The Baptismal Booklet: Translated
into German and Newly Revised147
Martin Luther
To all Christian readers: Grace and Peace in Christ our Lord.
Because daily I see and hear with what carelessness and lack of solemnity—to say nothing of out-and-out levity—people treat the high, holy, and comforting sacrament of baptism for infants, in part caused, I believe, by the fact that those present understand nothing of what is being said and done, I have decided that it is not only helpful but also necessary to conduct the service in the German language. For this reason I have translated those portions that used to be said in Latin148 in order to begin baptizing in German, so that the sponsors and others present may be all the more aroused to faith and earnest devotion and so that the priests who baptize have to show more diligence for the sake of the listeners.
Out of a sense of Christian commitment, I appeal to all those who baptize, sponsor infants,149 or witness a baptism to take to heart the tremendous work and great solemnity present here. For here in the words of these prayers you hear how plaintively and earnestly the Christian church brings the infant to God, confesses before him with such unchanging, undoubting words that the infant is possessed by the devil and a child of sin and wrath, and so diligently asks for help and grace through baptism, that the infant may become a child of God.
Therefore, you have to realize that it is no joke at all to take action against the devil and not only to drive him away from the little child but also to hang around the child’s neck such a mighty, lifelong enemy. Thus it is extremely necessary to stand by the poor child with all your heart and with a strong faith and to plead with great devotion that God, in accordance with these prayers, would not only free the child from the devil’s power but also strengthen the child, so that the child might resist him valiantly in life and in death. I fear that people turn out so badly after baptism because we have dealt with them in such a cold and casual way and have prayed for them at their baptism without any zeal at all.
Bear in mind, too, that in baptism the external ceremonies are least important, such as blowing under the eyes, making the sign of the cross, putting salt in the mouth or spit and clay in the ears and nose, anointing the breast and shoulders with oil, smearing the head with chrism, putting on the christening robe, placing a burning candle in the child’s hand, and whatever else has been added by humans to embellish baptism. For certainly a baptism can occur without any of these things, and they are not the actual devices from which the devil shrinks or flees. He sneers at even greater things than these! Here things must get really serious.
Instead, see to it that you are present there in true faith, that you listen to God’s Word, and that you pray along earnestly. For wherever the priest says, “Let us pray,” he is exhorting you to pray with him. Moreover, all sponsors and the others present ought to speak along with him the words of his prayer in their hearts to God. For this reason, the priest should speak these prayers very clearly and slowly, so that the sponsors can hear and understand them and can also pray with the priest with one mind in their hearts, carrying before God the need of the little child with all earnestness, on the child’s behalf setting themselves against the devil with all their strength, and demonstrating that they take seriously what is no joke to the devil.
For this reason it is right and proper not to allow drunken and boorish priests to baptize nor to select good-for-nothings as godparents. Instead fine, moral, serious, upright priests and godparents ought to be chosen, who can be expected to treat the matter with seriousness and true faith, lest this high sacrament be abandoned to the devil’s mockery and dishonor God, who in this sacrament showers upon us the vast and boundless riches of his grace. He himself calls it a “new birth,”150 through which we, being freed from the devil’s tyranny and loosed from sin, death, and hell, become children of life, heirs of all God’s possessions, God’s own children, and brothers and sisters of Christ.151
Ah, dear Christians, let us not value or treat this unspeakable gift so half-heartedly. For baptism is our only comfort and the doorway to all of God’s possessions and to the communion of all the saints. To this end may God help us. Amen.
The baptizer shall say:152
“Depart, you unclean spirit, and make room for the Holy Spirit.”
Then he shall make the sign of the cross on both the forehead and the breast and say:
“Receive the sign of the holy cross upon the forehead and the breast.
“Let us pray.
“O almighty and eternal God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, I call to you on behalf of this, your servant, N., who asks for the gift of your baptism and desires your eternal grace through spiritual rebirth. Receive him,153 Lord, and as you have said, ‘Ask and you shall receive, seek and you shall find, knock and it shall be open for you,’154 so give now the blessing to him who asks and open the door to him who knocks on it, so that he may obtain the eternal blessing of this heavenly bath155 and receive the promised kingdom you give through Christ our Lord. Amen.
