and the Holy Spirit, in bodily form, descended on him like a dove. And a voice from heaven said, “You are my dearly loved Son, and you bring me great joy.”
Parallel translations
- WEB and the Holy Spirit descended in a bodily form like a dove on him; and a voice came out of the sky, saying “You are my beloved Son. In you I am well pleased.”
- KJV And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased.
- BSB and the Holy Spirit descended on Him in a bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: “You are My beloved Son; in You I am well pleased.”
- NKJV And 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.”
- NASB and the Holy Spirit descended upon Him in bodily form like a dove, and a voice came from heaven: “You are My beloved Son, in You I am well pleased.”
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
The Spirit descends like a dove and the Father declares Jesus His beloved Son in whom He delights. The whole Trinity is present at Jesus' anointing for ministry.
Overview
At Jesus' baptism the Father speaks, the Son is baptized, and the Spirit descends in bodily form—one of Scripture's clearest revelations of the triune God. The Father's declaration echoes Psalm 2 and Isaiah 42, affirming Jesus as the messianic King and the Servant. Anointed by the Spirit, Jesus is publicly commissioned for His saving mission.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 13
- Ps 2:7I will tell of the decree. Yahweh said to me, “You are my son. Today I have become your father.
- 2 Pet 1:17–18For he received from God the Father honor and glory, when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”
- John 1:32John testified, saying, “I have seen the Spirit descending like a dove out of heaven, and it remained on him.
- Isa 42:1“Behold, my servant, whom I uphold; my chosen, in whom my soul delights — I have put my Spirit on him. He will bring justice to the nations.
- Luke 9:34–35While he said these things, a cloud came and overshadowed them, and they were afraid as they entered into the cloud.
- Matt 17:5While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them. Behold, a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Listen to him.”
- Matt 3:17Behold, a voice out of the heavens said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”
- Acts 10:38even Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed him with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.
- Matt 12:18“Behold, my servant whom I have chosen; my beloved in whom my soul is well pleased: I will put my Spirit on him. He will proclaim justice to the nations.
- 1 Pet 2:4coming to him, a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God, precious.
- Col 1:13who delivered us out of the power of darkness, and translated us into the Kingdom of the Son of his love;
- Luke 4:21He began to tell them, “Today, this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”
- Matt 27:43He trusts in God. Let God deliver him now, if he wants him; for he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’”
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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 3:22 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
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