Question: "Should Mark 16:9-20 be in the Bible?"

Question: "Should Mark 16:9-20 be in the Bible?"

Answer: Although the vast majority of later Greek manuscripts contain Mark 16:9-20, the Gospel of Mark ends at verse 8 in two of the oldest and most respected manuscripts, the Codex Sinaiticus and Codex Vaticanus. As the oldest manuscripts are known to be the most accurate because there were fewer generations of copies from the original autographs (i.e., they are much closer in time to the originals), and the oldest manuscripts do not contain vv. 9-20, we can conclude that these verses were added later by scribes. The King James Version of the Bible, as well as the New King James, contains vv. 9-20 because the King James used medieval manuscripts as the basis of its translation. Since 1611, however, older and more accurate manuscripts have been discovered and they affirm that vv. 9-20 were not in the original Gospel of Mark.

In addition, the fourth-century church fathers Eusebius and Jerome noted that almost all Greek manuscripts available to them lacked vv. 9–20, although they doubtless knew those other endings existed. In the second century, Justin Martyr and Tatian knew about other endings. Irenaeus, also, in A.D. 150 to 200, must have known about this long ending because he quotes verse 19 from it. So, the early church fathers knew of the added verses, but even by the fourth century, Eusebius said the Greek manuscripts did not include these endings in the originals.

The internal evidence from this passage also casts doubt on Mark as the author. For one thing, the transition between verses 8 and 9 is abrupt and awkward. The Greek word translated “now” that begins v. 9 should link it to what follows, as the use of the word “now” does in the other synoptic Gospels. However, what follows doesn’t continue the story of the women referred to in v. 8, describing instead Jesus’ appearing to Mary Magdalene. There’s no transition there, but rather an abrupt and bizarre change, lacking the continuity typical of Mark’s narrative. The author should be continuing the story of the women based on the word “now,” not jumping to the appearance to Mary Magdalene. Further, for Mark to introduce Mary Magdalene here as though for the very first time (v. 9) is odd because she had already been introduced in Mark’s narrative (Mark 15:40, 47, 16:1), another evidence that this section was not written by Mark.

Furthermore, the vocabulary is not consistent with Mark’s Gospel. These last verses don’t read like Mark’s. There are eighteen words here that are never used anywhere by Mark, and the structure is very different from the familiar structure of his writing. The title “Lord Jesus,” used in verse 19, is never used anywhere else by Mark. Also, the reference to signs in vv. 17-18 doesn’t appear in any of the four Gospels. In no account, post-resurrection of Jesus, is there any discussion of signs like picking up serpents, speaking with tongues, casting out demons, drinking poison, or laying hands on the sick. So, both internally and externally, this is foreign to Mark.

While the added ending offers no new information, nor does it contradict previously revealed events and/or doctrine, both the external and internal evidence make it quite certain that Mark did not write it. In reality, ending his Gospel in verse 8 with the description of the amazement of the women at the tomb is entirely consistent with the rest of the narrative. Amazement at the Lord Jesus seems to be a theme with Mark. “They were amazed at his teaching” (Mark 1:22); “They were all amazed, so that they debated among themselves” (Mark 1:27); “He healed the paralytic, and they were all amazed and were glorifying God saying, ‘We’ve never seen anything like this’” (Mark 2:12). Astonishment at the work of Jesus is revealed throughout Mark’s narrative (Mark 4:41; 5:15, 33, 42; 6:51; 9:6, 15, 32; 10:24, 32; 11:18; 12:17; 16:5). Some, or even one, of the early scribes, however, apparently missed the thematic evidence and felt the need to add a more conventional ending.

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Personal thoughts: 
1- I am SOOO convinced this is not Scripture that I would not have a problem telling a congregation to literally tear it out of their bibles. However I do realize they would loose some actual bible from the other side of the page so, this is a no go. 
2 - I could be convinced that just out of the sheer providence of the Holy Spirit that its been around for so long it could be seen a worthy of being left in. 
3- My best guess of what 9-20 is; without an in-depth cross-reference is a prequel to Acts where much of the stuff suggested here is played out in acts including Paul being bitten by a poisonous snake & not dying & Acts 2 citing get baptized.

