Go ye therefore, and teach all
nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the
Holy Ghost:
KJV
Matt 28:19
Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations,
immersing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy
Spirit,
ELV
"Go Ye therefore" All of you go. Nobody is excluded either then or now.
"and teach all nations" Everybody in every nation on earth is to be taught. Red and yellow, black and white, they are equal in His sight. There is no hypocrisy, no favoritism, no partiality. There is no room in the heart of the Christian for bigotry.
"baptizing them" We are commanded to baptize them; all of them. We are not given the authority to choose whether or not Baptism is necessary. Jesus has been given all authority, leaving none for us. We are simply commanded to do it to all people with no exceptions. This command alone is sufficient to settle forever the necessity of Baptism/immersion for the believer.
To teach that baptism is not necessary is to minimize the commandment of Jesus to baptize all nations. To teach that baptism is not necessary is to teach that one can receive the gift of eternal life from God in the face of disobedience. Disobedience is a transgression of God's law.
Rom 5:14
Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not
sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of him
that was to come.
Adam disobeyed God when he partook of the forbidden fruit. Sin is the transgression of God's Law.
1 John 3:4
Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the
transgression of the law.
The baptism of the Great Commission must be a baptism in water because baptism in water is the only one we can obey, and it's the only one we are given the authority to administer to mankind.
Because of Adam's transgression, sin came into the world and made it necessary for the Son of God to die so that we could live. It is important to remember that all have sinned and it is our sin/transgression that placed Jesus on the cross. He died so that Adam, Eve and all who descended could receive forgiveness of sin. Dare we be so bold as to stand, in transgression, before Jesus having refused to teach baptism to all? God forbid.
"baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost"
"In the name of" carries the meaning of "By the authority of." The naming of the Holy Trinity here affirms the unity of God on baptism. All three will bear record of this event in heaven.
1 John 5:7-8
(7) For there are three that bear
record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are
one.
(8) And there are three that bear
witness in earth, the spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three
agree in one.
And on earth the three that bear record of our conversion for all mankind to witness is the spirit, our baptism, and the blood of Christ, all agreeing in one. If our witness on earth lacks the water, then we lack one of the three elements mentioned. There is simply no other plausible explanation other than the water of Baptism, and it is absolutely essential in order for us to stand before God, sin free and white as snow.
Other Translations
Mat 28:19
(ALT)
"When you* have gone, make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,(ASV)
Go ye therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit:(BBE)
Go then, and make disciples of all the nations, giving them baptism in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit:(CEV)
Go to the people of all nations and make them my disciples. Baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,(Darby)
Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptising them to the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit;(DRB)
Going therefore, teach ye all nations: baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost.(EMTV)
Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,(ESV)
Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,(GB)
Go therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the Name of the Father, and the Sonne, and the holy Ghost,(GNB)
Go, then, to all peoples everywhere and make them my disciples: baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,(GNT+)
πορευθεντες4198 V-AOP-NPM μαθητευσατε3100 V-AAM-2P παντα3956 A-APN τα3588 T-APN εθνη1484 N-APN βαπτιζοντες907 V-PAP-NPM αυτους846 P-APM εις1519 PREP το3588 T-ASN ονομα3686 N-ASN του3588 T-GSM πατρος3962 N-GSM και2532 CONJ του3588 T-GSM υιου5207 N-GSM και2532 CONJ του3588 T-GSN αγιου40 A-GSN πνευματος4151 N-GSN(GNT-TR)
πορευθεντες ουν μαθητευσατε παντα τα εθνη βαπτιζοντες αυτους εις το ονομα του πατρος και του υιου και του αγιου πνευματος(GNT-TR+)
πορευθεντες4198 V-AOP-NPM ουν3767 CONJ μαθητευσατε3100 V-AAM-2P παντα3956 A-APN τα3588 T-APN εθνη1484 N-APN βαπτιζοντες907 V-PAP-NPM αυτους846 P-APM εις1519 PREP το3588 T-ASN ονομα3686 N-ASN του3588 T-GSM πατρος3962 N-GSM και2532 CONJ του3588 T-GSM υιου5207 N-GSM και2532 CONJ του3588 T-GSN αγιου40 A-GSN πνευματος4151 N-GSN(GNT-V)
πορευθεντες TSAουν μαθητευσατε παντα τα εθνη βαπτιζοντες αυτους εις το ονομα του πατρος και του υιου και του αγιου πνευματος(GW)
So wherever you go, make disciples of all nations: Baptize them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.(HNV)
Therefore go, and make talmidim of all nations, immersing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,(ISV)
Therefore, as you go, disciple all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit,(KJV)
Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:(KJVA)
Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:(KJVR)
Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:(LITV)
Then having gone, disciple all nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,(MKJV)
Therefore go and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,(WEB)
Therefore go, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,(Webster)
Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.(YLT)
having gone, then, disciple all the nations, (baptizing them--to the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit,