New King James Version
Luke 3:21
21When all the people were baptized, it came to pass that Jesus also was baptized; and while He prayed, the heaven was opened.
Luke 3:21 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Now when all the people were baptized, it came to pass, that Jesus also being baptized, and praying, the heaven was opened,
- New International Version (NIV)When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as he was praying, heaven was opened
- English Standard Version (ESV)Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heavens were opened,
- New Living Translation (NLT)One day when the crowds were being baptized, Jesus himself was baptized. As he was praying, the heavens opened,
Context of Luke 3:21
19But Herod the tetrarch, being rebuked by him concerning Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, and for all the evils which Herod had done, 20also added this, above all, that he shut John up in prison. When all the people were baptized, it came to pass that Jesus also was baptized; and while He prayed, the heaven was opened. 22And the Holy Spirit descended in bodily form like a dove upon Him, and a voice came from heaven which said, “You are My beloved Son; in You I am well pleased.” 23Now Jesus Himself began His ministry at about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, the son of Heli,
Read all of Luke 3Luke 3:21 word by word
Ἐγένετο δὲ ἐν τῷ βαπτισθῆναι ἅπαντα τὸν λαὸν καὶ Ἰησοῦ βαπτισθέντος καὶ προσευχομένου ἀνεῳχθῆναι τὸν οὐρανὸνRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- Nowδέde · thenG1161
- whenἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
- allἅπαςhapas · allG537
- the peopleλαόςlaos · a peopleG2992
- were baptizedβαπτίζωbaptizō · to baptizeG907
- it came to passγίνομαιginomai · to beG1096
- that JesusἸησοῦςIēsous · JesusG2424
- alsoκαίkai · andG2532
- prayingπροσεύχομαιproseuchomai · to prayG4336
- the heavenοὐρανόςouranos · heavenG3772
- was openedἀνοίγωanoigō · to openG455
Cross-references for Luke 3:21
- Matthew 3:13Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him.
- Mark 1:9It came to pass in those days that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized by John in the Jordan.
- John 1:32And John bore witness, saying, “I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and He remained upon Him.
- Luke 9:28Now it came to pass, about eight days after these sayings, that He took Peter, John, and James and went up on the mountain to pray.
- John 12:27“Now My soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save Me from this hour’? But for this purpose I came to this hour.
- Matthew 3:16When 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.
- Mark 1:10And immediately, coming up from the water, He saw the heavens parting and the Spirit descending upon Him like a dove.
Commentaries on Luke 3:21
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 21Jesus - being baptized - See on Matthew 3:16, Matthew 3:17; (note).Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 21See the notes at Matthew 3:13-17. “Jesus being baptized;” or, Jesus “having been” baptized. This took place after the baptism, and not “during” its administration, Matthew 3:16. Praying - This circumstance is omitted by the other evangelists; and it shows, 1.That Jesus was in the habit of prayer. 2.That it is proper to offer up special prayer at the administration of the ordinances of religion. 3.That it is possible to pray in the midst of a great…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 21-22Verses 21-22 Christ did not confess sin, as others did, for he had none to confess; but he prayed, as others did, and kept up communion with his Father. Observe, all the three voices from heaven, by which the Father bare witness to the Son, were pronounced while he was praying, or soon after, Lu 9:35; Joh 12:28. The Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and there came a voice from heaven, from God the Father, from the excellent…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 21And as He was praying: Luke shows that Jesus trusted God and depended on him through prayer (5:16; 6:12; 9:18, 28; 11:1; 22:32, 41, 44; 23:34, 46). heaven was opened: This image was a sign of God’s presence (Isaiah 64:1), divine revelation (Ezekiel 1:1; John 1:51), and the end of an age (a major period in God’s plan; Revelation 4:1; 15:5; 19:11).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2121. when all the people were baptized--that He might not seem to be merely one of the crowd. Thus, as He rode into Jerusalem upon an ass, "whereon yet never man sat" (Lu 19:30), and lay in a sepulchre "wherein was never man yet laid" (Joh 19:41), so in His baptism He would be "separate from sinners."Read the comment
Topics related to Luke 3:21
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Luke 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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries