Bible Verses for Baptism and What to Write in a Baptism Card

At a Catholic baptism, the godparents promise, the priest pours the water three times, and a few minutes later everyone is outside on the church steps holding a card and a pen, wondering what to write. A verse from the Bible is the simplest answer: it says more than we can, and it will still mean something when the child reads the card twenty years from now.

Here are the best Bible verses for baptism, grouped by what they say, with short verses that fit in a card, and then ready-to-use messages for godparents, grandparents, parents and friends. Each group is illustrated by a great painting of the same subject.

 

All the verses are quoted from the King James Version. If you are also looking for a lasting gift, see our guide to Catholic baptism gifts: guardian angels, the Good Shepherd and framed blessings for a child’s room.

Bible Verses About Baptism Itself

These are the verses the Church reads to explain what baptism is: a new birth, a washing, a new life in Christ. They suit a card from a godparent or a priest, and many parents have one of them printed on the baptism invitation.

• “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.” (Matthew 28:19)
• “Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.” (John 3:5)
• “And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” (Matthew 3:17)
• “For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” (Galatians 3:27)
• “Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.” (Romans 6:4)
• “One Lord, one faith, one baptism, One God and Father of all.” (Ephesians 4:5-6)
• “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” (2 Corinthians 5:17)

The voice from heaven belongs to the baptism of Christ in the Jordan, the scene painted in Florence around 1470 to 1475 by Andrea del Verrocchio and the young Leonardo da Vinci, who painted the angel in profile at the left. More versions are gathered in our selection of famous Baptism of Christ paintings.

 

Bible Verses About Children

For an infant baptism, the most loved verses are the ones in which Jesus welcomes the little ones, and the psalms that thank God for a new life.

• “But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 19:14)
• “And he took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them.” (Mark 10:16)
• “Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee.” (Jeremiah 1:5)
• “For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb. I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.” (Psalm 139:13-14)
• “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God.” (1 John 3:1)
• “Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine.” (Isaiah 43:1)
• “Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD.” (Psalm 127:3)

Isaiah 43:1 is a beautiful choice for a baptism, since it is the moment the child is called by name in the Church for the first time. The Dutch painter Nicolaes Maes, a pupil of Rembrandt, painted the scene of Mark 10 in 1652 and 1653: Jesus, seated, lays his hand on the head of a small child brought by its mother, while other families crowd in with their babies.

 

Blessings and Verses of Protection

These verses are prayers more than teachings: they ask God to keep the child. They are the ones most often chosen by grandparents.

• “The LORD bless thee, and keep thee: The LORD make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: The LORD lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.” (Numbers 6:24-26)
• “For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.” (Psalm 91:11)
• “The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.” (Psalm 121:8)
• “Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven.” (Matthew 18:10)
• “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” (Proverbs 22:6)

The priestly blessing of Numbers 6 is perhaps the perfect baptism verse: it is short, it is a prayer, and it can be read aloud at the end of the baptism meal.

Psalm 91 and Matthew 18:10 speak of the guardian angels, the subject of Bernhard Plockhorst’s famous painting, in which an angel in white and blue watches over two small children at the edge of a cliff.

 

The Good Shepherd

• “The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.” (Psalm 23:1; the whole psalm and its meaning are in our article on Psalm 23)
• “I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.” (John 10:11)
• “He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom.” (Isaiah 40:11)

Isaiah 40:11, the shepherd who carries the lambs in his arms, is ideal for a baby. William Dyce painted the Good Shepherd around 1856 carrying a lamb on his shoulders by a hurdle gate; more versions are in our article on the Good Shepherd paintings.

 

Short Bible Verses for a Baptism Card

When space is short, these fit on a single line:

• “I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine.” (Isaiah 43:1)
• “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” (Matthew 3:17)
• “Ye are the light of the world.” (Matthew 5:14)
• “The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.” (Psalm 23:1)
• “Suffer the little children to come unto me.” (Mark 10:14)
• “The LORD bless thee, and keep thee.” (Numbers 6:24)
• “I am fearfully and wonderfully made.” (Psalm 139:14)
• “As many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” (Galatians 3:27)

What to Write in a Baptism Card

A good baptism message has three parts: a word of joy for the day, a wish or a prayer for the child, and, if you like, a verse. Write it to the child, not only to the parents: many families keep the cards and give them back at First Communion or at eighteen. Here are messages you can copy as they are or adapt.

From a godmother or a godfather

• “Today I promised to walk with you in faith. I will pray for you every day, and I will always be here when you need me. With all my love, your godmother.”
• “Dear [name], on the day of your baptism I became your godfather. May God keep you, may your guardian angel walk beside you, and may you grow to know how much you are loved.”
• “Welcome to the family of God. I am so proud to be your godparent. “The LORD bless thee, and keep thee.””

From grandparents

• “Our dearest [name], we watched you receive the light of Christ today, and our hearts were full. May you always walk in that light. With love and prayers, Grandma and Grandpa.”
• “We prayed for you before you were born, and we will pray for you all your life. God bless you on your baptism day.”

From parents, to keep for the child

• “Today we brought you to the font and gave you to God, who gave you to us. We promise to teach you his love. One day you will read this, and we want you to know: you were wanted, you were blessed, you are his.”

From family and friends

• “Congratulations on your baptism, and welcome to God’s family. May he bless you today and always.”
• “On this blessed day, we pray that you will grow in faith, hope and love. Congratulations to the whole family.”
• “May the angels watch over you and the Good Shepherd carry you all your life. Happy baptism day!”

For a baby boy or a baby girl

• “May you grow, like Jesus, in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man. (Luke 2:52)”
• “Little one, today you were clothed in white and called by your name. May Mary, our Mother, keep you close to her Son.”

A practical tip: sign the card with the date of the baptism and the name of the church. It is the detail the child will look for years later.

A Gift to Go With the Card

A verse lasts longer when it is on the wall. The blessing of Numbers 6 is available as an illuminated poster, and our guide to Catholic baptism gifts gathers twelve sacred artworks for a child’s room, from guardian angels to the Good Shepherd, with the meaning of each one. The prayer of the guardian angel, which many children learn first, is in our article on the Guardian Angel prayer.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a good Bible verse for baptism?

Good Bible verses for baptism include Matthew 28:19, the command to baptize in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit; John 3:5, on being born of water and the Spirit; Galatians 3:27, “as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ”; and, for an infant, Isaiah 43:1, “I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine.”

What do you write in a baptism card?

In a baptism card, write a word of joy for the day, a wish or a prayer for the child, and a short Bible verse. For example: “Welcome to God’s family. May he bless you and keep you today and always.” Address it to the child as well as the parents, and add the date of the baptism.

What is a short blessing for a baptism?

The most traditional short blessing for a baptism is the priestly blessing of Numbers 6:24-26: “The LORD bless thee, and keep thee: The LORD make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: The LORD lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.”

What do godparents write in a baptism card?

Godparents usually write a personal promise to pray for the child and to walk with him or her in faith, followed by a blessing or a verse. For example: “Today I promised to walk with you in faith. I will pray for you every day. With all my love, your godmother.”

What Bible verse is about infant baptism?

Several verses are read for infant baptism: Mark 10:14, “Suffer the little children to come unto me”; Acts 2:39, “For the promise is unto you, and to your children”; and Matthew 28:19, the command to baptize all nations. The Catholic Church has baptized infants since the early centuries.

Can you buy baptism verse wall art?

You can buy baptism verse wall art at jesuschrist.pictures, in our shop, including the illuminated blessing of Numbers 6:24-26, along with guardian angel and Good Shepherd paintings for a child’s room.