Baptism

BAPTISM

IN WATER

The doctrine of baptisms is one of the six foundation doctrines listed in Hebrews 6:

Heb 6:1-2 Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment.

There are 3 main baptisms for the Christian:

Baptism into the body of Christ

Baptism in water

Baptism in the Holy Spirit

3 MAIN BAPTISMS

	1) Baptism into the body of Christ	2) Baptism in water	3) Baptism in the Holy Spirit
Baptizer	Holy Spirit	A believer	Jesus
Candidate	A repentant sinner	A believer	A believer
Element	Body of Christ	Water	Holy Spirit
Purpose	Salvation	Outward profession of salvation	Power to witness

All of these baptisms are mentioned by Peter in Acts 2:38 on the day of Pentecost: “(1) Repent and (2) be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And (3) you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”

BAPTISM

INTO

THE

BODY

OF

CHRIST

Q: So if there are many baptisms, why in Ephesians 4:5 does Paul speak of “one baptism”?

Eph 4:4-6 There is one body and one Spirit - just as you were called to one hope when you were called - one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

A: Because there is one saving baptism - baptism into the body of Christ. The context of Eph 4:4-6 is about the body of Christ (the church) and hence it refers to the one saving baptism (i.e. one baptism by the one Spirit into the one body).

ONE SAVING BAPTISM

DEFINITION: At the time of salvation, the REPENTANT SINNER is baptized by THE HOLY SPIRIT into THE BODY OF CHRIST.

Gal 3:26-27 You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.

This baptism is a baptism into Christ’s death – baptism in water is an outward symbol of this:

Rom 5:3 Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?

ONE SAVING BAPTISM

The Spirit baptizes us into Christ’s body:

1 Cor 12:12-13 The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body - whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free...

We know from Scripture that the body of Christ is the church (not a building, but all believers globally).

Col 1:18 And he is the head of the body, the church...

Col 1:24 ... in regard to Christ’s afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church.

So at conversion, the Holy Spirit supernaturally places us into Christ’s body – the global church.

ONE SAVING BAPTISM

BAPTISM

IN WATER

DEFINITION: After belief in the gospel and repentance, a BELIEVER is baptized by another BELIEVER in WATER.

DEATH & BURIAL

INFANT

BAPTISM

By the 2nd century we hear the first reports of infant baptism. At this time, Tertullian opposed the practice.

Because of original sin, Augustine (in the 5th century) stated that infants who are not baptized would be eternally damned in hell.

Baptismal regeneration is the idea that water baptism is essential for salvation and it was one of the earliest heresies to enter the church.

From the idea that baptism was necessary for salvation, came the practice of baptizing children, just in case they died in infancy.

And so Augustine wrote that infants can be regenerated by baptism.

INFANT BAPTISM

Q: Will unbaptized children go to hell?

A: Augustine wrote of “the kingdom of God, which infants are unable to enter... unless they have received the grace of Christ before they die”. In contrast Jesus said that the kingdom of heaven belonged to little children:

Matt 19:13-14 Then little children were brought to Jesus for him to place his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples rebuked those who brought them. Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”

Until a child reaches the age of understanding - and can make a conscious decision to accept or reject the Lord - they belong to God. Jesus said that their angels always saw the face of his Father in heaven:

Matt 18:2,3,10 He called a little child and had him stand among them. And he said: “I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven… See that you do not look down on one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven.”

CHILDREN BELONG TO GOD

BELIEVERS

BAPTISM

Jesus instructed us to baptize disciples, not babies (Mt 28:19)

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...

And Jesus instructed us to baptize believers:

Mark 16:16 “Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.”

So the Biblical precedent is to baptize believers or disciples. As babies do not yet have the capacity to believe or even understand the concept of salvation, we do not baptize infants.

Of the seven sacraments practiced by the Papal church, Protestants only retained the two which were Biblical - the Lord’s Supper and Baptism. As the Lord Supper may not be given to unbelievers (1 Cor 11:28), neither should Baptism.

BELIEVERS BAPTISM

Even with John’s baptism of repentance (which is not the same as Christian baptism) – repentance came first and then baptism. John would not baptize those who did not demonstrate repentance already (Matt 3:7-8)

You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Produce fruit in keeping with repentance.

