23
He went into the Temple area; and as he was teaching, the head cohanim and the elders of the people approached him and demanded, "What s'mikhah do you have that authorizes you to do these things? And who gave you this s'mikhah?"
24
Yeshua answered, "I too will ask you a question. If you answer it, then I will tell you by what s'mikhah I do these things.
25
The immersion of Yochanan -- where did it come from? From Heaven or from a human source?" They discussed it among themselves: "If we say, `From Heaven,' he will say, `Then why didn't you believe him?'
26
But if we say, `From a human source,' we are afraid of the people, for they all regard Yochanan as a prophet."
27
So they answered Yeshua, "We don't know." And he replied, "Then I won't tell you by what s'mikhah I do these things.