Thoughts on Baptist Autonomy – Cory Matlock

Thoughts on Baptist Autonomy – Cory Matlock

Let me be clear in the very onset of this article. This is merely an honest opinion. That is all it is. I am not writing this to argue or to put anyone down. I am merely writing concerning a struggle that I have being in the Baptist circle. I am a reformed guy. In fact, at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary I was known by my friends as the Presby (for those who don’t know that Presbyterian). Honestly, I kind of deserve that title from day to day. I can take the insult day in and day out about being one of those rotten “Calvinist.” That really doesn’t bother me at all. I have come to grips with the animosity in the Baptist circle over the Doctrines of Grace a long time ago. The one issue I’ve not yet come to grips with is probably the one that pushes me the closest to being a Presby and that’s the issue of Autonomy. To be real honest, I don’t think its Biblical! Not in the way that we practice it today in the SBC. Now, before my many SBC brothers cast me out to the wolves for saying that, please understand that this is something that I have studied at great length and I’m not knocking the SBC for their stance on this. They corporally agree that the local SBC Church is autonomous and that’s great. My issue is not with the SBC. Instead my issue is that I don’t see the democratic form of autonomy taught in Scripture. In fact, I remember joking with a class mate one time that it would be easier for me to join the local Presbyterian Church and baptize babies than it would be for me to stay in the SBC and fight against this issue. The end result of the conversation between us was that maybe we should just create a new denomination. We could call it the Presbapterianist or something like that. All joking aside, for a brief moment I thought of the many people I had challenged on this issue who had no response. I thought of all those people who agreed with me on the issue but couldn’t go Presbyterian because of the infant baptism issue and wondered how many of them would join the movement. But then I looked on the internet at the vast numbers of denominations have evolved since the time of the Protestant Reformation and instantly wanted to cry. I didn’t want to be the cause of anymore division within the Body of Christ. Instead I want to glorify God and unite His people towards one another. I want to cause them to see their need to be united in the Gospel and to set their tertiary issues on the backburner for the furtherance of the Gospel. No, starting another denomination simply won’t solve or resolve the issue. So how should I as an Elder, a Student of God’s Word, a man redeemed by that precious and atoning work of Christ Jesus at Calvary approach this issue with my fellow brothers? For one I am called to live peaceably among all men (Romans 12:18) and that would most assuredly apply to those who are redeemed. So, in one way I could keep my struggle internal and never really speak of the issue amongst my brethren. But what should I do when I come to those passages that show very clearly Paul’s authority over the Church’s which he had already established Elders? What could I say to the congregation that God has entrusted me to faithfully preach His word to when I see how Paul addresses not the Elders which he appointed but the congregation? How could I faithfully preach the Word of God and not address what I see as a very clear error within the Church? How could I not speak about the rise of democracy in the Church being caused by the rise of democracy in the culture? Honestly, to avoid the issue altogether isn’t really an option for me. My conscience would eat me alive for not staying faithful to the Word of God. What about addressing the issue with my local Director of Missions? Maybe he would be willing to give a gentle ear on the topic? Maybe that would ring true! Yet one DOM in this vast Baptist circle really isn’t going to have the ability to do much besides get annoyed with me. I know that I can’t remain silent with my friends in the Baptist circle either. What am I to do with the thoughts I’m having about what I believe to be a major error within the Baptist circle? I can do what I am doing right now. I can warn against what happens when there is no authority to keep that autonomous Church in check. Now I know many of my friends would argue back with the point that there have been many cases where local Presbyteries have been corrupted and in error. Okay, I get it. Nothing is perfect! We won’t get the joy of seeing perfection until the day that the Lord of glory calls us home! But that doesn’t give us an excuse to not strive towards being Biblical. If we did a quick comparative study for the number of corrupt or erroneous Presbyteries compared to the number of local Baptist Churches which have blatant heresy being preached within their walls, what would our numbers be? How would they compare? In just my short tenure in the ministry of 11 years, I have been privy to many men who doctrinally had no need to be in the pulpit. Men who make Steven Furtick look like an expositor. And now, my first Church out of Seminary is one which for forty years was a victim to many abuses of authority. Now that is not a knock against my congregation at all! I love them to death and as anyone who has been here can and will attest, they are a wonderful group of redeemed in Christ, lovers of the Word people. Yet there was nobody there to see the atrocities done to them by their autonomous pastor who almost led them into many great disasters. Nobody was around to remove this man from his twisting of Scripture to motivate the people’s hearts to do what he wanted them to do. I sit through counseling sessions with the wonderful people in my congregation and am often forced to either grab us both a Kleenex or fight back the tears as I listen to their stories. And every single time that I hear these accounts, the very same thoughts roll through my mind. Where was the local Presbytery which could have seen this issue and helped to resolve the problem? Where were the men of God which have been placed in a position of authority for the very purpose of protecting the hearts of Christ’ Bride? I honestly wrestle with this! A congregation which for many years thrived. One which exploded in growth during the period of time where Liberalism was rising through the ranks of our Churches. A Church where people gave up their entire lives quite literally to follow Jesus and do what they believed to be right. Where was the oversight which had the authority to protect those hearts bought with the precious blood of Christ? Maybe in reality what we as Baptist wrap in the term autonomy is nothing more than a rejection of authority. An authority given by God for the very protection and safe guarding of His Holy Word and His redeemed people. Maybe that’s really the issue. We as a free western people have fallen so in love with the idea of independence and that we are free moral agents, that we have now introduced that very same ideology to the Bride of Christ and how we “do” Church. To be honest, I don’t know what to expect from writing this. I’m sure this will be more ammunition for my Baptist Brothers and give them more reason to call me a Presbyterian, yet that’s okay with me. When the Southern Baptist Convention was going liberal and supporting issues like abortion, it was our Presbyterian brothers who called us to repentance. Maybe this issue will be the same someday. Maybe our Presbyterian brothers will be able to formulate an argument that raises the red flag in the minds of the Baptist on the issue of Baptist Autonomy. Maybe there are enough of us Reformed Baptist who wrestle with this issue that we can address the issue from the inside. For the moment though, I will continue to be one of the many blessed by God to be in a congregation trying to pick up the pieces of shattered hearts that could have been stopped many years ago if it weren’t for autonomy. I am and will continue to wrestle with the very real issue that impacted just one Church out of millions. And in my time working through these issues, I will continue wondering if autonomy as we practice it is really that Biblical? Or is it just another failed experiment in the Church which has left countless of hearts shattered and lives broken?

Alcohol & the Church, a symptom of Worldly Wisdom vs Biblical study

Alcohol & the Church, a symptom of Worldly Wisdom vs Biblical study

Rethinking the World Biblically

Recently there was an article that seems to have brought about a stir in our small town. The issue at hand? Should a restaurant be allowed to serve alcohol in a “dry” county? Now to be honest, this is not my hometown and I’m not a southerner. In fact, it’s quite evident when I have conversations with people in the area that I’m not from around here. Yet, this doesn’t negate the issue that our small town is facing. My being from here only allows for me to input my two cents as an outsider. Although what I’m saying may sound like an opinion, this is not an opinion piece. I want to offer some insight from a source that most of us would probably agree governs the vast majority of our life. The Bible. Simply put, I want to offer an understanding on the nature of alcohol according to the Bible and let each of us check the way we understand this issue in accordance with what the Word of God says. With that in mind, I want to challenge you for just a moment to grab that old leather-bound work of beauty off of your shelf and scour through its pages in search of the issue of alcohol. For some of the more tech savvy, do a google search of the use of alcohol in the Bible. This next point may surprise you. Did you know that nowhere in the Bible does it say that alcohol is sinful? In fact, alcohol doesn’t have the ability to be sinful because it is an inanimate object. It doesn’t have the ability to break God’s moral Law nor does it have the ability to reason or rationalize. By now you’ve probably scoured through those life preserving pages looking to see if that last statement is right and you’ve found it to be true. So, let’s ask another question. Is there a passage of Scripture where the Word of God condemns the use or consumption of alcohol? No! In fact, many might be surprised to find that what God actually says about alcohol in its right context can be a good thing. Psalm 104:15 tells us that wine gladdens the heart of man. Paul tells the Elder Timothy to take a little wine for his stomach in 1 Timothy 5:23. Both of those passages are actually showing something quite opposite to what most of us would believe. We have somehow come to believe that the consumption or use of alcohol in any way is somehow sinning against God. But that is not what the Bible actually teaches. Instead what the Bible teaches is the right use of that which is created by God. Alcohol is like anything else given by God to mankind. In its right form and use, there is no sin. It is the misuse and abuse of that which has been given to mankind that makes something sinful. This is where sin actually comes into the picture. The abuse of through drunkenness or by breaking the law of the land is what makes the consumption of alcohol sinful. What the individual chooses to do with the alcohol is what would either make it sin or not sin.

I know that many will read this and believe it to be an endorsement for the consumption of alcohol. This is not the case! As a minister of the Gospel I cannot function as the Holy Spirit and tell people what they can and cannot do. Instead my calling is to dust off the generational gap that occurs from the time of Christ and our own and explain what it is that God has called us towards. It is our duty as Christians to seek out the pages of Scripture, and from only the Word of God, draw out a worldview in which we live our lives by. We are called to make Christ known and live this life with as much accuracy toward Scripture as is humanly possible. Because of this, we have to examine real world issues to see where it is that we should land. If our opinions ever do not line up with God’s Word, we are called to reshape how we see these issues and conform them to Scripture. We cannot conform Scripture to what we want it to say.