The NT teaches ‘believers baptism’ with repentance as a prerequisite, which infants are incapable of doing:

On the day of Pentecost:

Acts 2:38 Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized…”

When Paul was in Corinth we read the following:

Acts 18:8 ... many of the Corinthians who heard him believed and were baptized.

The disciples of John the Baptist that Paul encountered at Ephesus, already believed (Acts 19:2) and then were baptized (Acts 19:5).

BELIEVERS BAPTISM

In Samaria “when they believed Philip as he preached the good news of the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.” (Acts 8:12)

IMMERSION,

SPRINKLING

or POURING?

In the NT Greek, there are different words for immersion, pouring and sprinkling. ‘Baptizo’ (pronounced bap-tid'-zo) is never translated as ‘sprinkle’ or ‘pour’, but as ‘baptize’, ‘dip’ or ‘wash’.

SPRINKLE, POUR, IMMERSE

Greek	rhantizo, rhantismos	ekcheo, epicheo, katacheo	baptizo
English	sprinkle	pour	immerse

Our English word ‘baptize’ is transliterated (via Latin and Old French) from the Greek word ‘baptizo’ and means:

Vine’s Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words:

“immersion, submersion and emergence”

Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon:

“to dip, immerse, submerge”

Strong’s New Testament Greek Lexicon:

to dip repeatedly, to immerse, to submerge (of vessels sunk)

to cleanse by dipping or submerging, to wash, to make clean with water, to wash one’s self, bathe

to overwhelm

BAPTIZO

The Septuagint - used in Jesus’ day - is the Greek translation of the Hebrew OT. In 2 Kings 5:14 Naaman was told to ‘dip’ seven times in the Jordan River. Baptizo is used to translate the Hebrew word ‘tabal’ which means to ‘dip’ or to ‘plunge’ (Strong’s).

It’s unlikely that Naaman sprinkled or even poured some water on his head. He would have washed or ‘plunged’ into the water.

BAPTIZO

According to a Messianic Jewish website:

Baptism is a Greek translation of tevila, meaning Immersion. Jewish immersion is usually done in a Mikveh, which means a pool where water has gathered. A Mikveh is an essential in any Synagogue and they were also part of the temple. 1

Baptism by total immersion is practiced by Baptists and other evangelical denominations, but the connection to Jewish practice is not generally appreciated. 1

1 " wildolive.co.uk/ baptism.htm"> wildolive.co.uk/ baptism.htm

JEWISH BAPTISM

Hezekiah's Tunnel, where it comes out at the Pool of Siloam, counts as a mikveh. 1

Note: There is no evidence to support the claim that the Greek word ‘baptizo’ was transliterated as ‘baptism’ by the KJV translators on instruction from King James (who was underwriting the effort) - in order not to upset the status quo in the Church of England who practiced sprinkling and not immersion. 1

According to the Online Etymology Dictionary 2 the word ‘baptize’ was already in use in the 14th century:

c.1300, from Old French batisier (11c.), from Latin baptizare, from Greek baptizein “to immerse, to dip in water” ... Christian baptism originally consisted in full immersion.

1 The King’s instructions to the translators did not include any specific comment on the word ‘baptizo’. 2 etymonline.com

USE IN ENGLISH

In the Bible, blood was sprinkled (rhantizo); not water. 1

The first recorded departures from the practice of immersion in baptism were in special cases only i.e. due to deathbed or sickbed baptisms, or scarcity of water. 1

However it was not until AD 1311 that the Council of Ravenna seems to give sprinkling preference over immersion:

“Baptism is to be administered by trine aspersion or immersion.” 2 (Aspersion refers to sprinkling.)

1 See https:// www.agfbrakpan.com/ ministry-archives.aspx?mId=670 for details 2 Labbe and Cosasart, Sacrosancta Concilia, II. B. 2.1586. Paris, 1671

SPRINKLING

In the case of the Ethiopian eunuch we read:

Acts 8:38-39 ... Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized (‘baptizo’ or dipped) him. When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away...

ETHIOPIAN EUNUCH

While “went down into the water” and “they came up out of the water” is not referring to the act of immersion, as it is applied to both the eunuch and Philip – it would have been unnecessary for them to go into the water if only a few drops were needed to sprinkle.

