20:4
John’s baptism—was it from heaven, or from men?: This question means, “Who gave John the authority to baptize people? Did God give it to him or did men give it to him?” The question or from men expresses a general meaning like “was it a human idea (in contrast to an idea from God)?” The answer could be that John himself decided to baptize or that other people sent him to do it. Here is another way to translate this:
Did the baptism of John come from heaven, or was it of human origin? (New Revised Standard Version)
The Berean Standard Bible, like the Greek text, has placed the phrase John’s baptism at the beginning of the question. This emphasizes it as the new topic.
Some other ways to translate this question are:
…did John’s right to baptize come from God or from human beings? (Good News Translation)
-or-
Who gave John the right to baptize? Was it God in heaven or merely some human being? (Contemporary English Version)
Notice that the Contemporary English Version example uses two questions. Translate this verse in a natural way in your language.
John’s baptism: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as John’s baptism refers to John’s practice of baptizing people. In this context baptism refers to a ceremonial washing to purify people from sin. It was an initiation that marked the beginning of the baptized person’s life as one of God’s purified people.
Some ways to translate the phrase John’s baptism are:
• As a descriptive term. For example:
ritual washing that John gave ⌊people⌋
-or-
John purified/initiated ⌊people⌋
• Use a term for a similar ritual that is already used in your culture. You may need to indicate that in this context it has a special connection with God. For example:
When John purified ⌊people⌋ with God’s ceremonial bath
-or-
John’s washing ⌊people⌋ in God’s initiation water
• Use a term that is already accepted by the local churches. In some areas this term may have been borrowed from the national language or transliterated from Greek or English. For example:
John baptized ⌊people⌋
See how you translated baptism in 3:3. See also baptize, Meaning 1, in the Glossary.
from heaven: In this context the phrase from heaven means “from God.” The Jews often referred indirectly to God in order to show their great respect for his name.
See heaven, Meaning 3, in the Glossary.
from men: The phrase from men means “from people” or “from a human source.” In this context it is in contrast to “from heaven/God.”
General Comment on 20:3–4
The Greek words that the Berean Standard Bible translates as “Tell me” occur at the end of 20:3. In some languages it may be more natural to place them at the end of 20:4. For example:
3He replied, “I will also ask you a question, 4‘Was John’s baptism from heaven, or from men?’ 3Tell me.”
In other languages it may be more natural to leave these words implied. For example:
3Jesus replied, “I want to ask you a question. 4Who gave John the right to baptize? Was it God in heaven or merely some human being?” (Contemporary English Version)
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