King James Bible
"But and if we say, Of men; all the people will stone us: for they be persuaded that John was a prophet."
The religious leaders contemplate claiming John's baptism was merely human in origin rather than divine. This phrase reveals their calculated deliberation as they weigh potential responses to Jesus' question about John's authority. The leaders fear violent mob justice—stoning being the traditional Jewish punishment for blasphemy. Their concern exposes how their decision-making is driven by self-preservation rather than truth or theological conviction. The populace firmly believed John the Baptist was God's messenger, making any denial dangerous. This widespread conviction about John's prophetic status trapped the leaders between their rejection of John and their fear of the crowd's reaction.