The “International Standard Bible Encyclopedia”:

It may be remarked that no Baptist has written a lexicon of the Greek language, and yet the standard lexicons, like that of Liddell and Scott, uniformly give the meaning of baptizo as ‘dip,’ ‘immerse.’ They do not give ‘pour’ or ‘sprinkle,’ nor has anyone ever adduced an instance where this verb means ‘pour’ or ‘sprinkle.’ The presumption is therefore in favor of ‘dip’ in the New Testament. 1

1 Ibid

BAPTIZO

Baptism symbolizes death, burial and resurrection.

Rom 6:3-4 Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 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.

Going under the water represents the death and burial of the old nature. Coming out of the water represents the new birth of the spiritual nature.

Col 2:12 … having been buried with him in baptism and raised with him through your faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead.

IMMERSION

In a burial the whole body is ‘immersed’, not just ‘sprinkled’ with earth.

This is not a good way to bury someone!

Dr. Everett Ferguson writes, “The baptism commanded by Jesus in the making of disciples is an immersion in water. The topic formerly was warmly debated, but in these days there is general scholarly agreement.” 1

Dr. Warren Wiersbe notes that “New Testament scholars generally agree that the early church baptized by immersion.” 2

Prof. Larry R. Helyer says that “modern NT scholars generally concede, regardless of denominational affiliation, that Christian baptism in NT times was by immersion, as it was and still is in Judaism.” 3

1 Ferguson, “The church of Christ: a biblical ecclesiology for today” (1996) 2 “Wiersbe’s expository outlines on the New Testament” (1997). 3 “Exploring Jewish literature of the Second Temple Period” (2002).

IMMERSION

Immersion was not only the practice of the apostolic church, but also of the early church. This is indicated in the writings of the following: 1

Tertullian (2nd century)

Hippolytus of Rome (3rd century)

Ambrose (4th century)

Theodore of Antioch and Peter Chrysologus (4th – 5th century)

Jerome and Leo the Great (5th century)

Lanfranc (11th century)

Bernard Of Clairvaux (12th century)

1 See https://agfbrakpan.com/ ministry-archives.aspx?mId=670 for details

IMMERSION

After the conversion of Constantine resulted in the legalization of the church, large buildings for public worship began to appear. Baptismal fonts were constructed in separate enclosures alongside these churches. 1 Cote lists the locations of sixty-five baptistries in Italy alone, giving the approximate dates of construction (from the fourth through the fourteenth centuries)… Regardless of other differences, all sixty-five were constructed for baptism by immersion. 1

In the late 6th century (591 AD) we see from Gregory, bishop of Rome that although infant baptism was also being practiced, it was still by immersion and not sprinkling. 2

IMMERSION

1 http:// ministrymagazine.org/ archive/ 1981/ March/ baptism-in-the-early-church 2 See http:// agfbrakpan.com/ ministry-archives.aspx?mId=671 for details

Until the beginning of the 13th century immersion was the mode of baptism of all Western Christendom, except in cases of sickness, and it was a common practice long afterwards in many parts of the papal dominions; it was the general usage in England until after the Reformation, and it was frequently observed down to the middle of the 17th century. There is a record of the immersion of Arthur and Margaret, the brother and sister of Henry VIII, and there is no doubt that immersion was the mode of baptism that prevailed all over his kingdom in Henry’s day. 1

William Tyndale (c. 1494 – 1536) said, “Baptism was a plunging into the water.” 2

1 The Baptist Encyclopedia, 1881 – William Cathcart, editor 2 Tyndale, Works, III, p. 179

IMMERSION

Immersion was the universal rule of baptism in the reign of Henry VIII. There are two elaborate rituals of the Church of England at this period. The one is: “A Declaration of the Seremonies to the Sacrament of Baptysm,” A. D. 1537; and the other is the “Saulsbury Liturgy,” 1541. The last is regarded, by some, as the most sacred Liturgy belonging to the Church of England. Both of these liturgies enforce immersion. Erasmus, writing from England in 1532, gives the English practice. He says: “We dip children all over in cold water, in a stone font”. Every English monarch of the sixteenth century was immersed. Henry VIII and his elder brother Arthur, Elizabeth in 1533 and Edward VI in 1537 were all immersed. 1

1 A History of the Baptists – Chapter XV – The Baptists in the Reformation period in England

IMMERSION

BAPTISMAL

REGENERATION

Baptismal Regeneration is the idea that water baptism is essential for salvation. It is one of the earliest heresies to enter the church as early as the 2nd century.

