Matthew 3:16 New English Translation
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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- Matthew 3:16 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
- 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).
- 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.
- Matthew 3:16 tc ‡ αὐτῷ (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.
- 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.
- Matthew 3:16 tn Grk “coming”; the notion of coming to rest is implied in the context.
New English Translation (NET)
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