and behold, a voice from the heavens said, “This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”
Parallel translations
- WEB Behold, a voice out of the heavens said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”
- KJV And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
- BSB And a voice from heaven said, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased!”
- NKJV And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”
- NLT And a voice from heaven said, “This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy.”
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
A voice from heaven declares, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased." The Father publicly affirms Jesus' identity.
Overview
The Father's words combine echoes of Psalm 2:7 and Isaiah 42:1, identifying Jesus as the royal Messiah and the Servant of the Lord. This declaration confirms Jesus' divine sonship and the Father's delight in him at the outset of his ministry. With the Father, the Son, and the Spirit all present, the verse beautifully reveals the triune God.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 15
- 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.
- 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.”
- Ps 2:7I will tell of the decree. Yahweh said to me, “You are my son. Today I have become your father.
- Luke 9:35A voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is my beloved Son. Listen to 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.
- Mark 9:7A cloud came, overshadowing them, and a voice came out of the cloud, “This is my beloved Son. Listen to him.”
- 2 Pet 1:17For 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.”
- Luke 3:22and 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.”
- Mark 1:11A voice came out of the sky, “You are my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”
- John 12:28–30Father, glorify your name!” Then there came a voice out of the sky, saying, “I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.”
- Col 1:13who delivered us out of the power of darkness, and translated us into the Kingdom of the Son of his love;
- Eph 1:6to the praise of the glory of his grace, by which he freely gave us favor in the Beloved,
- John 5:37The Father himself, who sent me, has testified about me. You have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his form.
- Isa 42:21It pleased Yahweh, for his righteousness’ sake, to magnify the law, and make it honorable.
- Rev 14:2I heard a sound from heaven, like the sound of many waters, and like the sound of a great thunder. The sound which I heard was like that of harpists playing on their harps.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Matthew presents Jesus as the promised King — son of David, son of Abraham — the new Moses and true Israel in whom every prophecy reaches 'that it might be fulfilled.'
How Matthew 3:17 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.