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1In those days, John the Baptizer came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, saying, 2“Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!” 3For this is he who was spoken of by Isaiah the prophet, saying,

“The voice of one crying in the wilderness,

make the way of the Lord ready!

Make his paths straight!”

4Now John himself wore clothing made of camel’s hair with a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey. 5Then people from Jerusalem, all of Judea, and all the region around the Jordan went out to him. 6They were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins.

7But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming for his baptism, he said to them, “You offspring of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8Therefore produce fruit worthy of repentance! 9Don’t think to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham for our father,’ for I tell you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones. 10Even now the ax lies at the root of the trees. Therefore every tree that doesn’t produce good fruit is cut down, and cast into the fire.

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

13Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him. 14But John would have hindered him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and you come to me?”

15But Jesus, answering, said to him, “Allow it now, for this is the fitting way for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he allowed him.

16Jesus, 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. 17Behold, a voice out of the heavens said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”

The Spirit of God in the New Testament

The Spirit of God in the New Testament

Biography | Matt 3:11 | Adam L. Myers

The Holy Spirit is eternally God and the third person of the Trinity. As such, He is fully divine with all of the nature, attributes, and perfections of God. The Spirit of God is the one through whom God empowers His people, reveals His will, has revealed His Word, and imparts His personal presence among His people. He regenerates believers and works to glorify Jesus Christ.

In the New Testament, the Greek word πνεῦμα pneuma (wind, spirit) has similar meaning and range of use. However, the Spirit is given an increasingly prominent role as He empowers and leads Jesus (Luke 3:22, 4:1-2) as well as permanently living in believers and empowering them for service in the Church (Jn. 20:22, 1 Cor. 12:7-11, 1 Jn. 3:24). More often than not the Spirit of God is known in the New Testament as the Holy Spirit, and clearly revealed to be God Himself, though He is also known by other designations, which will be evident in going to the verses that concern the third person of the undivided Trinity. Though His work of revelation ceased with the completion of the New Testament, He continues to work to illuminate the hearts of His people to understand and apply the Scriptures (1 Cor. 2:6-16).