Nephi stresses that, despite the importance of baptism, the penitents cannot take personal glory in it because it was the Spirit moving in them that brought them to that point. The emphasis on the Messiah as “him who is mighty to save” indicates that Nephite baptism is not just a simple ritual cleansing. Rather, the Nephites understand that it removes sin and restores ritual purity. This expansion is in keeping with the Nephite understanding of the Messiah’s atoning role. (See commentary following 2 Nephi 31:5.)