Replies

“Well, he probably baptized some....but the text doesn’t say he baptized them.”

On Pentecost Peter and the Apostles baptized 3,000 people. In one day. Have you forgotten that?

“The people heard it and were convicted. They believed the word and then were baptized.”

You expected something else? Even today that is how it is done for all those old enough to understand. For those too young, just as with circumcision in Judaism, it is the faith of the parents that comes first.

And St. Paul makes it clear how the forgiveness of sins comes - including in his own life as he must have told Luke - through baptism. Acts 22:16

“Cornelius and others heard and believed and received the Holy Spirit. Then they were baptized.”

Of course - and there were no Christians to baptize them until Peter came. Remember, Cornelius the centurion was a pious Jewish or Noahide believer. He was NOT a Christian in the beginning of Acts 10. Verse 22 points out, ““We have come from Cornelius the centurion. He is a righteous and God-fearing man, who is respected by all the Jewish people.” There’s no way he would have been respected by all the Jews if he believed in Jesus. Now, in verse 36 it says, “You know the message God sent to the people of Israel, announcing the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all.” The people with Cornelius knew about Jesus but that doesn’t mean they yet believed in Him. While Peter preaches to them, they become convinced and the Holy Spirit descends on them. This is a second Pentecost and in one way is even greater than the first for it shows that the Gentiles are invited by Christ as well. And then they are baptized. And? At other times, people have faith and are baptized for some time and only later receive a greater gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 8:16-17). And?

>>“The people heard it and were convicted. They believed the word and then were baptized.”<<

You expected something else?

No. This shows the progression of how one becomes a Christian.

Here the Word.

Believe the Word.

Be baptized.

Even today that is how it is done for all those old enough to understand. For those too young, just as with circumcision in Judaism, it is the faith of the parents that comes first.

Not in Christianity...perhaps in Roman Catholicism.

The parents can lead the children in instructing them, teaching them, etc...but each person has to chose to believe or not.

We don't have evidence of infants being baptized in the New Testament. We do see where households were, but believing in Him was required.

Paul believed in Christ before he was baptized.

Baptism isn't what saves you....it's believing in Him.

On Pentecost Peter and the Apostles baptized 3,000 people. In one day. Have you forgotten that?

To invoke one of Vlad's Rules.....the text does not say that Peter and the Apostles baptized them.

But now you've changed your argument.

In your post of 107 you said, "And yet he [Peter] then baptized them."

And before you go ballistic over the brackets as you did on another thread...When writers insert or alter words in a direct quotation, square brackets—[ ]—are placed around the change. The brackets, always used in pairs, enclose words intended to clarify meaning, provide a brief explanation, or to

help integrate the quote into the writer’s sentence. You had to be corrected on that though I doubt you remember it nor would you admit it...another of Vlad's Rules

You see...those are the silly type of word games you play with everyone but don't like it when you're held to your "standard".

But I digress. I do believe Peter and the disciples did baptized them and maybe with some help from the other believers. Who else was there to baptize them?

And St. Paul makes it clear how the forgiveness of sins comes - including in his own life as he must have told Luke - through baptism. Acts 22:16

The Greek indicates Paul had called on His name before being baptized.

and now why delay you? having arisen, be baptized and wash away the sins of you, having called on the name of Him.

The Greek verb, ἐπικαλεσάμενος,(ἐπικαλέω meaning to call upon, appeal to, address. Only used twice in the NT. Here and 1 Corinthians 6:11) is a participle (verbal). It is: aorist tense, participle, middle voice.

The aorist participle in NT Greek is normally, though by no means always, antecdent in time to the action of the main verb. But when the aorist participle is related to an aorist main verb, the participle will often be contemporaneous (or simultaneous) to the action of the main verb.(Wallace,Greek Grammer: Beyond the Basics p.624).

I offer these translations of this verse for discussion.

'Now why do you delay? Get up and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on His name.' NASB

And now why tarriest thou? Rise up, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, invoking his name. Douay-Rheims

And now, why delay? Get up and be baptized, and wash away your sins by calling on His name.'" Holman Christian Standard Bible

And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord. KJV

And St. Paul makes it clear how the forgiveness of sins comes...

Nah; it was that Ananias guy.

Golly; I wonder what JESUS might have said to one who asked Him what GOD's requirements were???

John 6:25-40

²⁵When they found him on the other side of the lake, they asked him, “Rabbi, when did you get here?”

²⁶Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw the signs I performed but because you ate the loaves and had your fill. ²⁷Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him God the Father has placed his seal of approval.”

²⁸Then they asked him, “What must we do to do the works God requires?”

²⁹Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.”

³⁰So they asked him, “What sign then will you give that we may see it and believe you? What will you do? ³¹Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written: ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’^[c]”

³²Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. ³³For the bread of God is the bread that comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”

³⁴“Sir,” they said, “always give us this bread.”

³⁵Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. ³⁶But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe. ³⁷All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. ³⁸For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. ³⁹And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. ⁴⁰For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.”