But they thought with themselves, saying: If we say, From heaven; he will say, Why then did you not believe him?

And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we should say, Of heaven, he will say, Why then have ye not believed him?

And they were reasoning with themselves, saying, 'If we may say, From heaven, he will say, Wherefore, then, did ye not believe him?

So they debated the matter with one another. "Suppose we say, 'Heavenly,'" they argued, "he will ask, 'Why then did you not believe him?'

And they gave thought to it among themselves, saying, If we say, From heaven; he will say, Why then did you not have faith in him?

But they discussed it among themselves, saying: "If we say, 'From heaven,' he will say, 'Then why did you not believe him?'

They began arguing together. "If we say 'divine,' he will say 'Why then didn't you believe him?'

And they reasoned with themselves saying,.... Privately; perhaps, they withdrew at a little distance for a short time, and consulted among themselves what answer to return; and the amount of their reasonings were this;
if we shall say from heaven, he will say, why then did ye not believe him? that is, should they say that John had a divine commission for what he said and did, they were aware that Christ would reply, why did not ye give credit to him? and had you done so, seeing he testified of me, you would have had no occasion to have put the above question; See Gill on Matthew 21:25.