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Mark 1:10
ESV And when he came up out of the water, immediately he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove.
NIV Just as Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove.
NASB And immediately coming up out of the water, He saw the heavens opening, and the Spirit, like a dove, descending upon Him;
CSB As soon as he came up out of the water, he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove.
NLT As Jesus came up out of the water, he saw the heavens splitting apart and the Holy Spirit descending on him like a dove.
KJV And straightway coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him:

What does Mark 1:10 mean?

John's baptism follows the rules of the Jewish mikveh—full immersion in natural water—which is still performed for women after childbirth or menstruation and for converts to Judaism. When Jesus arises from the water, John sees "the heavens" tear open. The Greek root word used here, ouranos, can mean the sky, outer space, or the place where God dwells. Since the Holy Spirit descended, it was likely both the sky and the place where God dwells. It's interesting to note that the heavens tore open. The Greek word used in this verse comes from the term schizo, and means "to cleave or rend." Its matching prophecy is in Isaiah 64:1: "Oh that you would rend the heavens and come down…" The root word schizo is also used at the crucifixion of Christ when "the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom" (Mark 15:38). The violent, passionate action gives us a glimpse of how much God longs to be with us.

The Spirit descending "like a dove" has been a phrase of much controversy. Many film depictions of this event use a literal dove coming down to Jesus. However, this is not specifically stated. In some physical manner (Luke 3:22), the Spirit came down upon Jesus in a way somehow similar to a bird. In this way, He was "anointed" for His public ministry directly by God.

The phrase "immediately he saw…" has caused Bible scholars confusion. The NASB capitalizes the word "He," inferring that it was Jesus who saw the heavens open. The Amplified Bible says, "he (John) saw the heavens torn open, and the Spirit like a dove descending on Him (Jesus)." John, himself, clears things up in John 1:32 when he later reports, "I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove."

This passage is one of the few which mentions all members of the Trinity. God the Father speaks (Mark 1:11), Jesus is physically present, and the Spirit comes upon Him. All three persons of the Trinity are working independently at the same time, yet in perfect harmony. Each person of the Trinity is divine and yet in perfect community with one another.
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