Baptism

This page contains selected passages from the Open English Translation with the passage from the OET Readers’ Version on the left, and the OET Literal Version on the right. Minimal commentary is included (only some headings)—our aim is simply to conveniently list the passages in one place so that our readers can make up their own minds about what the writer of the passage was intending to communicate.

Readers’ Version

Literal Version

Yeshua/Jesus and baptism

OET Mat 3:13-17

3:13 Yeshua gets immersed in the river

(Mark 1:9-11; Luke 3:21-22)

13 Then Yeshua (Jesus; Grk. Yesus) came down from Galil to Yohan (John; Grk. Yoannes) at the Yarden (Jordan) River to be immersed by him. 14 But Yohan refused, saying, “It’s me who needs to be immersed by you, and yet you’re coming to me?”

15 “Just allow it,” answered Yeshua, “because we need to do what righteousness requires.” So Yohan immersed him.

16 As Yeshua came up out of the water after being immersed, the sky was opened up and he saw God’s spirit coming down like a dove and landing on him. 17 Then, wow, a voice could be heard from the sky saying, “This is my son that I love and I’m pleased with.”[ref]

3:17: Gen 22:2; Psa 2:7; Isa 42:1; Mat 12:18; 17:5; Mrk 1:11; Luk 9:35.

13 Then the Yaʸsous/(Yəhōshūˊa) is _arriving from the Galilaia/(Gālīl) to the Yordanaʸs/(Yardēn) to the Yōannaʸs, which to _be _immersed by him.

14 But the was _forbidding him saying:
I am _having need to _be _immersed by you, and you are _coming to me?

15 But the Yaʸsous answering said to him:
Allow it now, because/for thus it _is befitting to _us to _fulfill all righteousness.
Then he _is _allowing him.

16 And having _been _immersed, the Yaʸsous immediately went _up from the water, and see, the heavens were _opened _up, and he _saw the spirit of_ the _god coming _down as _if a_dove and coming on him.

17 And see, a_voice out _of of _the heavens saying:
This is the son of _me, the beloved in whom I _took _pleasure.

OET Mat 28:16-20

28:16 Yeshua commissions his apprentices as missionaries

(Mark 16:14-18; Luke 24:36-49; Yhn 20:19-23; Acts 1:6-8)

16 The eleven apprentices travelled up to Galil to the hill that Yeshua (Jesus; Grk. Yesus) had previously told them to go to,[ref] 17 and when they saw him there, they immediately bowed down to the ground, even though their minds weren’t sure that it was really him. 18 Then Yeshua came closer and told them, “I have been given authority over both heavenly and earthly affairs 19 so I want you to leave here and go and train followers in every country,[ref] immersing them in water with the authority of the father and the son and the holy spirit. 20 Then teach them to do everything just like I instructed all of you. And listen, I will be with you all every day right through until the end of this age.”

28:16: Mat 26:32; Mrk 14:28.

28:19: Acts 1:8.

16 But the the_eleven apprentices/followers were _gone into the Galilaia/(Gālīl), to the mountain where the Yaʸsous/(Yəhōshūˊa) determined for _them.

17 And having _seen him, they _prostrated, but they doubted.

18 And the Yaʸsous having _approached, spoke to _them saying:
All authority in heaven and on earth was _given to _me.

19 Therefore having _been _gone, train _followers all the nations, immersing them in the name of _the father, and of _the son, and of _the holy spirit,

20 teaching them to _be _keeping all things as _much _as I _commanded to _you _all.
And see, I am with you _all all the days, until the completion of _the age.

Baptism in the early assemblies

OET Acts 2:36-41

36 “So let all Yisrael (Israel) know that this Yeshua that you executed on a post, God made him both Yahweh and messiah.”

37 When the people heard that, they were deeply troubled and asked Kefa (Peter; Grk. Petros) and the other missionaries, “What should we do then, brothers?”

38 Kefa responded, “Turn away from your sins and each one of you needs to be immersed by the authority of Yeshua the messiah. Then your sins will be forgiven and you all will receive the gift of the holy spirit, 39 because that promise is to you all and your children and to their descendants—to anyone who will call out to our God Yahweh.”

40 Then Kefa shared further teaching with them and encouraged them to save themselves out from this corrupt generation. 41 Because of that, those who welcomed his teaching were immersed and about three thousand people were added to their numbers that day.

36 Assuredly therefore let_ All the_house of _Israaʸl/(Yisrā^ʼēl) _be _knowing that the god made him both the_master and the_chosen _one /messiah, this the Yaʸsous whom you _all executed _on _a _stake.

