the Messiah, Matthew 3:13-15; John 1:29-34. If they acknowledged one, they must the other. In this way our Saviour was about to lead these crafty men to answer their own question, to their own confusion, about his authority. They saw this; and, having given them a "sufficient" answer, there was no need of stating anything further.
Wesley's Matthew 21:27 Bible Commentary
21:27 Neither tell I you - Not again, in express terms: he had often told them before, and they would not believe him.
