But if we say, ‘Of human origin,’ all the people will stone us, because they are persuaded that John was a prophet.”
Then what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet.
Herod wanted to kill John, but he was afraid of the people, because they considered John a prophet.
But if we say, ‘Of human origin’—we are afraid of the people, for they all hold that John was a prophet.”
They looked for a way to arrest him, but they were afraid of the crowd because the people held that he was a prophet.
“But not during the festival,” they said, “or there may be a riot among the people.”
Then the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders looked for a way to arrest him because they knew he had spoken the parable against them. But they were afraid of the crowd; so they left him and went away.
And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him,
They discussed it among themselves and said, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will ask, ‘Why didn’t you believe him?’
So they answered, “We don’t know where it was from.”
But the Pharisees and the experts in the law rejected God’s purpose for themselves, because they had not been baptized by John.)
and many people came to him. They said, “Though John never performed a sign, all that John said about this man was true.”
At that, the captain went with his officers and brought the apostles. They did not use force, because they feared that the people would stone them.