37 And having _heard, they _were _pierced to _the heart, both they _said to the Petros and the other ambassadors:
What may _we _do, men, brothers?

38 And Petros is _saying to them:
Repent:
and let_ each of _you _all _be _immersed in the name of_Yaʸsous chosen _one /messiah, because/for forgiveness of _the sins of _you _all, and you _all _will _be _receiving the gift of _the holy spirit.

39 For/Because the promise is to _you _all, and to _the children of _you _all, and to _all the ones at far, as _many _as wishfully may _call _to the_master, the god of _us.

40 Both with_ more _other messages he _testified, and was _exhorting them saying:
Be _saved from this the crooked the generation.

41 Therefore indeed the ones having _welcomed the message of _him were _immersed, and were _added on the that day, about three _thousand souls.

OET Acts 8:26-40

26 Then a messenger from Yahweh spoke to Filippos (Philip), “Start walking and head south on the road that goes downhill from Yerushalem to Azah (Gaza) through the wilderness.” 27 So he headed off, and on the road he came across an important official of the Kushi (Ethiopian) queen[fn] who was in charge of her treasury. This man had been in Yerushalem to worship God 28 and was returning home in his chariot. As he rode, he was reading the scroll of the prophet Yeshayah (Isaiah), 29 and the spirit told Filippos to approach him and stay by the chariot. 30 So Filippos ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading from the prophet Yeshayah and asked, “Do you know what it is that you’re reading about?”

31 “How could I know when I don’t have someone to guide me?” he answered, and so he invited Filippos to climb up and sit with him. 32 Now the particular passage that he was reading was this:

‘He was led away like a sheep being led to the slaughterhouse,

and stayed as silent as a lamb being shorn

so he never opened his mouth.

33 He was humiliated by a lack of justice.

Who can name his descendants,

because his life is being taken from the earth?’[ref]

34 “Now tell me,” said the official, “who was Yeshayah (Isaiah) talking about? Was he talking about himself or someone else?” 35 So Filippos started with that passage and explained the good message about Yeshua (Jesus; Grk. Yesus) to him. 36 As they were going along the road, they came to some water, and the official asked, “Look, here’s some water. What would stop me from being immersed here?”

37 ◘ 38 So he commanded the driver to stop the chariot and they both climbed down, and Filippos (Philip) immersed the official in the water. 39 But as they came out of the water, Yahweh’s spirit snatched Filippos away and so the official never saw him again, but he continued on his journey very happy. 40 As for Filippos, he found himself at the town of Azotos, and as he passed through the coastal towns on the way to Kaisareia, he proclaimed the good message in each town.

8:27 Some translations list the queen’s name as ‘Candace’, but that was the name of the series of queens, cf., Par’oh (Pharaoh) or Caesar which came to be used as a title for more than one person.

8:32-33: Isa 53:7-8 (LXX).

26 But a_messenger of_the_master spoke to Filippos saying:
Rise _up and be _going to the_south, to the road which coming _down from Hierousalaʸm to Gaza/(ˊAzzāh), this is the_wilderness road.

27 And having _risen _up, he _was _gone, and see, a_man, an_Aithiops/(Kūshiy) eunuch, official of _Kandakaʸ queen of_the_Aithiopss, who was over all the treasure of _her, who had _come going _to _prostrate in Hierousalaʸm,

28 and he _was returning and sitting in the chariot of _him, and was _reading the prophet Aʸsaias/(Yəshaˊ^yāh).

29 And the spirit said to_ the _Filippos:
Approach and be _joined _together to_ the this _chariot.

30 And the Filippos having _run _up, heard of _him reading Aʸsaias the prophet, and said:
Then surely you _are _knowing what you _are _reading?

31 And he said:
For/Because how wishfully I _might _be _able if not someone will _be _guiding me?
And he _appealed the to _Filippos having _gone _up to _sit _down with him.

32 And the passage of_ the _scripture which he _was _reading was this:
he _was _led As a_sheep to the_slaughter, and silent as a_lamb before the one having _shaved him, thus he _is_ not _opening _up the mouth of _him.

33 In the humiliation, the justice of _him was _taken _away, who will _be _describing the generation of _him?
Because the life of _him is _being _taken _away from the earth.

34 And the eunuch answering to_ the _Filippos said:
I _am _beseeching of _you concerning whom the prophet is _saying this?
Concerning himself or concerning someone other?

35 And the Filippos having _opened _up the mouth of _him, and having _begun from the this scripture, he _good _message _preached the Yaʸsous/(Yəhōshūˊa) to _him.

