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Acts 2:38 – Repent (Plural) and Be Baptized (Singular)
2:38 Repent [2nd person, plural], and let each of you [3rd person, singular] be baptized…for the forgiveness of your sins
Those arguing against the necessity of baptism note that in the Greek, there is a change of number from plural (repent) to singular (let each of you be baptized) and from second person to third person.
Quote— “The English text does not adequately convey the grammar of this verse. When the grammar is understood, the verse no longer can be used to support any view of baptismal regeneration or baptismal remission of sin. The phrase `everyone of you’ is mistakenly understood to be the subject of the verbs `repent’ and `be baptized,’ with the phrase `for the remission of sins’ modifying this alleged compound predicate. There are three clauses in this verse: (1) Ye: understood subject, second person, plural number. repent: verb, aorist tense, active voice, imperative mood, second person, plural number. (2) everyone of you: subject, third person, singular number. be baptized: verb, aorist tense, passive voice, imperative mood, third person, singular number. for the remission of sins. modifying phrase, expressing the ground or basis of the baptism commanded (if understood of ritual water baptism), or the result (if understood of real baptism) of baptism received. (3) ye: subject, second person, plural number. shall receive. verb, future tense, indicative mood, passive voice, second person, plural number. the gift of the Holy Ghost. direct object of the verb. Note particularly in the above analysis that the first and third clauses agree with each other in that both are in the second person and plural number for their subject and verb. The second clause does not agree in person and number of its subject and verb with the preceding or following clause. This makes it impossible to make “every one of you,” which is third person singular, the subject of both “repent” (second person plural) and “be baptized” (third person singluar), for subjects and verbs must agree in person and number.” (Jerome H. Smith, ed., The New Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, pp.1234-1235.)
Now for an analysis of the above argument:
(2) “for the remission of sins” is a modifying phrase, expressing the ground or basis of the baptism commanded (if understood of ritual water baptism), or the result (if understood of real baptism) of baptism received.”
Please notice the theological bias in that the author changes his interpretation of for (eis) depending upon the interpretation of baptism. That is grammatical hypocrisy, especially when this same author, in denying the necessity of water baptism, later quotes a source as saying the telic (expressing purpose or result) of eis is never used in the NT with reference to the Bible. The author wants it both ways.
(3) …“Note particularly in the above analysis that the first and third clauses agree with each other in that both are in the second person and plural number for their subject and verb. The second clause does not agree in person and number of its subject and verb with the preceding or following clause. This makes it impossible to make “every one of you,” which is third person singular, the subject of both “repent” (second person plural) and “be baptized” (third person singluar), for subjects and verbs must agree in person and number.”
The above writer must have theological whiplash. He argues against baptism being connected to repentance with both being necessary, and then later on, as he is trying to argue that this baptism is “real” (i.e. Holy Spirit, not water) baptism he states:
“(5) This real baptism takes the penitent sinner out of a state of guilt and places him into (eis) a new state of remission.”
Also, while not a grammarian in either English or Greek, I must disagree with “subjects and verbs must agree in person and number.” While that is true where there is only one subject, if the subject is compound, then it is no longer true.
Single Subject – All of you children come in and wash yourselves. (Single, plural subject)
Single Subject – Every single one of you children come in and wash yourself. (Single, singular subject)
Compound Subject – All of you children, every single one of you, come in and wash yourselves.
Plus, Peter used the same grammatical construction in his second sermon:
3:26 – For you (plural) first, God raised up His servant, and sent him to bless you (plural) by turning every one (singular) of you from your wicked ways.
The question then is, why did Peter have a compound subject consisting of both a plural noun and a singular noun? I do not know for certain, but this is my plausible guess.
The sermon can be divided into four sections: 1) Men of Judea (v.14); 2) Men of Israel (v.22); 3) Brethren (v.29); which are all plural, which then naturally follows that Peter in addressing them in the fourth section would also begin in the plural – 4) Repent (v.38). That explains the plural beginning. Then why switch to the singular? For emphasis, would be my guess. The Jews already believed in baptism into order to come into a covenant state with God – for the Gentile proselytes. I surmise Peter said baptism was for each of you to emphasize the universality of baptism that included even Jews.
Hopefully we can see that the argument given to suggest that baptism is not essential for forgiveness of sins is contrary to the Holy Spirit’s words in Acts 2:38. Each and every sinner must repent and be baptized for forgiveness of sins.
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