The Preposition Εἰς in Acts 2:38

We start off with a question that was asked to Peter on the day of Pentecost. "What shall we do?" They were pricked in their heart and asked this of Peter. He replied:

We want to focus on one word in Peter's answer. The Greek word εἰς (eis) which is translated "for". How does baptism relate to the remission of sins? There are two ways to look at this. Either εἰς can be taken prospectively or causally. If εἰς is taken prospectively then baptism is for the remission of sins. Meaning that it is for that purpose that we are commanded to be baptized. If εἰς is taken causally then we are baptized because our sins have already been remitted.

If one holds that remission of sins happens when you believe then you will most likely take the second view. That is why it is important to understand what εἰς means in Acts 2:38. Because on the surface it seems to say that we are baptized for the remission of sins. Not that we are baptized because our sins have been remitted.

I want to make something clear before we go any further. I am not trying to say that water saves anyone. Nor am I saying that you are saved by being baptized. I don't think we should base our entire system of salvation on one little preposition. But Peter used that preposition and it has to mean something. Does it mean what we think it means or does it mean something else? Let's take a look at six things that will help us understand this verse.

1. What does the Greek word mean?
2. Look at Matthew 26:28.
3. Can εἰς mean because of?
4. Look at the grammar of Acts 2:38.
5. Look at the context of Acts.
6. What about theology?

I believe the evidence will show that we are baptized for the remission of sins.

There are over 1700 uses of the word εἰς in the New Testament. It basically means into or towards something. From this meaning many other meanings have been derived. Direction, purpose, result, and goal are just a few. So we know that εἰς can mean many things but we need to look at how it is being used in Acts 2:38.

When looking at the Greek lexicon BDAG (Bauer-Danker) it lists εἰς ἄφεσιν ἁμαρτιῶν under the category of purpose. It translates this as "for forgiveness of sins, so that sins might be forgiven". It lists Acts 2:38 with Matthew 26:28, Mark 1:4 and Luke 3:3.¹ When looking at the definition for the word baptize (βαπτίζω) in Thayer's lexicon he also lists the phrase εἰς ἄφεσιν ἁμαρτιῶν. Translating it as "to obtain the forgiveness of sins."² Neither of these lexicons list "because of" as a meaning for εἰς when it comes to this phrase.

This does not rule out the possibility that it could mean because of. As we will see later Julius Mantey makes the argument that it can. But there is a difference between a meaning that is listed in a lexicon and one that you have to prove. We will start with Acts 2:38 and assume that it means what the lexicon says it means.

Another place that we find this phrase is in Matthew 26:28.

Notice that there are two words translated "for" in this verse. "For many" is translated from the Greek word περί (peri). "For the remission of sins" is translated from the Greek phrase εἰς ἄφεσιν ἁμαρτιῶν. Which is the same phrase we are looking at in Acts 2:38. In the Received Text it is word for word the same. In the critical text Acts just adds the article and the word "your".³

If we are going to say that εἰς means because of in Acts 2:38 then we have to ask ourselves. Did Christ shed his blood because sins were already remitted? No. He shed his blood for the remission of sins.

Of course a phrase can be translated differently depending on the context. But if we know that in Matthew 26:28 the phrase is pointing towards the remission of sins. Why would we assume that it means the opposite in Acts 2:38? We also see this phrase used in reference to John's baptism in Mark 1:4 and Luke 3:3. "The baptism of repentance for the remission of sins." BDAG lists all of these verses together. So we have four instances of this phrase all pointing in the same direction.

Let's look at the argument that it can. Julius R. Mantey wrote two articles in the Journal of Biblical Literature arguing that εἰς can mean because of. He was a co-author of a Greek grammar that is used by many today.⁴ He gave Matthew 12:41 and its parallel Luke 11:32 as an example. The men of Nineveh repented at the preaching of Jonas (εἰς τὸ κήρυγμα). Since they heard Jonah preach and then repented Mantey argued that it could mean because of the preaching. Others have added Matthew 10:41 to this list as well. "In the name of a prophet."⁵

This is where it gets a little tricky. BDAG does not use Matthew 12:41 to show that εἰς can mean because of. It translates the phrase as "repent at the proclamation" and lists it under various other uses. It also mentions Mantey's argument and the rebuttals to it.⁶ Just because someone repented at a proclamation does not mean that εἰς means because of. They could have repented because of the proclamation but that doesn't change the meaning of the word.