“Let us pray:
“Almighty, eternal God, who according to your strict judgment condemned the unbelieving world through the flood and according to your great mercy preserved believing Noah and the seven members of his family, and who drowned Pharaoh with his army in the Red Sea and led your people Israel through the same sea on dry ground, thereby prefiguring this bath of your Holy Baptism, and who through the baptism of your dear child, our Lord Jesus Christ, hallowed and set apart the Jordan and all water to be a blessed flood and a rich washing away of sins: we ask for the sake of this very same boundless mercy of yours that you would look graciously upon N. and bless him with true faith in the Holy Spirit so that through this same saving flood all that has been born in him from Adam and whatever he has added thereto may be drowned in him and sink, and that he, separated from the number of the unbelieving, may be preserved dry and secure in the holy ark of the Christian church and may at all times fervent in spirit and joyful in hope serve your name, so that with all believers in your promise he may become worthy to attain eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
“I adjure you, you unclean spirit, in the name of the Father (+) and of the Son (+) and of the Holy Spirit (+), that you come out of and depart from this servant of Jesus Christ,156 N. Amen.
“Let us hear the holy Gospel of St. Mark:157
“ ‘And they brought little children to him that he might touch them. But the disciples threatened158 those who brought them. But when Jesus saw this, he became indignant with them and said to them, “Let the little children come to me and do not prevent them. For of such is the kingdom of God. Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will not enter into it.” And he hugged them and laid his hands on them and blessed them.’ “
Then the priest shall lay his hands upon the child’s head and pray the Lord’s Prayer along with the kneeling sponsors:
“Our Father, you who are in heaven, hallowed be your name, may your kingdom come, may your will come about on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.”
After this the little child shall be brought to the baptismal font159 and the priest shall say:
“The Lord preserve your coming in and your going out from now and for evermore.”160
Then the priest shall let the child, through his sponsors, renounce the devil and say:
“N., do you renounce the devil?”
Answer: “Yes.”
“And all his works?”
Answer: “Yes.”
“And all his ways?”
Answer: “Yes.”
Then he shall ask:
“Do you believe in God the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth?”
Answer: “Yes.”
“Do you believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son our Lord, who was born and suffered?”
Answer: “Yes.”
“Do you believe in the Holy Spirit, one holy Christian church, the community of saints,161 forgiveness of sins, resurrection of the body, and after death an eternal life?”
Answer: “Yes.”
“Do you want to be baptized?”
Answer: “Yes.”
At this point he shall take the child and immerse it in the baptismal font and say:
“And I baptize you in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”
Then the sponsors shall hold the little child over the font, and the priest, while putting the christening robe on the child, shall say:
“The almighty God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has given birth to you for a second time through water and the Holy Spirit and has forgiven you all your sins, strengthen you with his grace to eternal life. Amen.
“Peace be with you.”
Answer: “Amen.”162
147 The Baptismal Booklet, based on medieval baptismal rites, was originally published in 1523 (WA 12:42–48; LW 53:95–103). In 1526 a second edition was prepared (WA 19:537–41; LW 53:106–9 with 101–3), which is the basis of the text here. It was included in the second edition of the Small Catechism published in 1529, in all subsequent editions published in Wittenberg during Luther’s lifetime, and in some 1580 editions of the Book of Concord. This translation is based on LW 53.
148 The italicized text is only found in the 1523 version and in the Book of Concord. The editions of the Small Catechism have simply “these things.” In the Roman rite only the questions to the sponsors and their responses were not in Latin.
149 Kinder heben: literally, to draw children out of the font. See the order of service below. The sponsors are to hold the child over the font while the priest puts on the christening robe.
150 John 3:3*, 5*.
151 Literally: “brethren.”
152 In the Small Catechism this section is accompanied by the same woodcut used before “The Sacrament of Holy Baptism.”
153 Luther throughout uses the masculine pronoun for the one being baptized.
154 Matthew 7:7*.
155 Titus 3:5*.
156 The sign of the cross was made three times over the child.
157 Mark 10:13–16*. With the edition of 1536 the text matches the Luther Bible for the first time. Until then the text in the Small Catechism is a free rendering, perhaps based on the Latin Vulgate.
158 The Book of Concord and the 1536 edition read: “led away.”
159 According to the medieval rite, the exorcisms would take place at the door of the church and the rest of the service at the baptismal font.
160 Psalm 121:8*.
161 Literally: “the holy ones.”
162 Various editions of the Small Catechism also add other material. Editions published in Wittenberg during Luther’s lifetime included in 1529: The German Litany (WA 30/3: 29–36; LW 53:163–69); in 1536, 1537, and 1539: the German Te Deum and the Magnificat (WA 35:458–59; LW 53:171–79); in 1543: A Prayer against the Turks (WA 51:608, 6/24–610, 15/34; LW 43:232–33).