Does Acts 2:38 teach that baptism is necessary for salvation?

Answer

Acts 2:38 states, “And Peter said to them, ‘Repent, and let each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.’” When examining a single verse or passage, we must interpret its meaning based on what the Bible teaches on the specific topic. Regarding baptism and salvation, the Bible clearly emphasizes that salvation comes through grace by having faith in Jesus Christ, not through any kind of works, including baptism (Ephesians 2:8-9). Therefore, any interpretation suggesting that baptism or any other action is necessary for salvation is flawed. For further details, please refer to our webpage on “Is salvation by faith alone, or by faith plus works?”

So, why do some argue that baptism is essential for salvation? The debate often revolves around the Greek word “eis,” translated as “for” in this passage. Advocates for the necessity of baptism for salvation often highlight this verse, which mentions “be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins,” assuming that “for” implies “in order to get.” However, both in Greek and English, “for” can have various meanings.

For instance, when someone says, “Take two aspirin for your headache,” it is evident that it does not mean “take two aspirin in order to get a headache,” but rather “take two aspirin because you already have a headache.” In the context of Acts 2:38, the word “for” could potentially mean: 1—“in order to be, become, get, have, keep, etc.,” 2—“because of, as the result of,” or 3—“with regard to.” Since any of these meanings could fit the context of Acts 2:38, it is crucial to consider the broader biblical teachings on salvation and baptism.Three meanings could be applicable to the context of this passage; further study is necessary to determine the correct one.

We must begin by revisiting the original language and the definition of the Greek word “eis.” This is a common Greek term (appearing 1774 times in the New Testament) that is translated in various ways. Similar to the English word “for,” it can carry multiple meanings. Therefore, once again, we observe at least two or three potential interpretations of the passage, one that appears to suggest that baptism is necessary for salvation and others that do not. While both meanings of the Greek word “eis” are evident in different scriptural passages, esteemed Greek scholars such as A.T. Robertson and J.R. Mantey have argued that the Greek preposition “eis” in Acts 2:38 should be rendered as “because of” or “in view of,” rather than “in order to” or “for the purpose of.”

An illustration of how this preposition is utilized in other Scriptures can be found in Matthew 12:41, where the term “eis” conveys the “result” of an action. In this instance, it is stated that the people of Nineveh “repented at the preaching of Jonah” (the word translated as “at” is the same Greek word “eis”). Clearly, the implication of this passage is that they repented “because of” or “as a result of” Jonah’s preaching. Similarly, it is plausible that Acts 2:38 is indeed conveying the idea that they were to be baptized “as a result of” or “because” they had already believed and, in doing so, had already received forgiveness of their sins (John 1:12;John 3:14-18;John 5:24;John 11:25-26;Acts 10:43;Acts 13:39;Acts 16:31;Acts 26:18;Romans 10:9;Ephesians 1:12-14). This interpretation of the passage also aligns with the message conveyed in Peter’s subsequent two sermons to unbelievers, where he links the forgiveness of s

It begins with the act of repentance and faith in Christ without even mentioning baptism (Acts 3:17-26;Acts 4:8-12).

In addition to Acts 2:38, there are three other verses where the Greek word eis is used in conjunction with the word “baptize” or “baptism.” The first of these is Matthew 3:11, “baptize you with water for repentance.” Clearly, the Greek word eis cannot mean “in order to get” in this passage. They were not baptized “in order to get repentance,” but were “baptized because they had repented.” The second passage is Romans 6:3 where we have the phrase “baptized into (eis) His death.” This again fits with the meaning “because of” or “in regard to.” The third and final passage is 1 Corinthians 10:2 and the phrase “baptized into (eis) Moses in the cloud and in the sea.” Again, eis cannot mean “in order to get” in this passage because the Israelites were not baptized in order to get Moses to be their leader, but because he was their leader and had led them out of Egypt. If one is consistent with the way the preposition eis is used in conjunction with baptism, we must conclude that Acts 2:38 is indeed referring to their being baptized “because” they had received forgiveness of their sins. Some other verses where the Greek preposition eis does not mean “in order to obtain” are Matthew 28:19; 1 Peter 3:21; Acts 19:3; 1 Corinthians 1:15; and 12:13.

