Acts 2:37-39
What is written? (ESV)
Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, Brothers, what shall we do? And Peter said to them, Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.
What does it say?
When they heard the preaching of Peter and the rest of the apostles, they were convicted by them and asked what they should do [to be saved]. Peter told them that they each should repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ so that they could receive the remission of their sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit. This “gift” was the promise made for all Jews, but also all Gentiles — everyone whom God calls to himself.
What is its immediate context?
Peter’s sermon on the day of Pentecost where he recalled several prophetic statements from Joel and David (vss 16-36). By divine inspiration, Peter interpreted these statements to apply their fulfillment to Jesus and the ushering in of the “last days”.
He also specifically refers to the “promise of the Holy Spirit” earlier – given by the Father to the Son (vs 33). More were continuing to be saved, and they began meeting together as the Lord’s church (vss 41-47).
How Acts 2:37-39 is applied across Bible answers
Can someone receive the Holy Spirit before being saved?
Does man have free will?
Peter instructs the crowd to repent (turn) and be baptized for the forgiveness of their sins. He gives them a choice to make of their own free will.
How is the word of God a double edged sword?
The hearers of the gospel on the day of Pentecost were “cut to the heart”2.
Is baptism for the forgiveness of sins?
The passage called into question regarding the translation of the Greek word "eis" into "for" instead of "because of". The former makes forgiveness of sins a result of baptism; the latter makes baptism an afterthought of sins already forgiven.
Is baptism for infants or children?
Individuals who heard the gospel and asked what they needed to do were told by Peter to be baptized "in the name of Jesus Christ" for their salvation -- comprised of "forgiveness of sins" and the promised "gift of the Holy Spirit".
We see here people who are at an age where they can be "cut to the heart" by the message that Peter just gave (the gospel of Christ and His death, burial, and resurrection). They are at an age where they can recognize their accountability and respond accordingly.
Is baptism required for salvation?
The people ask a direct question about what they must do to be saved and Peter directly answers them, "be baptized every one of you...".
We also see a bit of a summary of events (vs 41) - they received the word, were baptized, and the Lord added them to the church (vs 47).
Is there a specific age of accountability?
Peter is not saying that salvation is for infants/children, but rather that salvation is for them and their future generations. This is in keeping with the rest of his statement (e.g. "all who are far off", etc.).
What is seen are people, at an age where they can be "cut to the heart" based on the message that Peter just gave (the gospel of Christ and His death, burial, and resurrection). They are at an age where they can recognize their accountability and respond accordingly.
Top 10: Passages that must be reconciled before concluding that the Holy Spirit indwells representatively through the Word?
Peter told people who had already been convicted by the word (the word had done its work) that if they responded, they would receive the same "promise" from the Father that the Son received 3.
Similarly, Acts 5:32 summarizes the same pattern (individual responds to word —> God gives Spirit).
Top 4: Results of baptism?
Baptism is how one receives (a) forgiveness of their sins, and (b) the promise of the Holy Spirit.
Top 5: Images for baptism?
To be baptized is to receive (a) forgiveness of sins, and (b) the promised9 gift of God's Spirit.
What about the thief on the cross?
On the day of Pentecost, after Jesus' resurrection and ascension, the people were convicted and asked Peter what they needed to do to be saved. He told them to repent and be baptized for the forgiveness of their sins.
What is the baptism of John the Baptist?
For the first time -- "the beginning"10 as Peter would later refer to it -- the baptism of Jesus was preached (not the baptism of John), which included the promised "gift of the Holy Spirit".
Earlier in the chapter, before Peter addressed the crowd, the apostles themselves were baptized with the Holy Spirit (vss 1-4) as Jesus had promised days earlier.7
What is the promise of the Holy Spirit?
Peter's sermon, preached after Jesus' "glorification",17 convicted those who heard and they asked what they should do to be saved.9 Peter tells them that if they turn [to God with their lives] and are baptized in Jesus' name they will receive forgiveness of sins and the "gift of the Holy Spirit" -- a promise that is for "everyone the Lord our God calls to himself".1117
Some believe that "the promise" in vs 39 is the promise of salvation, but Peter has just preached about "the promise of the Holy Spirit" (vs 33) that the Son received from the Father. While salvation is certainly a promise of the Father and what we witness happening more broadly in Acts chapter 2, "the promise" in vs 39 would have to be "the promise of the Holy Spirit" Peter just spoke about in vs 33. Furthermore, that "promise of the Holy Spirit" given to the Son of God could not have been salvation.
What is the purpose of baptism?
Convicted of their wrongdoing by Peter's sermon, they asked what they needed to do and they were told they needed to be baptized to have forgiveness of sins and receive the promised gift of the Holy Spirit. This was available for not only them, but anyone whom God chose to be His.
What is water baptism?
Peter responds to the people about what they must "do" to be saved, telling them to be baptized in order for their sins to be forgiven (e.g. cleansed, washed) and to "receive the gift of the Holy Spirit" (e.g. be made holy).
What saves you eternally?
They asked what to do and were told to repent and be baptized in the name of/authority of Jesus Christ (not John's baptism).
Where is the Holy Spirit dwelling today?
Peter says that their [water] baptism is directly connected to them receiving the gift/promise of the Holy Spirit.
Why does God give the non-miraculous gift of the Holy Spirit? (Acts 2:38-39)
Peter says to repent and be baptized for the (1) forgiveness of your sins, and (2) gift of the Holy Spirit. Collectively, this is "the promise" of salvation for "everyone whom the Lord our God calls to Himself." Salvation is both forgiveness of sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit. They are a package made available to anyone that obeys23 in baptism.
(Holger Neubauer says "The 'gift' is not the 'promise'" (*3:40) but Peter makes no such delineation.)
