24 Bible Verses About Baptism (NIV & KJV)

Baptism is one of the most meaningful acts of obedience in the Christian faith. From the baptism of Jesus in the Jordan River to the command He gave His disciples, Scripture presents baptism as a powerful symbol of dying to sin and rising to new life. It is a public declaration that a believer belongs to Christ.

These Bible verses about baptism trace its meaning through the Gospels and the early church. They reveal how baptism is tied to repentance, faith, and the gift of the Holy Spirit, and how it identifies believers with the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus.

This collection of Bible Scriptures will help you understand why baptism matters, what it represents, and how it has been practiced by the people of God since the days of the apostles.

🌊 The Command to Baptize

Jesus gave His followers a clear command to baptize believers everywhere.

“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,”— Matthew 28:19 (NIV)“Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:”— Matthew 28:19 (KJV)

“He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.”— Mark 16:15 (NIV)“And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.”— Mark 16:15 (KJV)

“Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.”— Mark 16:16 (NIV)“He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.”— Mark 16:16 (KJV)

“Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”— Acts 2:38 (NIV)“Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.”— Acts 2:38 (KJV)

✝️ The Baptism of Jesus

Jesus Himself was baptized, setting an example for all who follow Him.

“Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John.”— Matthew 3:13 (NIV)“Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him.”— Matthew 3:13 (KJV)

“As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him.”— Matthew 3:16 (NIV)“And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:”— Matthew 3:16 (KJV)

“And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.””— Mark 1:11 (NIV)“And there came a voice from heaven, saying, Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”— Mark 1:11 (KJV)

“Jesus replied, “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.” Then John consented.”— Matthew 3:15 (NIV)“And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him.”— Matthew 3:15 (KJV)

🔄 Buried and Raised to New Life

Baptism symbolizes our death to sin and our resurrection to a new life in Christ.

“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.”— Romans 6:4 (NIV)“Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.”— Romans 6:4 (KJV)

“Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?”— Romans 6:3 (NIV)“Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?”— Romans 6:3 (KJV)

“having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through your faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead.”— Colossians 2:12 (NIV)“Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.”— Colossians 2:12 (KJV)

“for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.”— Galatians 3:27 (NIV)“For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.”— Galatians 3:27 (KJV)

💧 Faith, Repentance, and Baptism in the Early Church

The book of Acts shows how believers were baptized after coming to faith.

“And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name.’”— Acts 22:16 (NIV)“And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.”— Acts 22:16 (KJV)

“When she and the members of her household were baptized, she invited us to her home. “If you consider me a believer in the Lord,” she said, “come and stay at my house.” And she persuaded us.”— Acts 16:15 (NIV)“And when she was baptized, and her household, she besought us, saying, If ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house, and abide there. And she constrained us.”— Acts 16:15 (KJV)

“At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his household were baptized.”— Acts 16:33 (NIV)“And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway.”— Acts 16:33 (KJV)

“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?””— Acts 8:36 (NIV)“And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?”— Acts 8:36 (KJV)

“Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.”— Acts 2:41 (NIV)“Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.”— Acts 2:41 (KJV)

“Crispus, the synagogue leader, and his entire household believed in the Lord; and many of the Corinthians who heard Paul believed and were baptized.”— Acts 18:8 (NIV)“And Crispus, the chief ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord with all his house; and many of the Corinthians hearing believed, and were baptized.”— Acts 18:8 (KJV)

🕊️ One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism

Scripture unites all believers in a shared baptism and a shared Lord.

“There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called;”— Ephesians 4:4 (NIV)“There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;”— Ephesians 4:4 (KJV)

“one Lord, one faith, one baptism;”— Ephesians 4:5 (NIV)“One Lord, one faith, one baptism,”— Ephesians 4:5 (KJV)

“For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.”— 1 Corinthians 12:13 (NIV)“For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.”— 1 Corinthians 12:13 (KJV)

““I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me comes one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.”— Matthew 3:11 (NIV)“I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:”— Matthew 3:11 (KJV)

“and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also—not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a clear conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ,”— 1 Peter 3:21 (NIV)“The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:”— 1 Peter 3:21 (KJV)

“And so John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.”— Mark 1:4 (NIV)“John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.”— Mark 1:4 (KJV)

What Does the Bible Say About Baptism?

The Bible presents baptism as a sacred act of obedience that follows faith and repentance. Jesus Himself was baptized to "fulfil all righteousness" (Matthew 3:15), and before ascending to heaven He commanded His disciples to baptize "in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost" (Matthew 28:19). In the early church, baptism immediately followed belief, as seen on the day of Pentecost when about three thousand were baptized after receiving the gospel.

Spiritually, baptism symbolizes dying to sin and rising to new life. Paul explains that believers are "buried with him by baptism into death" so that they may "walk in newness of life" (Romans 6:4). It is an outward sign of an inward transformation, a public testimony that a person has put on Christ. While salvation comes through faith, baptism is the natural and commanded response of a believing, repentant heart.

Baptism marks a beautiful beginning in the life of faith. To explore more about this new life, read these Bible verses about salvation, these Bible verses about repentance, and these Bible verses about new beginnings.