36 And as they _were _going along the road, they _came to some water, and the eunuch is _saying:
Behold, water, what is _forbidding me to _be _immersed?

38 And he _commanded the chariot to _stop, and they_ both _came _down, to the water, the both Filippos and the eunuch, and he _immersed him.

39 But when they _went _up out _of the water, the_spirit of_the_master snatched the Filippos, and the eunuch not saw him no _longer, because/for he _was _going the way of _him rejoicing.

40 But Filippos was _found at Azōtos/(ʼAshdōd), and passing _through he _was _good _message _preaching to_ all _the cities, until the time him to _come to Kaisareia.

OET Acts 10:44-48

10:44 God’s spirit enters non-Jews

44 While Kefa (Peter; Grk. Petros) was still speaking, the holy spirit came down onto everyone who was listening. 45 The Jewish believers who had come with Kefa were astonished that the gift of the holy spirit had been poured out even on non-Jews 46 as they heard them speaking in other languages and magnifying God. Then Kefa said, 47 “Surely no one could argue against them getting immersed in water now that they’ve received the holy spirit just like we did?” 48 So with the authority of Yeshua (Jesus; Grk. Yesus) the messiah, he commanded for them to be immersed in water. Then they asked him to stay with them for a few more days.

44 The Petros still speaking the these messages, the the holy spirit fell _on on all the ones hearing the message.

45 And the believers from the_circumcision, as _many _as came _together the with _Petros marvelled, that the gift of _the holy spirit has _been _poured _out even on the pagans.

46 For/Because they _were _hearing of _them speaking with _tongues, and magnifying the god.
Then Petros answered,

47 Surely _not anyone is _able to _forbid the water these which to_ not _be _immersed, who received the the holy spirit, as we_ also _did?

48 and He _commanded them in the name of_Yaʸsous/(Yəhōshūˊa) chosen _one /messiah to _be _immersed.
Then they _asked him to _remain _on some days.

OET Acts 16:25-34

25 Around midnight Paulos and Silas were praying and singing praises to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. 26 Suddenly there was a strong earthquake that shook even the foundations of the prison, and immediately all the prison doors opened up and the chains of all the prisoners came loose. 27 The prison officer woke up, and when he saw that all the prison doors were open, he drew his sword to take his own life as he figured that all the prisoners must have escaped. 28 But Paulos shouted out, “Don’t harm yourself! We’re all still here!”

29 The officer called for torches, then rushed in and knelt down trembling in front of Paulos and Silas. 30 Then he escorted them out and asked, “Masters, what do I need to do to be saved?”

31 “Believe in the master Yeshua (Jesus; Grk. Yesus),” they replied, “then you and your household can all be saved.” 32 Then they explained the message about the master to him and all those in his household. 33 Even though it was still the middle of the night, he sponged their wounds, and then him and his household were all immersed straight away. 34 He took Paulos and Silas up into his house and gave them a meal, and his whole household were happy because they now believed in God.

25 But to the midnight, Paulos and Silas praying, were _singing _hymns the to_god, and the prisoners were _listening to _them.

26 And suddenly an_ great _earthquake became, so _that the foundations of _the prison to _be _shaken, and immediately all the doors were _opened _up, and the bonds of _all was _unfastened.

27 And the prison _guard having _become awoken, and having _seen the doors of _the prison having _been _opened _up, having _drawn his sword he _was _going to _be _killing himself, thinking the prisoners to _have _escaped.

28 But Paulos called with_a_ loud _voice saying:
You _may _do nothing harm to _yourself, because/for we _are all here.

29 And having _requested lights, he _rushed _in, and having _become trembling, he _fell _before to_ the _Paulos and Silas.

30 And having _brought_ them _forth out was _saying:
Masters, what is _fitting me to _be _doing, in _order _that I _may _be _saved?

31 And they said:
Believe in the master Yaʸsous/(Yəhōshūˊa) and you _will _be _being _saved, you and the household of _you.

32 And they _spoke the message of _the master to _him, with all the ones in the house of _him.

33 And having _taken them in that the hour of _the night, he _washed them from their wounds, and he _was _immersed, he and the ones of _him all immediately.

34 And having _brought_ them _up into the house, he _set _before a_table for _them and exulted with _all _the _household, having _believed the in_god.

