en_tn_condensed/mat/21/25.md

# Connecting Statement:

Jesus continues to respond to the religious leaders.

# from where did it come?

"where did he get that authority?"

# If we say, 'From heaven,' he will say to us, 'Why then did you not believe him?

This has quotes within a quote. You could translate the direct quotations as an indirect quotations. AT: "If we say that we believe John received his authority from heaven, then Jesus will ask us why we did not believe John" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-quotesinquotes]] and [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-quotations]])

# From heaven

Here "heaven" refers to God. AT: "from God in heaven" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy]])

# Why then did you not believe him?

The religious leaders know that Jesus would scold them with a rhetorical question. AT: "Then you should have believed John the Baptist" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-rquestion]])

# But if we say, 'From men,'

This is a quote within a quote. You could translate the direct quotation as an indirect quotation. AT: "But if we say that we believe John received his authority from men" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-quotesinquotes]] and [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-quotations]])

# we fear the crowd

"we fear what the crowd would think or even do to us"

# they all view John as a prophet

"they believe John is a prophet"