Descriptions of Holy Spirit

The dove

Matthew 3:16 ESV

And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him;

See also Jn 1:32

The wind or breath

Ac 2:2 This phenomenon accompanied the filling with the Spirit.

See also Eze 37:9–14 The same Hebrew word is here translated “breath”, “wind” and “spirit”; Jn 3:8; Jn 20:22

The power of God

Luke 1:35 ESV

And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God.

See also Lk 5:17; Lk 6:19; Lk 24:49

The fire

Acts 2:3–4 ESV

And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.

See also Is 4:4; Mt 3:11–12; 1 Th 5:19

The oil of anointing

Is 61:1; Ac 10:38

Water

John 7:37–39 ESV

On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’ ” Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.

See also Is 44:3; Jn 4:14; 1 Co 12:13

A seal

Ephesians 1:13 ESV

In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit,

See also Eph 4:30

A deposit

2 Co 1:21–22; Eph 1:14

A guide or shepherd

Isaiah 63:14 ESV

Like livestock that go down into the valley, the Spirit of the Lord gave them rest. So you led your people, to make for yourself a glorious name.

See also Is 34:16

A voice

Hebrews 3:7–11 ESV

Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says, “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, on the day of testing in the wilderness, where your fathers put me to the test and saw my works for forty years. Therefore I was provoked with that generation, and said, ‘They always go astray in their heart; they have not known my ways.’ As I swore in my wrath, ‘They shall not enter my rest.’ ”

See also Eze 2:2; Mt 10:19–20; Jn 16:13

God’s gift

Acts 2:38 ESV

And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

See also Ac 1:4; Ac 8:20; Ac 10:45; Ac 11:17