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NASB | Acts 2:38 Peter said to them, "Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Acts 2:38 And Peter said to them, "Repent [change your old way of thinking, turn from your sinful ways, accept and follow Jesus as the Messiah] and be baptized, each of you, in the name of Jesus Christ because of the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. |
Subject: To be saved must we be baptised? |
Bible Note: Greetings Disciplerami! Nice try my friend, but you are comparing apples and oranges. The problem with Acts 2:38 is not that 'each of you' is used. The problem is that when 'each' is used the subject of the clause is now singular and all of the verbs and pronouns associated with that clause will also be singular. Allow me to demonstrate. The phrase 'each (singular) of you (plural)' is used four times in the New Testament: Luke 13:15, Acts 2:38, 1 Cor. 1:12, and 16:2. 1) Luke 13:15 - "The Lord answered him, ??You hypocrites! Doesn?t each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or donkey from the stall and lead it out to give it water?" In this example, 'each' is the subject and is singular. The 'each' is defined as a part of a larger group - 'of you', but every verb and pronoun associated with the 'each' must be singular. Is this the case? Yes! The verb 'untie' is singular as it must be to be associated with the subject 'each'. The pronoun 'his' (literally 'of him') is singular, as it must be. 2) 1 Cor. 1:12 - "What I mean is this: One of you says, ??I follow Paul?; another, ??I follow Apollos?; another, ??I follow Cephas?; still another, ??I follow Christ.?" In this example, 'one of you' is literally 'each of you'. Notice again that the verbs associated with 'each' are all singular and that the pronouns are all singular as well. The verse does not say, 'Each of you says, We follow Paul...." 3) 1 Cor. 16:2 - "On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with his income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will have to be made." This example continues the same pattern. To put it as simply as possible, the problem with Acts 2:38 is not that 'each of you' is used. The problem is that if the last clause were meant to be a result of obedience to the command to 'be baptized' then the phrase would have had to say, 'for the remission of your (singular) sins'. However, this is not the case. The result can only be grammatically associated with the plural command 'to repent'. The examples you cite are different grammatically. As soon as the subject becomes 'each' all of the pronouns and verbs associated with the 'each' also become singular. 1) Acts 2:3 speaks of tongues of fire which divide and then 'each' tongue seperately rests upon an individual. The grammar of this verse is correct. 2) John 6:7 speaks of there not being enough money to buy enough bread that 'each' (singular) may take (singular) a bite. The verb and the pronoun are in perfect agreement. None of these examples demonstrate what you claim for Acts 2:38. To do so, they would have to say things like, 'Each of you must be baptized (plural)'. It just doesn't happen. The correct form would be 'Each of you must be baptized (singular)'. Your Brother in Christ, Tim Moran |