[Jesus] as he drew near and came in sight of the city he shed tears over it and said, ‘If you too had only recognised on this day the way to peace! But in fact it is hidden from your eyes! Yes, a time is coming when your enemies will raise fortifications all round you, when they will encircle you and hem you in on every side; they will dash you and the children inside your walls to the ground; they will leave not one stone standing on another within you, because you did not recognise the moment of your visitation.’ Then he went into the Temple and began driving out those who were busy trading. Now it happened that one day while he was teaching the people in the Temple and proclaiming the good news, the chief priests and the scribes came up, together with the elders, and spoke to him. ‘Tell us,’ they said, ‘what authority have you for acting like this? Or who gives you this authority?’ In reply he said to them, ‘And I will ask you a question, just one. Tell me: John’s baptism: what was its origin, heavenly or human?’ And they debated this way among themselves, ‘If we say heavenly, he will retort, “Why did you refuse to believe him?”; and if we say human, the whole people will stone us, for they are convinced that John was a prophet.’ So their reply was that they did not know where it came from. And Jesus said to them, ‘Nor will I tell you my authority for acting like this.’