Who Has the Authority to Baptize Others? (KJV Truth Revealed)

Posted October 19, 2025 | End Times Watch | River Wilde

Baptism is one of the most sacred and beautiful steps a believer can take. It symbolizes death to the old life and a new birth in Jesus Christ. But here’s a question many people wrestle with: who has the authority to baptize others?

Does it have to be a priest, pastor, or church official? Or can any true follower of Jesus perform a baptism? Let’s open our Bibles and let the King James Version speak for itself.

Jesus Is the Source of All Authority

In Matthew 28:18–20, Jesus makes it crystal clear:

“And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you.”

All power (or authority) belongs to Christ. And He gives that authority to His followers — not to a specific denomination, organization, or title — but to all who believe in Him and teach His gospel.

That means baptism isn’t about human authority. It’s about Christ’s authority working through a faithful believer.

Believers Baptizing Believers

When we turn to the Book of Acts, we see that baptism wasn’t confined to the apostles. Ordinary believers, filled with faith and the Holy Spirit, were baptizing others in obedience to Christ’s command.

Acts 8:12 says:

“But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.”

Then a few verses later, we see Philip baptize the Ethiopian eunuch:

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.”

Philip wasn’t one of the twelve apostles. He was simply a faithful believer, sharing the gospel wherever God sent him. This shows us that baptism is not a church ceremony limited to clergy — it’s an act of obedience available to every true follower of Christ.

In the Name of Jesus Christ

The early church made sure baptism was done in the name of Jesus Christ, emphasizing faith in His saving power, not in an institution or a ritual.

Acts 2:38 records Peter saying:

“Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.”

It’s the name of Jesus that carries the power — not the hands of the person doing the baptizing.

The Simple Truth

So, who has the authority to baptize?
According to Scripture, that authority comes directly from Jesus Christ to His followers who preach and live His gospel.

You don’t need a religious title. You don’t need permission from an institution.
You need faith in Jesus Christ, obedience to His Word, and a sincere heart that seeks to honor Him.

Final Thoughts

The power to baptize is not about who you are — it’s about Whose you are.
If you belong to Jesus, then His Spirit lives in you, and His authority flows through you.

So, if God places it on your heart to lead someone to salvation and baptism, don’t hold back. The same Jesus who said, “Go ye therefore,” is still saying it today — to every believer who walks in His truth.

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