SDG – Pastor, student, Christian, friend Cory Matlock.

Communion & the body!

Bread

⁴ For as in one body we have many members,^[a] and the members do not all have the same function, ⁵ so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one to another.

Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ & His church? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? Never! But he who is joined to the Lord becomes one Spirit with him. Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of that one bread.

As one body we join together to remember the Lord & the breaking of this bread, in remembrance of his body broken for our sin. Take this in ‘memberence of Him.

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Wine

 For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. ¹³ For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves^[d] or free, rich or poor —and all were made to drink of one Spirit.
¹⁴ For the body does not consist of one member but of many. ¹⁵ If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I must not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. ¹⁶ And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. ¹⁷ If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? ¹⁸ But as it is, God arranged the members in the church, each one of them, as he chose. ¹⁹ If all were a single member, where would the body be? ²⁰ As it is, there are many parts,^[e] yet one body.
But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked honor, ²⁵ that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. ²⁶ If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.
²⁷ Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. As one body we again remember the blood of Christ spilled for us, for the forgiveness of sin, take this in ‘memberence of Him.

Baptism pt. 2

Baptism

What we’ll cover: Read an example of baptism. Try to answer: What is baptism? What does it symbolize? How should it be done? When should it be done?

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            We’re going to start with reading from the London Baptist Confession of 1689. I start with this to show this is the Old Faith of the Baptist tradition not some New Idea that Roy or I just made up on our own last week. The 1689, was also the Confession of Faith of famous English Baptist pastor Charles Haddon Spurgeon, 1855 if you’ve heard many sermons here you’ll catch the occasional Spurgeon quote.

            I -  # of Ordinances in the Church

So this was written against the 7 Sacraments of the Catholic Church – Any idea what they are? Baptism, Confirmation, Confession, Marriage, Holy Orders, and the Anointing of the Sick.

Christian Baptism is one of two ordinances that Jesus specifically instituted for the church. Just before His ascension, Jesus said, “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:19–20). These instructions specify that the church is responsible to teach Jesus’ word, make disciples, and baptize those disciples. These things are to be done everywhere (“all nations”) until “the very end of the age.” So, if for no other reason, baptism has importance because Jesus commanded it to his church.

II – Baptism

            1 What it is

                        Sub-points

                        A Repentant faith

                        B Water, Trinity

                        C Immersion, without vitriol (verbal abuse)

At Calvary we strongly believe that each and every Christian should be water baptized by immersion. Baptism illustrates a believer’s identification with Christ’s death on the cross, burial, and resurrection **hand motions**. Romans 6:3-4 declares, “Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.” **hand motions** The action of being immersed in the water illustrates dying and being buried with Christ & the action of coming out of the water pictures Christ’s resurrection.

We caution that being obedient to baptism is not to add anything (like our own works) to the gospel. To say that baptism is necessary for salvation is to say we must add our own good works and obedience to Christ's death in order to make it sufficient for salvation. Therefore, we say baptism is an important step of obedience after salvation but cannot be a requirement for salvation.

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As an example, in Bible times, a person who converted from one religion to another was often baptized to identify with this new conversion. Baptism was the means of making their decision public. Those who refused to be baptized were saying they did not truly believe. So, in the minds of the apostles and early disciples, the idea of an un-baptized believer was unheard of. When a person claimed to believe in Christ, yet was ashamed to proclaim his faith in public, it indicated that he did not have true saving faith.

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Family quote – But by virtue of our baptism, Peter & I are brothers in Christ & one day we are going to be in heaven together, so we might as well learn to get along here because we will have to get along there. God won’t have it any other way!   - Gene Robinson

This is to say, Baptism is to be done in the name of the Father, Son, and Spirit—this is what makes it “Christian” baptism. It is through this ordinance that a person is admitted into the fellowship of the church. When we are saved, we are “baptized” by the Spirit into the Body of Christ, which is the church. First Corinthians 12:13 says, “We were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—rich or poor and we were all given this same Spirit.”

As we said before, Christian baptism is the means by which a person makes a public profession of faith and discipleship. In the waters of baptism, a person says, wordlessly, “I confess faith in Christ; Jesus has cleansed my soul from sin, and I now have a new life of sanctification.”

Christian baptism illustrates, in dramatic style, the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. At the same time, it also illustrates our death to sin and new life in Christ. As the sinner confesses the Lord Jesus, he dies to sin (Romans 6:11) and is raised to a brand-new life (Colossians 2:12). Being submerged in the water represents death to sin, and emerging from the water represents the cleansed, holy life that follows salvation.

