¹⁶ As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened,^(A) and he saw the Spirit of God^(B) descending like a dove and alighting on him. ¹⁷ And a voice from heaven^(C) said, “This is my Son,^(D) whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”^(E)

John the Baptist Prepares the Way^(A)

1 The beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah,^[a] the Son of God,^{[b](B) 2} as it is written in Isaiah the prophet:

⁴ And so John the Baptist^(E) appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance^(F) for the forgiveness of sins.^{(G) 5} The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River. ⁶ John wore clothing made of camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist,^(H) and he ate locusts^(I) and wild honey. ⁷ And this was his message: “After me comes the one more powerful than I, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie.^{(J) 8} I baptize you with^[e] water, but he will baptize you with^[f] the Holy Spirit.”^(K)

The Baptism and Testing of Jesus^(L)(M)

⁹ At that time Jesus came from Nazareth^(N) in Galilee and was baptized by John^(O) in the Jordan. ¹⁰ Just as Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove.^{(P) 11} And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son,^(Q) whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”^(R)

The Baptism and Genealogy of Jesus^(A)(B)

²¹ When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as he was praying,^(C) heaven was opened ²² and the Holy Spirit descended on him^(D) in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son,^(E) whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”^(F)

³¹ I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel.”

³² Then John gave this testimony: “I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him.^{(A) 33} And I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water^(B) told me, ‘The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’^{(C) 34} I have seen and I testify that this is God’s Chosen One.”^[a](D)