Luke 20:4

Mace New Testament

tell me, the baptism of John, was it a divine or a human institution?

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
was the baptism of John from heaven or of human origin?”

King James Version (1611)
The Baptisme of Iohn, was it from heauen, or of men?

King James Version
The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or of men?

English Standard Version
was the baptism of John from heaven or from man?"

New American Standard Bible
"Was the baptism of John from heaven or from men?"

New Century Version
When John baptized people, was that authority from God or just from other people?"

Amplified Bible
"The baptism of John [the Baptist]—was it from heaven [that is, ordained by God] or from men?"

New American Standard Bible (1995)
"Was the baptism of John from heaven or from men?"

Legacy Standard Bible
Was the baptism of John from heaven or from men?"

Berean Standard Bible
John's baptism-was it from heaven, or from men?"

Contemporary English Version
Who gave John the right to baptize? Was it God in heaven or merely some human being?"

Complete Jewish Bible
the immersion of Yochanan — was it from Heaven or from a human source?"

Darby Translation
The baptism of John, was it of heaven or of men?

Easy-to-Read Version
When John baptized people, did his authority come from God or was it only from other people?"

Geneva Bible (1587)
The baptisme of Iohn, was it from heauen, or of men?

George Lamsa Translation
The baptism of John, was it from heaven or from men?

Good News Translation
did John's right to baptize come from God or from human beings?"

Lexham English Bible
The baptism of John—was it from heaven or from men?

Literal Translation
The baptism of John, was it from Heaven, or from men?

American Standard Version
The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or from men?

Bible in Basic English
The baptism of John, was it from heaven or of men?

Hebrew Names Version
the immersion of Yochanan, was it from heaven, or from men?"

International Standard Version
Was John's authority to baptizeJohn's baptism">[fn] from heaven or from humans?"

Etheridge Translation
the baptism of Juchanon, from heaven was it, or from the sons of men ?

Murdock Translation
The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or from men?

Bishop's Bible (1568)
The baptisme of Iohn, was it from heauen, or of men?

English Revised Version
The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or from men?

World English Bible
the baptism of John, was it from heaven, or from men?"

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
And they reasoned among themselves,

Weymouth's New Testament
"was John's baptism of Heavenly or of human origin?"

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Was the baptym of Joon of heuene, or of men?

Update Bible Version
The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or from men?

Webster's Bible Translation
The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or from men?

New English Translation
John's baptism—was it from heaven or from people?"

New King James Version
The baptism of John--was it from heaven or from men?"

New Living Translation
"Did John's authority to baptize come from heaven, or was it merely human?"

New Life Bible
Was the baptism of John from heaven or from men?"

New Revised Standard
Did the baptism of John come from heaven, or was it of human origin?"

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
The immersion of John, Of heaven, was it, or of men?

Douay-Rheims Bible
The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or of men?

Revised Standard Version
Was the baptism of John from heaven or from men?"

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
The baptyme of Iohn: was it from heaven or of men?

Young's Literal Translation
the baptism of John, from heaven was it, or from men?'

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
The baptyme of Iho was it from heauen, or of men?

Simplified Cowboy Version
did John baptize because the Boss told him to or was it just something he came up with on his own?"

Contextual Overview

¹ One day, as he was instructing the people in the temple, and preaching the gospel, the chief priests, and the Scribes, with the rulers came up to him, ² and thus accosted him, tell us by what authority do you act thus? and whence do you derive that authority? ³ Jesus answer'd, I will ask you one question; ⁴ tell me, the baptism of John, was it a divine or a human institution? ⁵ but they reason'd thus with themselves, if we should say, it was divine, he will reply, why then did not you believe him? ⁶ if we should assert, it was a human contrivance, the populace would stone us; for they are persuaded that John was a prophet. ⁷ they answer'd then, they did not know which it was. ⁸ Jesus replied, neither will I tell you by what authority I act thus.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

baptism: Luke 7:28-35, Matthew 11:7-19, Matthew 17:11, Matthew 17:12, Matthew 21:25-32, John 1:6, John 1:19-28

from: Luke 15:18, Daniel 4:25, Daniel 4:26

Reciprocal: Luke 14:18 - all

Gill's Notes on the Bible

The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or of men?] This was a new ordinance, and John must have his authority for administering it either from God, or from men; and Christ is desirous to know from which he derived it in their opinion; suggesting, that by the same authority John, his forerunner, came baptizing, he himself came preaching and working miracles;

:-.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

See this passage explained in the notes at Matthew 21:23-27.