Mark 1:9-10

The Baptism and Temptation of Jesus

1:9 Now in those days Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan River. 1:10 And just as Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens splitting apart and the Spirit descending on him like a dove.


tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.

map For location see Map1-D3; Map2-C2; Map3-D5; Map4-C1; Map5-G3.

tn “River” is not in the Greek text but is supplied for clarity.

tn Grk “and immediately coming up out of the water, he saw.” The present participle has been translated temporally, with the subject (Jesus) specified for clarity.

tn Or “sky.” The Greek word οὐρανός (ouranos) may be translated “sky” or “heaven,” depending on the context. The same word is used in v. 11.

sn The phrase like a dove is a descriptive comparison. The Spirit is not a dove, but descended like one in some sort of bodily representation.