Acts 22:16 kjv
And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.
Acts 22:16 nkjv
And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.'
Acts 22:16 niv
And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name.'
Acts 22:16 esv
And now why do you wait? Rise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on his name.'
Acts 22:16 nlt
What are you waiting for? Get up and be baptized. Have your sins washed away by calling on the name of the Lord.'
Acts 22 16 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Acts 2:38 | "Repent and be baptized..." | Command for repentance & baptism |
| Acts 8:12 | "when they believed Philip... they were baptized..." | Belief precedes baptism |
| Acts 8:36 | "...Philip said, 'If you believe with all your heart, you may.'" | Baptism connected to belief |
| Acts 9:17 | "...and immediately fell from his eyes as it had been scales, and he recovered his sight. Then he arose and was baptized..." | Ananias commands Saul to rise & be baptized |
| Acts 16:14 | "... whose heart the Lord opened to attend to the things said by Paul." | God's opening of the heart |
| Acts 16:33 | "...and he was baptized at once, he and all his family." | Immediate baptism |
| Acts 20:21 | "...testifying both to Jews and Greeks of repentance toward God and of faith in our Lord Jesus Christ." | Repentance toward God, faith in Christ |
| Acts 22:10 | "'And I said, ‘What shall I do, Lord?’ And the Lord said to me, ‘Arise, and go into Damascus…’" | Jesus commands Saul to rise |
| Rom 6:3-4 | "Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death..." | Baptism signifying union with Christ's death and resurrection |
| 1 Cor 1:13 | "Was Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?" | Baptism into the name of Christ |
| 1 Cor 6:11 | "And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God." | Washing, sanctification, justification by the name of Christ |
| Gal 3:27 | "As many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ." | Putting on Christ in baptism |
| Col 2:12 | "...having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God..." | Baptism as burial and resurrection with Christ |
| Tit 3:5 | "...he saved us, not because of works done in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit..." | Washing of regeneration |
| Heb 10:22 | "let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water." | Hearts sprinkled, bodies washed |
| 1 Pet 3:20-21 | "...when once the patience of God kept waiting in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through water. Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ..." | Baptism saves, appeal to God for good conscience |
| John 1:12 | "But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God..." | Receiving Him and believing in His name |
| Isa 44:22 | "I have swept away your transgressions like a cloud and your sins like mist; return to me, for I have redeemed you.”" | God removing sins |
| Zech 13:1 | "“On that day a fountain shall be opened for the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to wash away sin and uncleanness." | Fountain for sin and uncleanness |
Acts 22 verses
Acts 22 16 Meaning
Arise, be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on His name. This verse encapsulates a direct command and a promise tied to the act of baptism for the remission of sins, initiated by invoking Jesus Christ.
Acts 22 16 Context
This verse is spoken by Ananias to Saul of Tarsus, immediately after Saul's dramatic conversion experience on the road to Damascus (Acts 9). Saul, who had been a zealous persecutor of Christians, is struck blind and hears Jesus speaking to him. Jesus then directs him to Damascus, where Ananias is sent to find him. Ananias relays Jesus' words, emphasizing that Saul must respond to God's call. This statement from Ananias serves as the instruction for Saul's immediate post-conversion actions, leading to his restoration and public commitment. The broader context is the early spread of Christianity and the pivotal role Saul, soon to be known as Paul, will play in this movement.
Acts 22 16 Word Analysis
- Anastas (Ἀναστάς):
- Meaning: "Arise," "get up," "stand up."
- Significance: This word is used literally for Saul to physically stand up after his encounter with Jesus, which left him prostrate and blind. It also carries a deeper spiritual meaning of resurrection and new life, mirroring Christ's own resurrection and Saul's spiritual awakening from his past life of persecution. The command to "arise" echoes Jesus' instruction to Saul in verse 10 of the same chapter.
- Baptisai (βάπτισαι):
- Meaning: "Be baptized," "immerse," "wash."