Ralph Marcus argued against Mantey and showed that his examples from Hellenistic Greek did not prove what he was trying to prove. He went back the next year and stated that causal εἰς is hard to pin down.⁷ Daniel Wallace also does not believe that Acts 2:38 teaches what we believe it teaches. But he also feels that causal εἰς is not a strong enough argument to use here.⁸ So even those who do not hold our view feel that causal εἰς is not something we can rely on.

One more thing to consider. Let's say that we could find one example of causal εἰς that everyone agreed on. Why would we use that to interpret Acts 2:38? We have Matthew 26:28 telling us that Christ shed his blood for the remission of sins. Not because sins were already remitted.

Also the word "for" in English can mean both of these things. A man can be jailed for stealing. Meaning because he stole. But Acts was not written in English. We have to look at what the Greek word means.

Another argument that is brought up is that the verse changes from plural to singular. "Repent" is plural and "be baptized" is singular. So "for the remission of sins" goes with repent and not be baptized.

But look at the verse again. "Repent, and be baptized every one of you". Each one of you is what causes the singular. In essence Peter is saying repent all of you and be baptized each one of you. So it is just making the command individual. Each person that repents needs to be baptized. Then at the end of the verse it goes back to plural. "Ye shall receive". Also in the critical text the phrase for the remission of sins has the word "your" in it. So it is saying that each one of you should be baptized for the remission of your sins.

Peter also says in his next sermon, "Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out" (Acts 3:19). Again pointing towards the remission of sins.

We also need to look at the context of Acts. After Peter preaches the people are pricked in their heart. They then ask Peter what they should do. This is before Acts 2:38. Peter does not tell them that there is nothing left to do because their sins have already been remitted. He tells them to repent and be baptized for the remission of sins.

Acts 22:16 is another good example.

Paul had already seen the Lord on the road to Damascus. He had already fasted and prayed for three days. Why would Ananias tell him to be baptized and wash away his sins?

Paul also uses the word εἰς when talking about being baptized into Christ (Gal. 3:27) and baptized into his death (Rom. 6:3). We are entering into something when we are baptized.

Now some may object to this. If we are baptized for the remission of sins then are we saved by works? Paul says that we are not saved by works (Eph. 2:9).

No, we are not saved by works. We are not saying that you are saved by being baptized. The water does not save you. Nor does the person baptizing you. We are saved by faith. But baptism is an act of obedience. There is a difference between faith and works. We are not saying that you have to do something to earn your salvation. We are saying that we are to obey the commands of God. Christ is "the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him" (Heb. 5:9). Paul tells the Romans that they "obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you" (Rom. 6:17). We repent and confess our sins. Are those works? No. But they are things that we do. Baptism is no different.

Some may bring up circumcision as a parallel. We are to be careful with this argument. Paul says that Abraham received circumcision as "a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised" (Rom. 4:11). So if we push this too far it can actually hurt our argument. But we are not basing our argument on this. When Paul talks about circumcision and baptism he says this.

He does not say that we were already buried before we were baptized. We are buried with him in baptism.

So what does εἰς mean in Acts 2:38?

1. The Greek word can mean purpose or goal. BDAG lists Acts 2:38 under this category and so does Thayer.
2. Matthew 26:28 gives us a parallel that we can look at. Christ shed his blood for the remission of sins. Not because sins were already remitted.
3. Causal εἰς does not change what we know about the word. We have looked at the arguments for it and they do not hold up.
4. The change from plural to singular just makes the command individual. Each one of you should be baptized.
5. The context of Acts shows that we are to be baptized for the remission of sins.

So we are to be baptized for the remission of sins.

Luke tells us what happened next.