The Strand Study Bible

ACTS ACTS Christ” long before he was ever baptized. Calling upon the name of the Lord Jesus (vs 16) is what washes away sin and saves a person (Acts 10:43, Rom 10:13 and I Cor 6:11), not baptism ( Mk 16:16 ). NOTE - Ananias exhorted Paul to be baptized “pointing to” (in token of ) the washing away of his sins, not “in order” to wash away his sins ( Acts 2:38 b ). Again, baptism has no saving merit whatsoever. Only the Gospel saves (Rom 1:16, Eph 1:13 and I Cor 15:1,2 a,b, 4 ), and baptism is not part of it ( I Cor 1:17 ). It is the innocent sacrifice and blood of Jesus (Lev 17:11 and I Jn 1:7) that washes away sin and saves a person (Mt 26:28, Acts 20:28, Rom 3:25, Eph 1:7 & 2:13, Colo 1:14,20, Heb 9:22 & 10:19-20 & 12:24, I Pet 1:2,19, I Jn 1:7 and Rev 1:5), not baptism. 22:16 a Sadly, there are some religious movements that have tried to use this Scripture to prove that baptism is essential to salvation and thus part of the saving Gospel ( arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins ). It is not. A simple understanding of the original Greek, along with some cross-referencing of Scripture, will easily clear up any misnomer concerning what men and their movements call “salvation through baptismal regeneration.” NOTE - According to Acts 22:13, Paul was already saved and considered a brother in Christ long before he was ever baptized. Acts 9:17-18 confirms this truth. Calling on the name of the Lord Jesus is what washes away sin and saves a person (Acts 10:43, Rom 10:13 and I Cor 6:11), not the act of baptism. Ananias exhorted Paul to be baptized “in token of” the washing away of his sins, not “in order to” wash away his sins. Matthew Henry’s Commentary agrees. He notes: 1828

Be baptized and wash away thy sins ; that is, Receive the comfort of the pardon of thy sins in and through Jesus Christ and lay hold of his righteousness for that purpose and receive power against sin for the mortifying of thy corruption. 1

Matthew Henry goes on to note:

We must wash away our sins , calling on the name of the Lord; that is, we must seek for the pardon of our sins in Christ’s name, and in dependence on him and his righteousness. 1 Calling on the name of the Lord is what saves a person and washes away their sin, not being baptized. John F. Walvoord and Roy B. Zuck in The Bible Knowledge Commentary notes:

The Greek aorist participle, epikalesamenos, translated calling on His name refers either to action which is simultaneous with or before that of the main verb. Here Paul’s calling on Christ’s name (for salvation) preceded his water baptism. The participle may be translated, “having called on His name.” Second, what then do the words, wash your sins away mean? Do they teach that salvation comes by water baptism? Because Paul was already cleansed spiritually (Paul was called “Brother Saul” by Ananias and filled with the Spirit in Acts 9:17-18 before his baptism with water –– my emphasis), these words must refer to the symbolism of baptism. Baptism is a picture of God’s inner work of washing away sin (cf. 1 Cor. 6:11; 1 Peter 3:21). 2 Our faith, our conversion, and our eternal salvation, are not the mere product of any natural abilities, nor of any merit of our own: Not of works, lest any man should boast, v. 9. These things are not brought to pass by any thing done by us, all therefore all boasting is excluded; he who glories must not glory in himself, but in the Lord. There is no room for any man’s boasting of his own abilities and power; or as though he had done any thing that might deserve such immense favours from God. The grace that saves them is the free undeserved goodness and favour of God; and he saves them, not by the works of the law , but through faith in Christ Jesus, by means of which they come to partake of the great blessings of the gospel; and both that faith and that salvation on which it has so great an influence are the gift of God. 1

Matthew Henry continues:

Meaning: What Ananias was saying to Paul was, “Now that you’ve been saved, arise and receive the comfort of the pardon of thy sins by getting yourself baptized.” Again, baptism has no saving merit whatsoever. Only the blood of Jesus washes away sin and saves a person (Acts 20:28, Rom 3:25, Eph 1:7, Heb 10:19-20 and Rev 1:5). Note carefully the literal translation of the original Greek here:

And now why do you delay? Having arisen ( DQDστD9 - aorist participle ), you must be baptized for thyself and wash away thy sins, having called ( HSLNDOHσDPHQο9 - aorist participle ) on the name of the Lord.

In the same way that the aorist participle ( Having arisen ) precedes baptism , so must the aorist participle ( having called ) precede washing away of sins ( forgiveness ). Having called on the name of Christ washes away sin (Lk 23:42-43), not baptism. Frances Siewert (Litt. B., B.D., M.A., Litt. D.), author of The Amplified Bible , rendered this verse accurately when she translated it as follows: And now, why do you delay? Rise (aorist participle) and be baptized, and by calling (aorist participle) upon His name, wash away your sins. 3 22:16 b This word ( calling ) is the Greek word HSLNDOHσDPHQο9 ( epikalesamenos ). Epikalesamenos is an aorist participle and means, “ having called ,” not “ calling .” This word is found only here and in I Corinthians 6:11, where it is used in exactly the same sense of “washing away sins…in the name of the Lord Jesus” – not washing away sins by one’s baptism.

1 Henry, Matthew. Matthew Henry’s Commentary . Vol 6. Old Tappan, NJ: Fleming H. Revell Co. 1983. Print. 2 John F. Walvoord and Roy B. Zuck. The Bible Knowledge Commentary , USA, Scripture Press Pub., 1983. Print. 3 Siewert, Frances. The Amplified Bible . Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan. 1965. Print.