Change – Rituals, anthropologists tell us, are about transformation. The rituals we use for marriage, baptism or in inaugurating a president are as elaborate as they are because we associate the ritual with a major life change, the crossing of a critical threshold, or in other words, with transformation. Abraham Verghese

When? - A new believer in Jesus Christ should desire to be baptized as soon as possible. In Acts 8 Philip speaks “the good news about Jesus” to the Ethiopian eunuch, and, “as they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, ‘Look, here is water. What can stand in the way of my being baptized?’” (verses 35–36). Right away, they stopped the chariot, and Philip baptized the man.

Everywhere the gospel is preached and people are drawn to faith in Christ, they are to be baptized.

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Philip and the Ethiopian Eunuch

²⁶ Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Rise and go toward the South^[d] to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” This is a desert place. ²⁷ And he rose and went. And there was an Ethiopian, a eunuch (a court official) of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure. He had come to Jerusalem to worship ²⁸ and was returning, seated in his chariot, and he was reading the prophet Isaiah. ²⁹ And the Spirit said to Philip, “Go over and join this chariot.” ³⁰ So Philip ran to him and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet and asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?” ³¹ And he said, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. ³² Now the passage of the Scripture that he was reading was this:

“Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter
    and like a lamb before its shearer is silent,
    so he opens not his mouth.
³³ In his humiliation justice was denied him.
    Who can describe his generation?
For his life is taken away from the earth.”

³⁴ And the eunuch said to Philip, “About whom, I ask you, does the prophet say this, about himself or about someone else?” ³⁵ Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning with this Scripture he told him the Gospel about Jesus. ³⁶ And as they were going along the road they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “See, here is water! What prevents me from being baptized?”^{[e] 38} And he commanded the chariot to stop, and they both went down into the water, Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him. ³⁹ And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord carried Philip away, and the eunuch saw him no more, and went on his way rejoicing. ⁴⁰ But Philip found himself at Azotus, and as he passed through he preached the gospel to all the towns until he came to Caesarea.

Baptism - pt. 1

Baptism

Chapter 28: Of Baptism and the Lord's Supper

1._____ Baptism and the Lord's Supper are ordinances of positive and sovereign institution, appointed by the Lord Jesus, the only lawgiver, to be continued in his church to the end of the world.
( Matthew 28:19, 20; 1 Corinthians 11:26 )  

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Chapter 29: Of Baptism

1._____ Baptism is an ordinance of the New Testament, ordained by Jesus Christ, to be unto the party baptized, a sign of his fellowship with him, in his death and resurrection; of his being engrafted into him; of remission of sins; and of giving up into God, through Jesus Christ, to live and walk in newness of life.
( Romans 6:3-5; Colossians 2;12; Galatians 3:27; Mark 1:4; Acts 22:16; Romans 6:4 )

2._____ Those who do actually profess repentance towards God, faith in, and obedience to, our Lord Jesus Christ, are the only proper subjects of this ordinance.
( Mark 16:16; Acts 8:36, 37; Acts 2:41; Acts 8:12; Acts 18:8 )

3._____The outward element to be used in this ordinance is water, wherein the party is to be baptized, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
( Matthew 28:19, 20; Acts 8:38 )

4._____Immersion, or dipping of the person in water, is necessary to the due administration of this ordinance. ( Matthew 3:16; John 3:23 )

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Quotes:

Change – Rituals, anthropologists tell us, are about transformation. The rituals we use for marriage, baptism or in inaugurating a president are as elaborate as they are because we associate the ritual with a major life change, the crossing of a critical threshold, or in other words, with transformation. Abraham Verghese

Family – But by virtue of our baptism, Peter & I are brothers in Christ & one day we are going to be in heaven together, so we might as well learn to get along here because we will have to get along there. God won’t have it any other way!   - Gene Robinson

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Matthew 3 

John the Baptist Prepares the Way

3 In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, ² “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”^{[a] 3} For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah when he said,

“The voice of one crying in the wilderness:
‘Prepare^[b] the way of the Lord;
    make his paths straight.’”

⁴ Now John wore a garment of camel's hair and a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. ⁵ Then Jerusalem and all Judea and all the region about the Jordan were going out to him, ⁶ and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.

⁷ But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? ⁸ Bear fruit in keeping with repentance. ⁹ And do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father,’ for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham. ¹⁰ Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

¹¹ “I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. ¹² His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”

The Baptism of Jesus

¹³ Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him. ¹⁴ John would have prevented him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” ¹⁵ But Jesus answered him, “Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he consented. ¹⁶ And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him,^[c] and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; ¹⁷ and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son,^[d] with whom I am well pleased.”

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