Unlike most heresies from this period, even church fathers like Justin Martyr, Irenaeus and Tertullian – who are all generally sound in doctrine – taught some form of baptismal regeneration.

Q: So where did the idea come from?

A: The belief in baptismal regeneration was partly due to a misunderstanding of Jesus’ words in John 3:5. “Born of water” was seen by some as a reference to baptism.

BAPTISMAL REGENERATION

I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.

How can a man be born when he is old? Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb to be born!

I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.

John 3:5-6 … no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.

But Jesus is making a reference to the water of the womb 1 or natural birth. He was answering Nicodemus’ question “can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?” Looking in context, Jesus is simply contrasting natural birth with spiritual birth.

1 The amniotic fluid (which is mainly water) cushions and protects the baby in the womb.

BORN OF WATER

The context and specifically a comparison between verse 5 and 6 show that natural birth and spiritual birth are being contrasted. Spiritual birth is being “born again”.

	VERSE 5	VERSE 6
	… no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water (1) and the Spirit. (2)	Flesh (1) gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit (2) gives birth to spirit.
NATURAL BIRTH	Born of water	Flesh gives birth to flesh
SPIRITUAL BIRTH	Born of the Spirit	The Spirit gives birth to spirit

The idea of baptismal regeneration also arose due to people confusing water baptism with baptism into the body of Christ (which is necessary for salvation).

SAVING BAPTISM

	1) Baptism into the body of Christ	2) Baptism in water
Baptizer	Holy Spirit	A believer
Candidate	A repentant sinner	A believer
Element	Body of Christ	Water
Necessary for salvation?	YES	NO – but should be done in obedience

Baptism in water may take place without regeneration (as in the case of Simon the Sorcerer).

Regeneration make take place without the baptism in water (for the thief on the cross was not baptized at all, and Cornelius was baptized after both regeneration and the baptism in the Holy Spirit).

ONE SAVING BAPTISM

Water baptism doesn’t save you.

Baptism in water does not wash our sins away. It is an outward confession of faith from those who are already saved. It expresses what has already happened inside when we believed the gospel, repented and were then baptized into the body of Christ by the Holy Spirit.

If there is water baptism without repentance, there is no forgiveness of sin. There is simply a transformation from a dry sinner to a wet sinner.

WILL BAPTISM SAVE ME?

Baptism is a fruit - not a root

SO WHY BE

BAPTIZED?

Q: So if baptism is not critical for salvation, why then should we be baptized?

A: Firstly, it is a command from the Lord:

Matt 28:19-20 “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, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you...”

Anyone who has experienced God’s grace in salvation, should automatically respond with a desire to obey his commands. Thus, every true believer should naturally want to be baptized. So while baptism is not necessary for salvation, their experience would be questionable if a person claiming to believe refused to be baptized.

WHY BE BAPTISED?

Matt 3:13-15 Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. But John tried to deter him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” Jesus replied, “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.” Then John consented.

We are baptized to follow the precedent set by Jesus. Not being sinful, Jesus didn’t need to be baptized, but nevertheless he chose to both identify with sinful men and to set us an example.

It was the practice of Jesus in his ministry:

John 3:22 After this, Jesus and his disciples went out into the Judean countryside, where he spent some time with them, and baptized.

John 3:26 They came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, that man who was with you on the other side of the Jordan - the one you testified about - well, he is baptizing, and everyone is going to him.”

John 4:1-2 The Pharisees heard that Jesus was gaining and baptizing more disciples than John, although in fact it was not Jesus who baptized, but his disciples.

WHY BE BAPTISED?

It was the practice of the early (i.e. apostolic) church. The accounts of repentance and salvation in the book of Acts are always followed by baptism in water. On the day of Pentecost we read:

... they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” 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. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off - for all whom the Lord our God will call.” (Acts 2:37-39)

Peter makes it clear that the promise is still for us today (“for all whom the Lord our God will call”.)

WHY BE BAPTISED?

Baptism is a powerful external symbol of at least 6 spiritual things:

It is a symbol of CLEANSING FROM SIN. Note what Paul was told by Ananias subsequent to his Damascus Road conversion (Acts 22:16).

