Matthew 3:13-17

The Baptism of Jesus

13 ¹Then Jesus came ²from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him.

14 ³John would have prevented him, saying, "I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?"

15 But Jesus answered him, "Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness." Then he consented.

16 And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, ⁴the heavens were opened to him,^[a] and he ⁵saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him;

17 and behold, ⁶a voice from heaven said, ⁷"This is my beloved Son,^[b] with whom I am well pleased."

Matthew 3:13-17 In-Context

11 "I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

12 His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire."

13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him.

14 John would have prevented him, saying, "I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?"

15 But Jesus answered him, "Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness." Then he consented.

16 And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him;

17 and behold, a voice from heaven said, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased."

Cross References

• 1. For ver. 13-17, see Mark 1:9-11; Luke 3:21, 22; [John 1:32-34]
• 2. Matthew 2:22
• 3. [John 13:6]
• 4. Acts 7:56
• 5. John 1:32, 33; [Luke 4:18, 21; Acts 10:38]
• 6. John 12:28
• 7. Matthew 17:5; 2 Peter 1:17; [Psalms 2:7; Isaiah 42:1; Ephesians 1:6; Colossians 1:13; 1 John 5:9]

Footnotes

• [a]. Some manuscripts omit to him
• [b]. Or my Son, my (or the) Beloved