The Holy Spirit baptism is one of the more common confusions in scripture. There is much debate about the who, what, when, why, and where and the debate leads to much uncertainty.

Let's start by looking at John the Baptist's words and seeing what conclusions we can come to from them...

I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. (Matthew 3:11)

John answered, saying to all, “I indeed baptize you with water; but One mightier than I is coming, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. (Luke 3:16)

Notice that John said he was baptizing with water.

4 Therefore, when the Lord knew that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John 2 (though Jesus Himself did not baptize, but His disciples), (John 4:1-2)

After these things Jesus and His disciples came into the land of Judea, and there He remained with them and baptized. (John 3:22)

And so was Jesus. He did not personally do the baptisms but his disciples did at his direction.

The Bible also says that all of Judea and Jerusalem came to be baptized.

Then all the land of Judea, and those from Jerusalem, went out to him and were all baptized by him in the Jordan River, confessing their sins. (Mark 1:5)

The water baptism administered by both Jesus and John was a valid saving baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.

John came baptizing in the wilderness and preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins. (Mark 1:4)

And he went into all the region around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins, (Luke 3:3)

and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. (Luke 24:47)

The scope and coverage of John and Jesus' baptizing explains the no mention of Jesus' apostles being baptized after his resurrection. It also makes it far, far more likely the thief on the cross was baptized than not. He knew who Jesus was and he knew of the kingdom of God.

Getting back to Matthew 3:11 and Luke 3:16 we read how Jesus will baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire...

There are 6 baptisms mentioned in the New Testament. (1.) The Baptism of Moses, I Corinthians 10:1-2, (2.) The Baptism of John, Matthew 3:1-11, (3.) The Baptism of Suffering, Matthew 20:22-23, (4.) The Baptism of Fire, Matthew 25:41, Revelation. 20:10, Matthew 13:41-42, (5.) The Baptism of the Holy Spirit, Matthew 3:11, (6.) The Great Commission baptism, Mark 16:15-16, Matthew 28:18-20.

In Acts 1 we find the first mention of the Holy Spirit baptism after Jesus' resurrection just before He was taken up to heaven.

1 The former account I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, 2 until the day in which He was taken up, after He through the Holy Spirit had given commandments to the apostles whom He had chosen, 3 to whom He also presented Himself alive after His suffering by many infallible proofs, being seen by them during forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God. 4 And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, “which,” He said, “you have heard from Me; 5 for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” (Acts 1:1-5)

49 Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high.” (Luke 24:49)

Notice who He is talking to, His chosen apostles. Judas is dead, of the 12 original 11 remain. Jesus tells them, the 11, to not leave Jerusalem but to wait for their baptism of the Holy Spirit, the Promise of the Father.

While waiting in Jerusalem Judas' replacement is selected from a group of disciples, verse 15, and Acts 1 ends with "And they cast their lots, and the lot fell on Matthias. And he was numbered with the eleven apostles." They are now 12 again.

When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. (Acts 2:1-4)

Who are the "they?" To find out we go back to the last verse in Acts 1 in our reading to the last identifier, "And they cast their lots, and the lot fell on Matthias. And he was numbered with the eleven apostles." The "they" are the 12 apostles., not the 120 from whom Matthias was chosen. "They" were the 12 apostles, the 12 apostles are the "them." In the beginning of Acts 2 we find the same "they," the 12. The Holy Spirit, "the power" of Luke 24:49, came upon them.

When we read the Holy Spirit baptism account of Acts 2:1-4 that drew the attention of the Pentecost multitude and the apostles began speaking in tongues as the confirming sign. When we read further in the New Testament we see that the "power" included the divine protection of the apostles as promised in Mark 16:70-20 as well as the ability to bestow the Holy Spirit gifts through the laying on the apostles' hands, Acts 8:18-19.

There is a major difference between the speaking in tongues of the New Testament scripture and the euphoric uncontrolled gibberish of tongues claimed today by those of today's apostolic persuasion. The apostles were speaking in known languages previously unknown to them prior to the Holy Spirit baptism, Acts 2:5-12.

The apostles were also given confirming signs and miracles lacking by those today who claim direct Holy Spirit baptism today, Mark 16:20. This was necessary because there was no confirming scripture during the church's birth and growth. Once we have the resulting scriptures by the inspired authors there is no longer any need for miracles and signs, I Corinthians 13:8.

Now the Holy Spirit does His work through scripture...

16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. (II Timothy 3:16-17)