Bible Strands
Luke 3:21
When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as He was praying, heaven was opened,
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — Luke places this event at the conclusion of John the Baptist’s public ministry, immediately after Herod imprisons him. The narrative addresses readers by framing Jesus’ baptism as the pivotal transition from John’s preparatory work to the beginning of Jesus’ own mission.
The words — Ἐγένετο δὲ (Egeneto de) literally means "it came to pass now" or "it happened while," functioning as a narrative marker. βαπτισθῆναι (baptisthēnai) is a passive infinitive meaning "to be baptized," noting Jesus’ participation in the same rite being administered to the crowd.
The thread — The event aligns with the baptismal accounts in Matthew 3:13 and Mark 1:9, while John 1:32 documents the parallel observation of the Spirit’s descent. These passages collectively anchor Jesus’ public entry within the broader witness of John’s ministry.
Why it lands — The text states that Jesus underwent baptism, prayed, and witnessed heaven opening before any divine voice or Spirit descends. It requires the reader to acknowledge this sequence as a factual foundation rather than a symbolic prelude, leaving the theological implications to follow the reported events.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Greek words
King James Version
Now when all the people were baptized, it came to pass, that Jesus also being baptized, and praying, the heaven was opened,
Cross-references
- John 1:32 Then John testified, “I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove and resting on Him.
- Matthew 3:13 At that time Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John.
- Mark 1:9 In those days Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan.
- Luke 5:16 Yet He frequently withdrew to the wilderness to pray.
- John 12:27 Now My soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save Me from this hour’? No, it is for this purpose that I have come to this hour.
- Matthew 14:23 After He had dismissed them, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. When evening came, He was there alone,
- Luke 9:28 About eight days after Jesus had said these things, He took with Him Peter, John, and James, and went up on a mountain to pray.
- Luke 9:18 One day as Jesus was praying in private and the disciples were with Him, He questioned them: “Who do the crowds say I am?”