Matthew 21:23 asv — And when he was come into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came unto him as he was teaching,…

American Standard Version

"And when he was come into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came unto him as he was teaching, and said, By what authority doest thou these things? and who gave thee this authority? "

— Matthew 21:23, American Standard Version

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Matthew 21:23 in Other Translations

6 versions All translations
  • KJV

    “And when he was come into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came unto him as he was teaching, and said, By what authority doest thou these things? and who gave thee this authority?”

  • WEB

    “When he had come into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him as he was teaching, and said, "By what authority do you do these things? Who gave you this authority?"”

  • NET

    “The Authority of Jesus Now after Jesus entered the temple courts, the chief priests and elders of the people came up to him as he was teaching and said,“By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?””

  • DRB

    “And when he was come into the temple, there came to him, as he was teaching, the chief priests and ancients of the people, saying: By what authority dost thou these things? And who hath given thee this authority?”

  • BBE

    “And when he had come into the Temple, the chief priests and those in authority over the people came to him while he was teaching, and said, By what authority do you do these things? and who gave you this authority?”

  • KJVA

    “And when he was come into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came unto him as he was teaching, and said, By what authority doest thou these things? and who gave thee this authority?”

Matthew 21 — Context

20

And when the disciples saw it, they marvelled, saying, How did the fig tree immediately wither away?

21

And Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do what is done to the fig tree, but even if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou taken up and cast into the sea, it shall be done.

22

And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.

23

And when he was come into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came unto him as he was teaching, and said, By what authority doest thou these things? and who gave thee this authority?

24

And Jesus answered and said unto them, I also will ask you one question, which if ye tell me, I likewise will tell you by what authority I do these things.

25

The baptism of John, whence was it? from heaven or from men? And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say unto us, Why then did ye not believe him?

26

But if we shall say, From men; we fear the multitude; for all hold John as a prophet.

Matthew 21:23 — Frequently Asked Questions

7 questions
What does Matthew 21:23 say?
Matthew 21:23 in the American Standard Version reads: “And when he was come into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came unto him as he was teaching, and said, By what authority doest thou these things? and who gave thee this authority? ”
Where is Matthew 21:23 in the Bible?
Matthew 21:23 is found in the New Testament, in the book of Matthew, chapter 21, verse 23.
Who wrote Matthew?
Matthew is traditionally attributed to Matthew (Levi), tax-collector turned apostle. It was written c. AD 50–70.
What is the book of Matthew about?
Matthew presents Jesus as the long-awaited Jewish Messiah — son of David, son of Abraham, fulfillment of the Law and the Prophets. Structured around five great teaching blocks including the Sermon on the Mount, it ends with the risen King commissioning his disciples to make disciples of all nations.
What are the major themes of Matthew?
Matthew explores themes including Kingdom of Heaven, Messiah, Fulfillment, Discipleship, Great Commission. These themes shape the meaning and context of Matthew 21:23.
What translation should I read Matthew 21:23 in?
Matthew 21:23 is available on GodsGoodBook in the King James Version (KJV), American Standard Version (ASV), World English Bible (WEB), NET Bible, Young's Literal Translation, Darby Bible, Douay-Rheims Bible, and the Bible in Basic English. Each translation reflects different translation philosophies — use the translation picker on this page to compare them, or browse our full translations directory.
How can I memorize Matthew 21:23?
Matthew 21:23 reads (ASV): “And when he was come into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came unto him as he was teaching, and said, By what authority doest thou these things? and who gave thee this authority? ” Read it aloud, break it into short phrases, repeat each phrase three times before adding the next, then put the phrases together. Reading it in multiple translations (above) often helps the meaning settle.
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