King James Bible
"And Jesus said unto them, Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things."
Jesus directly addresses the religious leaders who had just questioned his authority. This follows their refusal to answer his counter-question about John's baptism, revealing their political calculation rather than genuine truth-seeking. Jesus employs a rabbinic debate technique, withholding his answer since they failed to engage honestly with his question. His refusal exposes their insincerity and demonstrates that divine authority needs no validation from those who reject it. The phrase recalls their original challenge about his temple cleansing and teaching. By leaving the question unanswered, Jesus implicitly claims an authority that transcends their approval, while protecting himself from their trap.