Acts 2:38 in Peter’s Full Witness
(Part 6 of 12)

Part 6 of 12 · Salvation in Jesus Christ: The New Testament Witness to Grace, Faith, and the Blood

Many people treat Acts 2:38 as the deciding verse on baptism and the remission of sins. It is an important verse, but it is not the only thing Peter ever said about remission.

“Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.” (Acts 2:38, KJV)

Earlier in that same sermon, Peter had already quoted the prophet Joel: “whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Acts 2:21).

The whole sermon centers on Jesus Christ: His crucifixion, His resurrection, and His place at the right hand of God as both Lord and Christ.

The Greek grammar is worth a look. “Repent” (metanoēsate) is a plural command spoken to the whole crowd. “Be baptized” (baptisthētō) shifts to a singular form, meaning “let each one be baptized.” That shift alone does not settle the question. It does warn us not to treat repentance and baptism as if they were the same kind of act doing the same thing.

The phrase “for the remission of sins” also has to be read alongside the rest of what Peter taught. Peter later preached that “whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins” (Acts 10:43). He told the church at Jerusalem that God was “purifying their hearts by faith” (Acts 15:9). And he wrote that we were redeemed “with the precious blood of Christ” (1 Peter 1:19).

Peter did not preach one way of remission in Acts 2 and a different way in Acts 10. Repentance turns the sinner toward Jesus Christ, and faith in Jesus Christ receives Him. Jesus Christ gives remission through His finished work. Baptism then publicly identifies the believer with Jesus Christ.

Whatever view someone holds of Acts 2:38, it cannot overturn Matthew 26:28, Acts 10:43, Acts 15:9, or 1 Peter 1:18–19.

Search these Scriptures for yourself: Acts 2:21; Joel 2:32; Romans 10:9–13; Acts 2:22–24; Acts 2:32–36; Acts 2:38; Acts 10:43; Acts 15:7–9; 1 Peter 1:18–19.

Next in this series: Part 7, Acts 22:16: Calling on the Name of the Lord.

Go Deeper

• You Shall Be My Witnesses: Acts 1:8 and Water Baptism
• The Ten Baptism Texts Answered
• For the Remission of Sins: The Blood, Not the Water

Old Testament foundation: Where Water Baptism Belongs: Answering the Objections (Part 7 of 7)

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“And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God. For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”

2 Corinthians 5:18-21 (KJV)