- Original Language: Derived from the Greek word baptizo. While often translated as "sprinkle" or "pour" in some traditions, its primary meaning in classical and biblical Greek is to dip, immerse, or submerge.
- Significance: This is the core action commanded. Baptism in the New Testament is understood as a symbolic act representing death to sin and resurrection to a new life in Christ, a cleansing from sin, and an outward declaration of one's identification with Jesus' death and resurrection. It is also a public testimony of faith.
- Apoumenous (ἀπουμένους):
- Meaning: "Washing away," "cleansing," "purifying."
- Significance: This participle links the baptismal act to the remission or washing away of sins. It signifies the spiritual cleansing and forgiveness of sins that accompany true baptism, emphasizing that this washing is not merely ceremonial but efficacious by the power of God through Christ. This connects to themes of ritual cleansing in the Old Testament, now fulfilled spiritually in Christ.
- Hēmartiōn (ἁμαρτιῶν):
- Meaning: "Sins" (plural, genitive case).
- Significance: Refers to Saul's past transgressions and his participation in the persecution of Christians. The washing is offered for these sins, highlighting the power of God's grace to cleanse even the most grievous offenses.
- Eikaliomenos (ἐπικαλουμένου):
- Meaning: "Calling upon," "invoking," "naming."
- Significance: This is a crucial element, connecting the efficacy of the baptism and the washing of sins directly to the act of calling upon the name of Jesus Christ. It means that salvation and cleansing are not achieved by the ritual itself, but by invoking and believing in Jesus, who empowers the ordinance. It emphasizes a personal invocation and dependence on Christ.
Words Group Analysis:
- "Anastas, baptisai" (Arise, be baptized): This two-word imperative links physical action with a spiritual ordinance. It highlights the readiness of Saul to respond and act upon the divine instruction.
- "Baptisai kai apoumenous tas hamartias" (be baptized and wash away your sins): This phrase strongly associates the outward act of baptism with the inward, spiritual cleansing from sin. It signifies that baptism is the God-ordained means through which forgiveness of sins is applied in conjunction with faith and the invocation of Christ's name.
- "Eikaliomenos to onomati autou" (calling on His name): This participial phrase qualifies the preceding actions, indicating that the authority and power for this washing and cleansing come from invoking the name of Jesus Christ. It underscores that baptism is performed "in the name of Jesus," signifying identification with Him and reliance on His power.
Acts 22 16 Bonus Section
The Greek word baptizo often evokes discussions about the mode of baptism. While scholarly consensus leans towards immersion based on etymology and other biblical examples (like Romans 6:3-4, Colossians 2:12), Ananias’ instructions to Saul emphasize the who and why of baptism – identifying with Christ by calling on His name and receiving the washing of sins – more than the how. This encounter with Saul, who became the Apostle Paul, was instrumental in shaping Gentile Christianity. Paul himself later wrote extensively on the symbolic meaning of baptism, depicting it as a burial and resurrection with Christ, a spiritual cleansing, and the visible sign of being incorporated into the body of Christ. The specific order—arise, be baptized, wash away sins—suggests a process initiated by Christ's call, followed by an act of obedient faith, resulting in the cleansing promised by Him.
Acts 22 16 Commentary
Ananias’ command to Saul is a concise summary of the early Church’s understanding of conversion. It includes a call to immediate action ("Arise"), a primary sacrament of faith ("be baptized"), and the theological meaning of that sacrament ("wash away your sins"), all contingent upon personal reliance and calling upon the name of Jesus. This isn't a salvific ritual performed in isolation, but an act of obedience following repentance and belief, empowered by the invocation of Christ’s authority and presence. It highlights that the grace for remission of sins is mediated through this ordinance, by faith, through the power of God operating through the name of Jesus. This passage has been a cornerstone in theological discussions regarding the nature and efficacy of baptism, particularly its relationship to the forgiveness of sins. It calls for a decisive response to Christ, manifesting in both an inward call upon His name and an outward obedience through baptism.