WHY BE BAPTISED?

Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name.

Baptism also symbolizes our DEATH TO SIN and the BURIAL OF THE OLD LIFE OF SIN.

Rom 6:3-4 Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 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.

WHY BE BAPTISED?

Baptism not only symbolizes our death and the burial to the old life of sin; coming out of the water symbolizes the RESURRECTION TO A NEW LIFE:

Rom 6:4 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.

Col 2:12 having been buried with him in baptism and raised with him through your faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead.

WHY BE BAPTISED?

The immersion in water also symbolizes a “CLOTHING OURSELVES WITH CHRIST”:

Gal 3:26-28 You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

WHY BE BAPTISED?

Any covenant must be signed and baptism is the SIGN OF THE NEW COVENANT. In the Old Covenant, circumcision was an outward sign of an inward reality. In the New Covenant baptism is an outward sign of an inward reality.

Col 2:11-13 In him you were also circumcised, in the putting off of the sinful nature, not with a circumcision done by the hands of men but with the circumcision done by Christ, having been buried with him in baptism and raised with him through your faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead. When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins...

WHY BE BAPTISED?

Then it is “THE PLEDGE OF A GOOD CONSCIENCE TOWARD GOD”. By our baptism we publicly declare our faith that Jesus has made us spiritually clean and that our conscience is now clear before God.

1 Peter 3:20-21 who disobeyed long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water, and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also - not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a good conscience toward God.

WHY BE BAPTISED?

It is thus a PUBLIC DECLARATION AND CONFESSION OF OUR FAITH to all in attendance:

Rom 10:9-11 That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. As the Scripture says, “Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame.”

Matt 10:32-33 “Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven. But whoever disowns me before men, I will disown him before my Father in heaven.”

WHY BE BAPTISED?

John’s baptism was not the same as Christian baptism. This is evident from the case of the Ephesians in Acts 19 who Paul instructed to be re-baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus because they had only received John’s baptism.

Acts 19:3-5 So Paul asked, “Then what baptism did you receive?” “John’s baptism,” they replied. Paul said, “John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus.” On hearing this, they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus.

DO I HAVE TO GET RE-BAPTISED?

Thus there is a Scriptural precedent for re-baptism, if the previous baptism was not fully in line with the Scriptural requirements (which is believer’s baptism - into the name of Jesus - by full immersion)

If you were baptized as an infant, that doesn’t constitute Biblical believer’s baptism, which should be your own decision based on repentance – not a parent’s decision on your behalf, or a religious ritual to protect a baby from hell. In such a case, if you are a believer – you should get baptized by your own choice and understanding that it is a public declaration of your faith in Jesus.

DO I HAVE TO GET RE-BAPTISED?

If you were baptized by sprinkling, the type is meaningless with regards to being buried and raised with Christ, or being “clothed with Christ” – you should get baptized by full immersion.

If however, you were baptized (by full immersion and at the age of understanding) in another Bible-believing church and you subsequently join our church – there is no Scriptural reason why you should get re-baptized, unless you were not saved when you were baptized.

DO I HAVE TO GET RE-BAPTISED?

In the 4th and 5th centuries Christians often delayed their baptisms until late in life. This was because of the prevalent idea that mortal sins committed after baptism were sins against the Holy Spirit and hence unforgivable.

But the Bible teaches that you can be baptized immediately after salvation:

Acts 9: 17-18 Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord - Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here - has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized...

HOW SOON CAN I BE BAPTISED?

In the nine examples of Christian baptism recorded in the book of Acts:

We notice that there was no question of a long probationary period, during which the convert was to prove himself. Baptism followed immediately after the candidate made a profession of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Many of the converts in the early church were raw Gentile heathens who worshipped all manner of idols but, once they had expressed faith in Christ, they were enjoined to follow the Lord through the waters of baptism. 1

1 Warren Paynter: “1st Principles 03 - The doctrine of baptisms” http:// agfbrakpan.com/ ministry-archives.aspx?mId=75

HOW SOON CAN I BE BAPTISED?

COPYRIGHT INFORMATION

Unless otherwise stated, Scripture quotations are taken from the NIV:

THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Scripture quotations taken from the NASB:

New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation Used by permission. ( Lockman.org)