# and said A new sentence can be started here. Alternate translation: "The elders said to Jesus" # If you are the Christ, tell us "Tell us if you are the Christ" # If I tell you, you will not believe This is the first of two hypothetical statements by Jesus. It was a way for Jesus to respond without giving them a reason to say that he was guilty of blasphemy. Your language may have a way of indicating that the action has not actually happened. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-hypo]])