What does Scripture say about Baptism?

¹⁸ Jesus came to them and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. ¹⁹ Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ teaching them to observe all things that I commanded you. Behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.

¹³ Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him. ¹⁴ But John would have hindered him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and you come to me?” ¹⁵ But Jesus, answering, said to him, “Allow it now, for this is the fitting way for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he allowed him. ¹⁶ Jesus, when he was baptized, went up directly from the water: and behold, the heavens were opened to him. He saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove, and coming on him. ¹⁷ Behold, a voice out of the heavens said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”

³ Jesus answered him, “Most certainly I tell you, unless one is born anew, he can’t see God’s Kingdom.” ⁴ Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” ⁵ Jesus answered, “Most certainly I tell you, unless one is born of water and Spirit, he can’t enter into God’s Kingdom.

³ Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? ⁴ We were buried therefore with him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we also might walk in newness of life. ⁵ For if we have become united with him in the likeness of his death, we will also be part of his resurrection;

¹¹ In him you were also circumcised with a circumcision not made with hands, in the putting off of the body of the sins of the flesh, in the circumcision of Christ, ¹² having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead. ¹³ You were dead through your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh. He made you alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses,

²⁷ For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

³⁸ Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. ³⁹ For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are far off, even as many as the Lord our God will call to himself.”

¹⁶ Now why do you wait? Arise, be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.’

⁵ not 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,

²⁰ who before were disobedient when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ship was being built. In it, few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water. ²¹ This is a symbol of baptism, which now saves you—not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God—through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,

²⁵ Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the assembly and gave himself up for her, ²⁶ that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, ²⁷ that he might present the assembly to himself gloriously, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without defect.

¹⁴ A certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, one who worshiped God, heard us. The Lord opened her heart to listen to the things which were spoken by Paul. ¹⁵ When she and her household were baptized, she begged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house and stay.” So she persuaded us.

³⁰ brought them out, and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” ³¹ They said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.” ³² They spoke the word of the Lord to him, and to all who were in his house. ³³ He took them the same hour of the night and washed their stripes, and was immediately baptized, he and all his household. ³⁴ He brought them up into his house and set food before them, and rejoiced greatly with all his household, having believed in God.

¹⁶ (I also baptized the household of Stephanas; besides them, I don’t know whether I baptized any other.)

¹⁴ Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them, ¹⁵ who, when they had come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Spirit; ¹⁶ for as yet he had fallen on none of them. They had only been baptized in the name of Christ Jesus. ¹⁷ Then they laid their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.

¹ While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul, having passed through the upper country, came to Ephesus and found certain disciples. ² He said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” They said to him, “No, we haven’t even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” ³ He said, “Into what then were you baptized?” They said, “Into John’s baptism.” ⁴ Paul 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 Christ Jesus.” ⁵ When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. ⁶ When Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them and they spoke with other languages and prophesied.

¹² But when they believed Philip preaching good news concerning God’s Kingdom and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.

³⁵ Philip opened his mouth, and beginning from this Scripture, preached to him about Jesus. ³⁶ As they went on the way, they came to some water; and the eunuch said, “Behold, here is water. What is keeping me from being baptized?”

³⁸ He commanded the chariot to stand still, and they both went down into the water, both Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him.

¹⁶ He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who disbelieves will be condemned.

¹⁷ For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the Good News—not in wisdom of words, so that the cross of Christ wouldn’t be made void.