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16 After[a] Jesus was baptized, just as he was coming up out of the water, the[b] heavens[c] opened[d] and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove[e] and coming to rest[f] on him.

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Footnotes

  1. Matthew 3:16 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
  2. Matthew 3:16 tn Grk “behold the heavens.” The Greek word ἰδού (idou) has not been translated because it has no exact English equivalent here, but adds interest and emphasis (BDAG 468 s.v. 1).
  3. Matthew 3:16 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. 17.
  4. Matthew 3:16 tcαὐτῷ (autō, “to/before him”) is found in the majority of witnesses (א1 C Ds L W Γ Δ 0233 ƒ1, 13 33 565 579 700 1241 1424 M lat mae bo), perhaps added as a point of clarification or emphasis. It is lacking in א* B sys,c sa Irlat CyrJ; SBL. NA28 includes the word in brackets, indicating doubts as to its authenticity.
  5. Matthew 3:16 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.
  6. Matthew 3:16 tn Grk “coming”; the notion of coming to rest is implied in the context.