29 Jesus said to them, “I will ask you one question;z then answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things. 30 Was John’s baptismaa from heaven or of human origin? Answer me.”

31 They discussed it among themselves: “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say, ‘Then why didn’t you believeab him?’ 32 But if we say, ‘Of human origin’ ”—they were afraid of the crowd, because everyone thought that John was truly a prophet.ac