Qasr al-Yahud (pilgrim site) Arabic:  Al Maghtas

Coordinates:  31°50’13.38″N 35°32’46.69″E / Elevation: -1271ft (-387m)

Known in Arabic as Al Maghtas (“the place of baptism”), this area is generally believed to be near the region of “Bethany beyond the Jordan” spoken of in John 1:28.  The name Bethany is considered by many to be a corruption of Beit-abará, which means “house of the ford” or “place of crossing,” being found in some Greek and Latin manuscripts in place of the more familiar Bethany in John 1:28. 

By Jewish tradition, this site is where Joshua and the Israelites crossed the Jordan to take possession of the land (Joshua 3:1-17); it is also considered to be the place where Elijah was taken to heaven in the chariot of fire (2 Kings 2:1-12).  While no one can state for a sure that this is where Jesus was baptized, archaeological and historical surveys of the area attest to the long-held traditions being supported from antiquity.

See the Gallery at the Jordan: