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"For"
in Acts 2:38
Bible study on Acts 2:38.
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Acts 22:16; 1 Pet. 3:21
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We are baptized to wash away our sins. Peter says that baptism
now saves us.
If Peter commanded people in Acts 2:38 to repent and be baptized
"because of" the remission of sins, he contradicts himself
in 1 Pet. 3:21.
Below, we see that "for" in Acts 2:38 does not signify
a past action. We are commanded to be baptized in order to receive
the forgiveness of sins. We are not baptized because we have been
forgiven of our sins.
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False Claim
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Some people claim that eis (which is translated "for"
in Acts 2:38) is sometimes translated "because" or "because
of" in the New Testament. This is a false statement.
The Greek word eis is not translated "because"
or "because of" in any reliable translation.
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Translation of Acts 2:38
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"for the forgiveness
of your sins" |
New American Standard Bible,
Revised Standard Version, New International Version, Douay-Rheims
Bible |
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"unto the remission of
your sins" |
American Standard Version |
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"for the remission of
sins" |
New King James Version, King
James Version |
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"so that your sins may
be forgiven" |
New Revised Standard Version |
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"to remission of sins"
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Young's Literal Translation
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| Translation of eis
in Acts 2:38 by commentators. |
"for the putting away" |
Abbott, Church of England,
"Commentary on Acts" |
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(From Boles' Commentary on Acts.)
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"For, to or toward" |
Alexander, Presbyterian, "Commentary
on Acts" |
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"unto, for, in order
to" |
Axtell, Baptist, "Shepherd's
Handbook" |
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"for, unto" |
Benson, Methodist, "Commentary
on Bible" |
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"for, unto"
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Bickersteth, Church of England,
"Commentary on Acts" |
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"end toward which" |
Butcher, Presbyterian, "Shepherd's
Handbook" |
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"in reference to" |
Adam Clark, Methodist, "Commentary
on Bible |
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"unto, to" |
Dill, Baptist, "Shepherd's
Handbook" |
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"is always prospective" |
Ditzer, Methodist, "Wilkes-Ditzler
Debate" |
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"aim, purpose" |
Godet, Presbyterian, "Shepherd's
Handbook" |
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"purpose" |
Goodwin, Congregationalist,
"Shepherd's Handbook" |
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"in order to" |
Harkness, Baptist, "Shepherd's
Handbook" |
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"the object to be obtained" |
Harmon, Methodist, "Shepherd's
Handbook" |
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"unto, in order to receive" |
Harper, Baptist, "Shepherd's
Handbook" |
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"unto" |
Hovey, Baptist, "Commentary
on John" |
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"unto, to this end" |
Jacobus, Presbyterian, "Commentary
on Acts" |
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"denotes object" |
Meyer, Lutheran, "Commentary
on Acts" |
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"with a view to" |
McLintock, Methodist, McLintock
& Strong Encyclopedia |
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"unto" |
Rice, "Commentary on
Acts" |
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"might receive" |
Schaff, Presbyterian, "Shepherd's
Handbook" |
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"in order to" |
Strong, Methodist, "Shepherd's
Handbook" |
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"unto, to the end" |
Summers, Methodist, Commentary
on Acts" |
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"into, to, toward" |
Thayer, Congregationalist,
Greek-English Lexicon |
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"in order to"
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Willmarth, Baptist, Baptist Quarterly, 1878
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Strong's Greek Dictionary
Information to the left is a quotation.
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#1519 (eis): "a primary preposition; to or into (indicating
the point reached or entered), of place, time, or (figuratively)
purpose (result, etc.); also in adverbial phrases:--(abundant-)ly,
against, among, as, at, (back-)ward, before, by, concerning, + continual,
+ far more exceeding, for (intent, purpose), fore, + forth, in (among,
at, unto, -so much that, -to), to the intent that, + of one mind,
+ never, of, (up-)on, + perish, + set at one again, (so) that, therefore(-unto),
throughout, til, to (be, the end, -ward), (here-)until(-to), ...ward,
(where-)fore, with. Often used in composition with the same general
import, but only with verbs (etc.) expressing motion (literally
or figuratively)."
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Theological Dictionary of the New Testament
Gerald Kittle, Editor (Translated By: Geofferey W. Bromiley, Volume
II)
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"Eis" in Matt. 12:41; Lk. 11:32 ("with a
view to the preaching of repentance") states the reason and
denotes a logical connection.
In Acts 2:38 eis denotes the direction of an action to a
specific end as it does in Matt. 26:28; Mk. 1:4; Lk. 3:3.
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Below are excerpts from
second and third century Christians explaining the necessity of
baptism for salvation. As Tertullian explained, the people teaching
that baptism was not essential to salvation in the second and third
centuries were the Gnostics.
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The First Apology of Justin [110-165 A.D.]
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"And for this [rite] we have learned from the apostles this
reason. Since at our birth we were born without our own knowledge
or choice, by our parents coming together, and were brought up in
bad habits and wicked training; in order that we may not remain
the children of necessity and of ignorance, but may become children
of choice and knowledge, and may obtain in the water remission of
sins formerly committed, there is pronounced over him who chooses
to be born again, and has repented of his sins, the name of God
the Father and Lord of the universe; he who leads to the laver the
person that is to be washed calling him by his name alone. For no
one can utter the name of the ineffable God; and if any one dare
to say that there is a name, he raves with a hopeless madness. And
this washing is illumination, because they who learn these things
are illuminated in their understanding. And in the name of Jesus
Christ, who was crucified under Pontius Pilate, and in the name
of the Holy Ghost, who through the prophets foretold all things
about Jesus, he who is illuminated is washed."
(Edited by Alexander Roberts, James Donaldson; Revised and arranged
with notes A. Cleveland Coxe, Ante-Nicene Fathers; Volume 1; The
Apostolic Fathers, Justin Martyr, Irenaeus; Peabody, Massachusetts:
Hendrickson Publishing, Inc., 1994; p. 183)
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Tertullian; Chap. XII Of the necessity of baptism to salvation
[145-220 A.D.]
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When, however, the prescript is laid down that "without baptism,
salvation is attainable by none" (chiefly on the ground of that
declaration of the Lord, who says, "Unless one be born of water,
he hath not life"), . . .
(Edited by Alexander Roberts, James Donaldson; Revised and arranged
with notes A. Cleveland Coxe, Ante-Nicene Fathers; Volume 3; Latin
Christianity: Its Founder, Tertullian I. Apologetic; II. Anti-Marcion;
III. Ethical; Peabody, Massachusetts: Hendrickson Publishing, Inc.,
1994; p. 674-5)
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Tertullian, On Baptism [145-220 A.D.]
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1. Happy is our sacred mystery of water. For by washing away the
sins of our early blindness, we are set free and admitted into eternal
life. An essay on this subject is worthwhile. First, it will instruct
those who are new in the faith. Secondly, it will teach those who
have been content with merely believing. Because of their ignorance,
they have a probable faith that is untried. They have not made a
full examination of the [Christian] traditions. As a consequence,
a viper of the Cainite heresy, having recently become familiar in
this region, has carried away a great number with her venomous doctrine.
She has made it her first aim to destroy baptism. This is quite
fitting, because vipers, snakes, and lizards are generally attracted
to arid and waterless places.
However, we little fishes are born in water, after the example
of our Ichthys Jesus Christ. And we have safety in no other
way than by permanently abiding in water. So that monstrous creature,
who had no right to teach even sound doctrine, knew very well how
to kill the little fishes - by taking them away from the water!
2. The perversity of her false doctrine is very great. It shakes
the faith, and it can entirely block a person from receiving the
faith. In fact, it opposes the faith on the very principles of which
the faith consists! Absolutely nothing makes men's minds more hardened
than the simplicity of the divine works which are visible in the
act [of baptism]. Particularly, when this is compared with the grandeur
promised in the effect. The resulting attainment of eternity is
deemed unbelievable merely because the act is one of great simplicity
- without pomp. For without any type of unusual preparation, a man
is lowered in the water. With the utterance of a few words, he is
dipped, and then rises again not much the [physically] cleaner.
Footnote: The Cainites were a gnostic sect that taught against
water baptism. They believed that Cain, Esau, Judas, and the people
of Sodom all had special divine knowledge hidden from most other
humans. They circulated a spurious "Gospel of Judas."
Footnote: The Greek word ichthys (fish) was an acrostic
for "Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Savior."
(Tertullian, translated by David W. Burcot, A Glimpse At Early
Christian Church Life; Tyler, TX: Scroll Publishing Co., 1991; p.
93-4)
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Tertullian: The Significance of Baptism [145-220 A.D.]
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To an extent, there is a spiritual parallel to the simple act:
Since we are defiled by sins, as if by dirt, we should be washed
from those stains in water. However, sins do not show themselves
on our physical skin. For example, no one carries on his skin the
spot of idolatry, or fornication, or fraud. Rather, persons of that
kind are foul in the spirit, which is the author of the sin. After
all, the spirit is lord; the flesh is merely the servant. Yet, they
mutually share in the guilt: the spirit, because it commands; the
flesh, because it serves the spirit. Therefore, after the waters
have been given medicinal virtue through the intervention of the
angel, then the spirit is bodily washed in the waters, and the flesh
is likewise spiritually cleansed.
(Tertullian, translated by David W. Burcot, A Glimpse at Early
Christian Church Life; Tyler, TX: Scroll Publishing Co., 1989; p.
98)
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Tertullian [145-220 A.D.]: Is baptism necessary for salvation?
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13. But the heretics provoke further questions. They say, "Baptism
is not necessary for those to whom faith is sufficient. After all,
Abraham pleased God by a sacrament of faith, not water." But in
all cases it is the later things that have conclusive force. The
later [revelation of God] prevails over the earlier. Granted, in
former days there was salvation by bare faith, before the suffering
and resurrection of the Lord. But now faith has been enlarged, and
has become a faith that believes in his birth, suffering, and resurrection.
So the ordinance [of faith] has been amplified by the addition of
the sealing act of baptism. This is, so to speak, the clothing of
the faith which was previously bare, which now cannot exist without
its proper law.
For the law of baptizing has been imposed, and the formula prescribed:
"Go," he says, "teaching the nations, baptizing them into the name
of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit." (Matt. 28:19)
"Unless a man has been born again of water and Spirit, he shall
not enter into the kingdom of the heavens." (John 3:5) Those words
have tied faith to the necessity of baptism. Accordingly, all who
became believers after that time were baptized. So it was that Paul
was baptized when he believed. This is the meaning of the direction
which the Lord had given him when he was struck with blindness,
"Arise, and enter Damascus; there it shall be demonstrated to you
what you ought to do." This meant he was to be baptized, which was
the only thing he lacked. For he had sufficiently learned and believed
the Nazarene to be "the Lord, the Son of God." (Acts 9:1-31)
(Tertullian, translated by David W. Burcot, A Glimpse at Early
Christian Church Life; Tyler, TX: Scroll Publishing Co., 1989; p.
109-10)
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