Verse Lens · Concise explanation
Matthew 21:24 Explained in Context
Use this verse as a doorway into the larger passage—not as an isolated saying.
Verse 24. 24And Jesus answered and said unto them, I also will ask you one thing, which if ye tell me, I in like wise will tell you by what authority I do these things.
King James Version — public domain in the United States · Bible text and permissions
Quick Meaning
Responds with one counterquestion as the condition for his answer.
Read It With
- Matthew 21:23–21:27
Matthew 21:24 responds with one counterquestion as the condition for his answer; within Matthew 21:23–21:27, it contributes to this controlling movement: Chief priests and elders challenge Jesus' authority, he asks whether John's baptism came from heaven or people, exposes their political calculation, and declines their demand.
Why This Verse Appears Here
Responds with one counterquestion as the condition for his answer. This precise contribution belongs inside “Jesus answers an authority trap with John's baptism” because Chief priests and elders challenge Jesus' authority, he asks whether John's baptism came from heaven or people, exposes their political calculation, and declines their demand.
What Remains True
Because Matthew 21:24 responds with one counterquestion as the condition for his answer, faithful readers should preserve this verse's exact role, first setting, affected people, and the complete movement of Matthew 21:23–21:27 before naming an enduring conclusion.
How It Can Shape Life
- For Matthew 21:24, first state this verse-specific contribution—responds with one counterquestion as the condition for his answer; then explain it inside Matthew 21:23–21:27; preserve the source-controlled uncertainty—The exchange reveals institutional self-protection but does not make all questions about authority illegitimate or every religious leader corrupt.; and refuse this misuse: This exchange does not let leaders evade good-faith accountability, authorize antisemitism, or make rhetorical skill proof of divine authority.
Continue in Context
The full thought-unit study remains the final contextual authority for this Verse Lens.
Read Matthew 21:23–21:27 — Jesus answers an authority trap with John's baptismSources used for this Verse Lens
How certain is this explanation? strong
These are the sources used directly for this lens. Language, grammar, disagreements, and the complete source shelf remain attached to the full thought-unit research record.
Biblical text
King James (Authorized) Version — eng-kjv2006
eBible.org and CrossWire Bible Society
USFM archive eng-kjv2006_usfm.zip; source files dated 2026-08-19; downloaded 2026-08-24; archive SHA-256 aec1b3b26c622fd3d963d2bbac963016b9513246ffbfa20da00bb100372ea007; normalized corpus SHA-256 09aef51d90488aa7b9722b3fd9a93f4b25f6bf2064c5fd798fb39673c300ddf2.
Supports: Exact displayed KJV wording, order, paragraph metadata, supplied-word markup, and thought-unit coverage.
Exact location: Matthew 21:23–21:27, pinned eng-kjv2006 USFM-derived repository corpus
Open source ↗Greek textual evidence
The Greek New Testament: SBL Edition
Michael W. Holmes, editor; Society of Biblical Literature and Logos
Society of Biblical Literature and Logos Bible Software, 2010
Supports: Greek wording and punctuation control without treating one edition as a complete apparatus.
Exact location: SBLGNT official text file data/sblgnt/text/Matt.txt, Matthew 21:23–21:27
Open the Matthew Greek text file ↗Lexical and grammatical evidence
STEP Bible Data
Tyndale House Cambridge
Tyndale House Cambridge, repository snapshot verified 2026
Supports: Morphology and lexical cross-check for the expressions actually discussed in this thought unit.
Exact location: STEP Bible Data TAGNT rows for Matthew 21:23–21:27
Open source ↗open translation and translator notes
NET Bible: Matthew with Translators' and Textual Notes
Biblical Studies Press
Biblical Studies Press, 2005-2026 online edition
Supports: Verse-attached textual, translation, language, historical, Jewish-background, and Synoptic notes for this unit.
Exact location: NET Bible Matthew PDF, printed pp. 1808-1867, exact tn/tc/sn entries attached to 21:23–21:27
Open source ↗