Greek
ἐγὼ ἐβάπτισα ὑμᾶς ὕδατι αὐτὸς δὲ βαπτίσει ‹ἐν› Πνεύματι Ἁγίῳ
Transliterated
egō ebaptisa hymas hydati autos de baptisei en Pneumati Hagiō
Literal English
I baptized you with water He however will baptize with [the] Spirit Holy
Bible Hub
English
8I submerged you in water, but he will submerge you in the Holy Spirit.
Commentary
† Water is purifying. Purification by the lesser element, water, precedes purification by the greater element, Spirit. St. John the Baptist's action further identifies him as being the lesser good that comes before the greater. The word Pneuma is filled with meanings. It calls to mind Genesis 2:7 when God breathed into the dust to bring man to life, to give him a living soul. It may be said in a sense that God's breath, God's Life is the Holy Spirit. Our Lord submerges us in that Life to purify and uphold our own.