Now when all the people were baptized, it came to pass, that Jesus also being baptized, and praying, the heaven was opened,
Parallel translations
- WEB Now when all the people were baptized, Jesus also had been baptized, and was praying. The sky was opened,
- BSB When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as He was praying, heaven was opened,
- NKJV When all the people were baptized, it came to pass that Jesus also was baptized; and while He prayed, the heaven was opened.
- NASB Now when all the people were baptized, Jesus also was baptized, and while He was praying, heaven was opened,
- NLT One day when the crowds were being baptized, Jesus himself was baptized. As he was praying, the heavens opened,
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Jesus is baptized along with the people and is praying when heaven opens. He identifies with sinners and begins His ministry in prayer.
Overview
Though sinless, Jesus submits to baptism, identifying with the people He came to save and fulfilling all righteousness. Luke uniquely notes that He was praying when heaven opened, a theme he stresses throughout his Gospel. The opened sky signals heaven's response and the dawning of the messianic age.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 8
- John 1:32–34And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him.
- Matt 3:13–17Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him.
- John 12:27–28Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour.
- Luke 5:16And he withdrew himself into the wilderness, and prayed.
- Mark 1:9–11And it came to pass in those days, that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized of John in Jordan.
- Matt 14:23And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone.
- Luke 9:28–29And it came to pass about an eight days after these sayings, he took Peter and John and James, and went up into a mountain to pray.
- Luke 9:18And it came to pass, as he was alone praying, his disciples were with him: and he asked them, saying, Whom say the people that I am?
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Luke shows Jesus the Savior for all — outsiders, the poor, the nations — the one who, on the Emmaus road, opened all the Scriptures to show they were about himself.
How Luke 3:21 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.