Baptism and life in the Messiah

OET Rom 6:1-14

6:1 Dying and coming back to life with Yeshua

6 So should we continue disobeying so that more of God’s generosity will be displayed? 2 Not on your life! We who died to sin, how could we go back to living in it? 3 Or didn’t you realise that when we were immersed into Messiah Yeshua (Jesus; Grk. Yesus), we were immersed into his death? 4 Therefore we were buried with him through the immersion into death, so that just as Messiah was brought back to life by the father’s power, so too we can live a new life.[ref] 5 If we’ve taken part in the likeness of his death, then we’ll also take part in the resurrection, 6 knowing that the old personality was executed with him so that sin would have no more power over our bodies, and hence we no longer need to serve it, 7 because the personality that’s died has been declared free from sin. 8 So if we died with Messiah, we also believe that we’ll live with him, 9 knowing that now that Messiah has come back to life from the dead, he won’t die again—death has no more power over him. 10 When he died, he died to sin once and for all, but now that he lives, he lives to please God. 11 So too, you should consider yourselves dead to sin, and at the same time, alive to God in Messiah Yeshua.

12 So therefore don’t let sin rule over your mortal bodies in such a way that you’re submitting to its lusts. 13 Don’t use any parts of your bodies to sin, as if they’re weapons of disobedience, but instead present yourselves to God as if you came back to life from the dead, and use all your body parts for God, as if they’re weapons of righteousness, 14 so that sin won’t take control of you—because you’re not under law, but under generosity.

6:4: Col 2:12.

6 Therefore what we _will _be _saying?
We _may _be _continuing _on the in _sin, in _order _that the grace may _be _plentiful?

2 Never it _might _become.
Who we _died _off to_ the _sin, how still we _will _be _living in it?

3 Or you _all _are _not _knowing, that as _many _as we _were _immersed into chosen _one /messiah Yaʸsous, into the death of _him we _were _immersed?

4 Therefore we _were _buried _with with _him through the immersion into the death, in _order _that as was _raised chosen _one /messiah from dead by the glory of _the father, thus also we in newness of _life may _walk.

5 For/Because if grown _together we _have _become in _the likeness of _the death of _him, but also of _the resurrection we _will _be,

6 this knowing that the old of _us person was _executed _on _a _stake _with him, in _order _that may _be _nullified the body of_ the _sin, that no _longer to _be _serving us the for _sin.

7 For/Because the one having _died _off, has _been _justified from the sin.

8 And if we _died _off with chosen _one /messiah, we _are _believing that also we _will _be _living _together with _him,

9 having _known that chosen _one /messiah having _been _raised from dead, no _longer is _dying _off, death of _him no _longer is _mastering.

10 For/Because what he _died _off, to_ the _sin died _off once _for _all, but what he _is _living, he _is _living to_ the _god.

11 Thus also you _all, be _counting yourselves to _be dead on _one _hand to_ the _sin, on _the _other _hand living to_ the _god in chosen _one /messiah Yaʸsous/(Yəhōshūˊa).

12 Therefore not let _be _reigning the sin in the mortal of _you _all body, in _order that to _be _submitting in _the lusts of _it.

13 Not be _presenting the members of _you _all, as _weapons of _unrighteousness to_ the _sin, but present yourselves to_ the _god, as _if from the_dead living, and the members of _you _all, as _weapons of _righteousness to_ the _god.

14 For/Because sin over _you _all not will _be _mastering, because/for not you _all _are under law, but under grace.

OET Gal 3:23-29

23 Before faith could come, we were guarded under the law—imprisoned so that faith could be revealed. 24 So the law was our tutor until the messiah came so that we could then be made guiltless by faith, 25 and now that we’ve come to faith, we’re no longer under our tutor.

26 So you’re all God’s children through faith in the messiah, Yeshua, 27 because everyone who’s been immersed to obey the messiah is now cloaked in the messiah. 28 So there’s no Yehudi (Jew) or Greek, no slave or free person, no male or female, because you’re all identified as being in the messiah, Yeshua. 29 And if you’re in the messiah, then you’re now Avraham’s descendant, and so you’re heirs of that promise.[ref]

3:29: Rom 4:13.

23 But before the time the faith to _come, under the_law we _were _being _guarded, being _imprisoned to the faith going to _be _revealed.

24 So _that the law, has _become tutor of _us to chosen _one /messiah, in _order _that we _may _be _justified by faith.

25 But the faith having _come, we _are no _longer under a_tutor.

26 For/Because you _all _are all sons of_god through the faith in chosen _one /messiah Yaʸsous.

27 For/Because as _many _as were _immersed to chosen _one /messiah, you _all _dressed _in chosen _one /messiah.

28 There _is neither Youdaios nor Hellaʸn, there _is neither slave nor free, there _is neither male and female, because/for all you _all are one in chosen _one /messiah Yaʸsous.