The grammatical evidence surrounding this verse and the preposition eis are clear that while both views on this verse are well within the context and the range of possible meanings of the passage, the majority of the evidence is in favor that the best possible definition of the word “for” in this context is either “because of” or “in regard to” and not “in order to get.” Therefore, Acts 2:38, when interpreted correctly, does not teach that baptism is required for salvation.

Besides the precise meaning of the preposition translated “for” in this passage, there is anOther grammatical aspect of this verse to carefully consider is the change between the second person and third person between the verbs and pronouns in the passage. For instance, in Peter’s commands to repent and be baptized, the Greek verb translated as “repent” is in the second person plural, while the verb “be baptized” is in the third person singular. When we combine this with the fact that the pronoun “your” in the phrase “forgiveness of your sins” is also second person plural, we observe an important distinction being made that aids in our understanding of this passage. The shift from second person plural to third person singular and back appears to link the phrase “forgiveness of your sins” directly with the command to “repent.” Therefore, considering the change in person and plurality, essentially what we have is “You (plural) repent for the forgiveness of your (plural) sins, and let each one (singular) of you be baptized (singular).” Or, to express it more distinctly: “You all repent for the forgiveness of all of your sins, and let each one of you be baptized.”

Another error made by those who believe Acts 2:38 teaches that baptism is necessary for salvation is what is sometimes referred to as the Negative Inference Fallacy. Simply put, this is the notion that just because a statement is true, we should not assume all negations (or opposites) of that statement are true. In other words, just because Acts 2:38 states “repent and be baptized…for the forgiveness of sins…and the gift of the Holy Spirit,” does not imply that if one repents and is not baptized, he will not receive forgiveness of sins or the gift of the Holy Spirit.

There is an important distinction between a condition of salvation and a requirement for salvation. The Bible is clear that belief is both a condition and a requirement, but the same cannot be said for baptism. The Bible does not state that if a person is not baptized, then he will not be saved. One can add any number of conditions to faith (which is required for salvation).

, and the individual can still be saved. For instance, if a person believes, is baptized, attends church, and donates to the poor, he will be saved. The error in thinking arises when one assumes that all these additional conditions, such as “baptism, church attendance, giving to the poor,” are necessary for salvation. While they may serve as evidence of salvation, they are not mandatory for salvation. For a more detailed explanation of this logical fallacy, please refer to the question: Does Mark 16:16 imply that baptism is necessary for salvation?

The fact that baptism is not a prerequisite to receive forgiveness and the gift of the Holy Spirit should also be apparent by simply reading a bit further in the book of Acts. In Acts 10:43, Peter informs Cornelius that “through His name everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins” (please note that baptism has not been mentioned at this point, yet Peter links believing in Christ with receiving forgiveness for sins). Subsequently, upon believing Peter’s message about Christ, “the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message” «While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word. », (Acts 10:44). It was only after they had believed, and thus received forgiveness of their sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit, that Cornelius and his household were baptized (Acts 10:47-48). The context and the passage are quite clear; Cornelius and his household obtained forgiveness of sins and the Holy Spirit before they were baptized. In fact, Peter permitted their baptism because they demonstrated evidence of receiving the Holy Spirit, “just as Peter and the Jewish believers” had.

In conclusion, Acts 2:38 does not assert that baptism is mandatory for salvation. While baptism is significant as the siUpon the belief that one has been justified by faith and as the public declaration of one’s faith in Christ and membership in a local body of believers, it is not the means of remission or forgiveness of sins. The Bible is very clear that we are saved by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone (John 1:12; John 3:16; Acts 16:31; Romans 3:21-30; Romans 4:5; Romans 10:9-10; Ephesians 2:8-10; Philippians 3:9; Galatians 2:16).