And it came to pass in those days, that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized of John in Jordan.

MARK 1:9KJV
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Mark 1:9 (KJV)

What does Mark 1:9 mean?

Mark 1:9 introduces Jesus into the events surrounding John’s work at the Jordan River. Jesus comes from Nazareth in Galilee and joins the people receiving baptism from John. Mark presents this as the point where Jesus enters the story in person.

“In those days” places Jesus’ arrival during the period of John’s activity. The narrator describes John as the person performing the baptism, rather than reporting a conversation between John and Jesus.

The Greek behind Mark 1:9

  • “baptized” — βαπτίζω (baptizō): The word carries the sense of dipping or immersing in water. Here it names the water rite that John performed for Jesus.
  • “came” — ἔρχομαι (erchomai): The word means to come or arrive. Mark uses it to bring Jesus onto the scene from a named place, Nazareth.

Why Mark 1:9 matters

  • Jesus is identified with a particular home region. “Nazareth of Galilee” places his arrival in the northern part of the land, away from the Jordan setting where John was working.
  • Mark’s account distinguishes John from the one he had announced. In verse 7, John speaks of someone coming after him; verse 9 brings Jesus into the scene.
  • The baptism leads directly into what happens next. Verse 10 says Jesus comes up out of the water and describes what he sees, making his baptism the setting for the events that follow.

Where else these words appear

“Nazareth” Greek G3478 · used in 12 verses

  • Matthew 2:23 And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene.
  • Luke 1:26 And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth,
  • Luke 4:16 And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read.

“Jordan” Greek G2446 · used in 15 verses

  • Matthew 3:5 Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about Jordan,
  • Matthew 4:25 And there followed him great multitudes of people from Galilee, and from Decapolis, and from Jerusalem, and from Judaea, and from beyond Jordan.
  • Luke 3:3 And he came into all the country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins;

“Galilee” Greek G1056 · used in 62 verses

  • Matthew 2:22 But when he heard that Archelaus did reign in Judaea in the room of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither: notwithstanding, being warned of God in a dream, he turned aside into the parts of Galilee:
  • Mark 3:7 But Jesus withdrew himself with his disciples to the sea: and a great multitude from Galilee followed him, and from Judaea,
  • Luke 23:55 And the women also, which came with him from Galilee, followed after, and beheld the sepulchre, and how his body was laid.

“baptized” Greek G907 · used in 65 verses

  • Matthew 3:6 And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins.
  • Luke 7:30 But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the counsel of God against themselves, being not baptized of him.
  • Acts 8:38 And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him.