English Standard Version
Matthew 3:16
16And 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;
Matthew 3:16 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:
- New International Version (NIV)As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him.
- New King James Version (NKJV)When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him.
- New Living Translation (NLT)After his baptism, as Jesus came up out of the water, the heavens were opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and settling on him.
Context of Matthew 3:16
14John would have prevented him, saying, "I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?" 15But Jesus answered him, "Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness." Then he consented. 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; 17and behold, a voice from heaven said, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased."
Read all of Matthew 3Matthew 3:16 word by word
Βαπτισθεὶς δὲ ὁ Ἰησοῦς εὐθὺς ἀνέβη ἀπὸ τοῦ ὕδατος. καὶ ἰδοὺ ἠνεῴχθησαν αὐτῷ οἱ οὐρανοί, καὶ εἶδεν τὸ πνεῦμα τοῦ θεοῦ καταβαῖνον ὡσεὶ περιστερὰν καὶ ἐρχόμενον ἐπ᾽ αὐτόν.Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Andκαίkai · andG2532
- Jesusὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- JesusἸησοῦςIēsous · JesusG2424
- when he was baptizedβαπτίζωbaptizō · to baptizeG907
- went upἀναβαίνωanabainō · to ascendG305
- straightwayεὐθέωςeutheōs · immediatelyG2112
- outἀπόapo · away fromG575
- of the waterὕδωρhudōr hudatos · waterG5204
- loὁράωhoraō · to see: seeG3708
- the heavensοὐρανόςouranos · heavenG3772
- were openedἀνοίγωanoigō · to openG455
- unto himαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- the Spiritπνεῦμαpneuma · spirit/breath: spiritG4151
- of Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
- descendingκαταβαίνωkatabainō · to come/go downG2597
- likeὡσείhōsei · like/as/aboutG5616
- a doveπεριστεράperistera · doveG4058
- lightingἔρχομαιerchomai · to come/goG2064
- uponἐπίepi · upon/to/againstG1909
Cross-references for Matthew 3:16
- Mark 1:10And when he came up out of the water, immediately he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove.
- Ezekiel 1:1In the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, on the fifth day of the month, as I was among the exiles by the Chebar canal, the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God.
- Luke 3:21Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heavens were opened,
- Acts 7:56And he said, "Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God."
- Isaiah 11:2And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.
- Isaiah 42:1Behold my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights; I have put my Spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice to the nations.
- Isaiah 59:21"And as for me, this is my covenant with them," says the Lord: "My Spirit that is upon you, and my words that I have put in your mouth, shall not depart out of your mouth, or out of the mouth of your offspring, or out of the mouth of your children's offspring," says the Lord, "from this time forth and forevermore."
- Isaiah 61:1The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound;
- Luke 3:22and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form, like a dove; and a voice came from heaven, "You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased."
- John 1:31I myself did not know him, but for this purpose I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel."
- John 3:34For he whom God has sent utters the words of God, for he gives the Spirit without measure.
- Colossians 1:18And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent.
Commentaries on Matthew 3:16
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 16The heavens were opened unto him - That is, to John the Baptist - and he, John, saw the Spirit of God - lighting upon him, i.e. Jesus. There has been some controversy about the manner and form in which the Spirit of God rendered itself visible on this occasion. St. Luke, Luke 3:22, says it was in a bodily shape like to a dove: and this likeness to a dove some refer to a hovering motion, like to that of a dove, and not to the form of the dove itself: but…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 16Out of the water - This shows that he had descended to the river. It literally means, “he went up directly from the water.” The original does not imply that they had descended into the river, and it cannot be proved, therefore, from this passage, that his baptism was by immersion; nor can it be proved that even, if his baptism was by immersion, that therefore the same mode is binding on people now. In order to demonstrate from this passage that immersion…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 13-17Verses 13-17 Christ's gracious condescensions are so surprising, that even the strongest believers at first can hardly believe them; so deep and mysterious, that even those who know his mind well, are apt to start objections against the will of Christ. And those who have much of the Spirit of God while here, see that they need to apply to Christ for more. Christ does not deny that John had need to be baptized of him, yet declares he will now be baptized…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 16The Spirit of God came down like a dove to anoint Jesus, who would bring salvation. This was similar to a king being anointed with oil at his crowning. The Holy Spirit gave Jesus the strength to achieve God's salvation and defeat Satan (see Matthew 12:18, 28). This same Spirit gives strength to the disciples of Jesus (10:20; Acts 1:8).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1616. And Jesus when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water--rather, "from the water." Mark has "out of the water" (Mr 1:10). "and"--adds Luke (Lu 3:21), "while He was praying"; a grand piece of information. Can there be a doubt about the burden of that prayer; a prayer sent up, probably, while yet in the water--His blessed head suffused with the baptismal element; a prayer continued likely as He stepped out of the stream, and again stood…Read the comment
Topics related to Matthew 3:16
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Matthew 3
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Catena Aurea
- Illustrated New Testament
- Burkitt’s Expository Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Family Bible Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- John Lightfoot Commentary
- Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- The People’s New Testament
- Robertson’s Word Pictures
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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