The verb means “to immerse,” or dip under water. Jesus made baptism a requirement for his followers. The Scriptures also refer to John’s baptism, baptism with holy spirit, and baptism with fire, among others. —Mt 3:11, 16; 28:19; Joh 3:23; 1Pe 3:21.

Jesus taught that baptism is a requirement for his followers. (Matthew 28:19, 20) The apostle Peter reaffirmed that teaching.—1 Peter 3:21. In this article What does baptism mean? What does the Bible say about infant baptism or christening? What does it mean to be baptized in the name of the Father, the Son, and the holy spirit?

What it means: After baptism, you’ll need to keep reading the Bible and meditating on what you learn.— Psalm 25:4; 119:97 . What to expect: At times, you won’t feel motivated.

The Bible examples of baptism corroborate this fact. Jesus was baptized in a sizable river, the Jordan, and after being baptized he came “up out of the water.” ( Mr 1:10; Mt 3:13, 16 ) John selected a location in the Jordan Valley near Salim to baptize, “because there was a great quantity of water there.”

4 Water baptism is a requirement for all who want to have a relationship with Jehovah God. Baptism publicly indicates your desire to serve God. It shows that you are delighted to do Jehovah’s will. (Psalm 40:7, 8) To qualify for baptism, however, you must take definite steps.

STUDY GUIDES Remain in God’s Love (Part 2) After you come to know the truth about God, what will help you to maintain your love for him and to draw closer to him?

(A Greek-English Lexicon, by Liddell and Scott) Christian water baptism is an outward symbol that the one being baptized has made a complete, unreserved, and unconditional dedication through Jesus Christ to do the will of Jehovah God. The Scriptures also refer to John’s baptism, baptism with holy spirit, and baptism with fire, among others.

11 For a Bible student to progress to baptism, he must regularly attend congregation meetings and benefit from them. ( Heb. 10:24, 25 ) Likely, the teacher will invite him to his first meeting. When he attends, all of us can encourage him to keep on coming to the Kingdom Hall.

His baptism was a symbol of his presenting himself to do Jehovah’s righteous will in connection with his role as the Messiah, including offering himself as a ransom. Jesus acted in harmony with the prophecy concerning him at Ps 40:7, 8 and explained at Heb 10:5-9 .

The Bible says that “Jehovah will not hold back anything good from those walking in integrity.” (Psalm 84:11) What does “walking in integrity” mean? It means living in a way that shows you are keeping the promise you made to Jehovah when you dedicated yourself to him. (Ecclesiastes 5:4, 5) How can you walk in integrity after your baptism?