I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit!”
Parallel translations
- WEB I baptized you in water, but he will baptize you in the Holy Spirit.”
- KJV I indeed have baptized you with water: but he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost.
- BSB I baptize you with water, but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
- NKJV I indeed baptized you with water, but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
- NASB I baptized you with water; but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
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
John contrasts his water baptism with the Messiah's baptism in the Holy Spirit. Jesus brings an inward, transforming work that John could only point toward.
Overview
Water baptism signified repentance, but only the Messiah can pour out the Spirit, fulfilling promises like Joel 2 and Ezekiel 36. This Spirit-baptism, realized at Pentecost and in every believer, brings new birth and cleansing from within. The verse highlights Jesus' superiority and His unique authority to give the very Spirit of God.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 14
- Acts 1:5For John indeed baptized in water, but you will be baptized in the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”
- 1 Cor 12:13For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether bond or free; and were all given to drink into one Spirit.
- Acts 19:4–6Paul said, “John indeed baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe in the one who would come after him, that is, in Jesus.”
- Acts 10:45They of the circumcision who believed were amazed, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit was also poured out on the Gentiles.
- Acts 2:4They were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other languages, as the Spirit gave them the ability to speak.
- Joel 2:28“It will happen afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh; and your sons and your daughters will prophesy. Your old men will dream dreams. Your young men will see visions.
- Acts 11:15–16As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on them, even as on us at the beginning.
- Ezek 36:25–27I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you.
- Prov 1:23Turn at my reproof. Behold, I will pour out my spirit on you. I will make known my words to you.
- Isa 32:15Until the Spirit is poured on us from on high, and the wilderness becomes a fruitful field, and the fruitful field is considered a forest.
- Matt 3:11I indeed baptize you in water for repentance, but he who comes after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you in the Holy Spirit.
- Acts 2:17‘It will be in the last days, says God, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh. Your sons and your daughters will prophesy. Your young men will see visions. Your old men will dream dreams.
- Isa 44:3For I will pour water on him who is thirsty, and streams on the dry ground. I will pour my Spirit on your descendants, and my blessing on your offspring:
- Titus 3:5–6not by works of righteousness which we did ourselves, but according to his mercy, he saved us through the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit,
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Mark drives urgently to the cross, showing Jesus the Son of God as the suffering Servant who 'came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.'
How Mark 1:8 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.