What does the Bible say about baptism of babies?
Bible Topic · WEB
The Bible does not explicitly command or narrate the baptism of infants, yet it presents baptism as God’s covenant sign of cleansing, union with Christ, and inclusion among his people, giving Reformed Christians reason to baptize believers’ children. Jesus welcomed little children and declared that the kingdom belongs to such as these in Matthew 19:14 and Mark 10:13-16. Acts 2:38-39 joins the promise to repentant hearers and their children, while household baptisms such as Acts 16:33 suggest the family-shaped character of covenant faith. At the same time, passages like Mark 16:16 and Acts 8:38 closely connect baptism with personal faith. Baptism points to Christ’s saving death and resurrection, not to automatic salvation, as Romans 6:4 and 1 Peter 3:18-22 teach.
Top passages, ranked by readers
Rankings: OpenBible.info Topical Bible (CC BY) · Scripture: World English Bible
- Matthew 19:14 7 votes
But Jesus said, “Allow the little children, and don’t forbid them to come to me; for the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to ones like these.”
- Mark 16:16 6 votes
He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who disbelieves will be condemned.
- Mark 10:13-16 5 votes
They were bringing to him little children, that he should touch them, but the disciples rebuked those who were bringing them. But when Jesus saw it, he was moved with indignation and said to them, “Allow the little children to come to me! Don’t forbid them, for God’s Kingdom belongs to such as these. Most certainly I tell you, whoever will not receive God’s Kingdom like a little child, he will in no way enter into it.” He took them in his arms and blessed them, laying his hands on them.
- Acts 2:38-39 5 votes
Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are far off, even as many as the Lord our God will call to himself.”
- Acts 2:38 5 votes
Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
- Acts 16:33 4 votes
He took them the same hour of the night and washed their stripes, and was immediately baptized, he and all his household.
- Acts 22:16 4 votes
Now why do you wait? Arise, be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.’
- 1 Peter 3:18-22 3 votes
Because Christ also suffered for sins once, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring you to God, being put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the Spirit, in whom he also went and preached to the spirits in prison, who before were disobedient when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ship was being built. In it, few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water. This is a symbol of baptism, which now saves you—not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God—through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who is at the right hand of God, having gone into heaven, angels and authorities and powers being made subject to him.
- Romans 6:4 3 votes
We were buried therefore with him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we also might walk in newness of life.
- Acts 8:38 2 votes
He commanded the chariot to stand still, and they both went down into the water, both Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him.
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