29 And if you _all are of_chosen _one /messiah, consequently you _all _are the_seed of_ the _Abraʼam/(ʼAⱱrāhām), heirs according _to the_promise.

OET Col 2:8-15

8 Be careful in case anyone captures your minds with fancy ideas or theories without proof that come from human traditions or from worldly thinking, and not from Messiah. 9 Every component of the greatness of God lives in his human body, 10 and you also have been completed and are in him. He is the head of all rule and authority.

11 It wasn’t just human hands that circumcised you by cutting off part of the body, but Messiah circumcised you all by cutting you away from your sinful acts. 12 You all were buried with him when you were immersed in water, and you came back to life with him when you came up from the water, through faith in God’s working which gave him life after death.[ref] 13 You all were dead in your disobedience and because your bodies were ‘uncircumcised’. Then he made us alive together with him after he forgave us for all our disobedience.[ref] 14 He erased the writing that listed the charges against us and so it was removed—nailed to the execution post.[ref] 15 He had disarmed the rulers and authorities and publicly exposed them, because he had won the victory over them on the post.[fn]

2:15 The meaning of the Greek ‘ἐν αὐτῷ’ literally ‘in it/him’ isn’t clear here and leads to two common translations: a/ ‘on/in him’, or as we have chosen (interpreting the ‘it’ to be referring back to ‘σταυρῷ’ ‘execution post’ from the previous verse), ‘on the post’.

2:12: Rom 6:4.

2:13: Eph 2:1-5.

2:14: Eph 2:15.

8 Be _watching _out, lest anyone will _be which taking_ you _all _captive through the philosophy and empty seduction, according _to the tradition of_ the _humans, according _to the principles of _the world, and not according _to chosen _one /messiah.

9 Because in him all the fullness of _the deity is _dwelling bodily,

10 and you _all _are having _been _fulfilled in him, who is the head of _all rule and authority,

11 in whom also you _all _were _circumcised with _circumcision not _hand _made, in the disarmament of _the body of _the flesh by the circumcision of _the chosen _one /messiah,

12 having _been _buried _with with _him in the washing, in which also you _all _were _raised _up _with him, through the faith in _the working of_ the _god, which having _raised him from the_dead.

13 And you _all being dead in the transgressions and in _the uncircumcision of _the flesh of _you _all, he _made_ us _alive _together with him, having _forgiven all our transgressions to _us,

14 having _wiped _out the handwriting against us in _the decrees, which was hostile to _us, and it has _taken _away out _of the midst, having _nailed it to _the stake,

15 having _disarmed the rulers and the authorities, he _exposed them in public, having _triumphed over _them in him.

OET 1 Pet 3:18-22

18 because the messiah also died once for sin, that is, the sinless one died for sinful people, so that he can bring you chosen people past death onward to God. Although he experienced physical death, he’d been given life in the spirit, 19 and with that life he also went to the spirits in prison and preached to them—20 those who’d refused to believe. God had waited patiently in Noah’s time when the barge was being built, yet only a few were saved. Eight of them were brought safely through the waters,[ref] 21 which also represents how being immersed saved you chosen people. It doesn’t remove the filth from your bodies, but cleans the conscience as you make a pledge to God based on the coming back to life of Yeshua (Jesus; Grk. Yesus) the messiah, 22 who went to heaven and sat at God’s right, with God’s messengers and authorities and powers all under his authority.

3:20: Gen 6:1–7:24.

18 Because also chosen _one /messiah died _off once for the_sins the_righteous for the_unrighteous, in _order _that he _may _bringing _forward you _all to_ the _god, on _one _hand having _been _put _to _death in_the_flesh, on _the _other _hand having _been _given _life in_the_spirit,

19 in which also having _been _gone to _the to _spirits in prison he _proclaimed,

20 to _having _disbelieved ones once when the patience of_ the _god was _eagerly _waiting in the_days of _Nōe/(Noaḩ), the_box being _prepared in which a_few, this is, eight souls, were _brought _safely _through through the_water.

21 Which also representative now the_immersion is _saving you _all, not a_removal of_the_filth of _flesh, but of_a_ good _conscience, the_inquiry toward god through the_resurrection of_Yaʸsous/(Yəhōshūˊa) chosen _one /messiah,

22 having _been _gone into heaven who is at the_right hand of_god, with _messengers, and authorities, and powers having _been _subjected to _him.

Please contact us at Freely dot Given dot org (at) gmail dot com if there’s any passages that you’d like us to add to this topic page, or any passages that need a little bit more context around them. (We encourage our readers to always view things in their context, so we discourage use of the word ‘verse’, especially in sayings like, “This verse says …”.)