Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity And cleanse me from my sin.

Commentary: Throughout the Psalms, we see many things foretold. We see New Testament ideas in the Old Testament. This is because it was God's plan all along. So here we see that we have a need to be cleansed of our sins. And we need to be washed thoroughly. Surely, these Old Testament verses were in the minds of all those baptizing and being baptized in the first century.

"Wash yourselves, purify yourselves; Remove the evil of your deeds from before My eyes. Cease to do evil, Learn to do good; Seek justice, Reprove the ruthless, Execute justice for the orphan, Plead for the widow.

Commentary: Even in Isaiah, God is telling His people to cleanse themselves. If we are God's people we must cleanse ourselves.

For I will pour out water on the thirsty ground And streams on the dry land; I will pour out My Spirit on your seed And My blessing on your offspring;

Commentary: Using a water metaphor, God shows He will give his Holy Spirit. This is seen again in the New Testament when John the baptizer says that is what Jesus will do.

Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your uncleanness and from all your idols. Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to do My judgments.

Commentary: God says that His people will be cleansed with water and will receive the Holy Spirit.

"And it will be afterwards That I will pour out My Spirit on all mankind; And your sons and your daughters shall prophesy; Your old men will dream dreams; Your young men will see visions. Even on the male slaves and female slaves I will in those days pour out My Spirit.

Commentary: God said, through the prophet Joel, that He will pour His Spirit to all people.

"In that day a fountain will be opened for the house of David and for the inhabitants of Jerusalem, for sin and for impurity.

Commentary: In Zechariah, God declared that He would open a fountain for His people for their sin.

"As for me, I baptize you with water for repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, and I am not fit to remove His sandals; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

Commentary: John the baptizer says that Jesus will baptize with fire. What does he mean? He is saying that with Jesus' baptism, we receive the Holy Spirit.

Some will say that this verse means that it is not water baptism that is from Jesus, but we can see that later, people are being baptized with water in Jesus' name. It is what is happening in the water that is different as John explains here.

Then Jesus *arrived from Galilee at the Jordan coming to John to be baptized by him. But John tried to prevent Him, saying, "I have need to be baptized by You, and do You come to me?" But Jesus answered and said to him, "Permit it at this time; for in this way it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness." Then he *permitted Him. And after being baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming upon Him, and behold, there was a voice out of the heavens saying, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased."

Commentary: After John the baptizer proclaims Jesus' coming baptism, Jesus Himself is baptized by John. Jesus did not have any sins that needed to be forgiven, but he still was baptized. Jesus says this was done to fulfill all righteousness. It shows His approval of baptism and is an example to us. Truly something special is happening, more than we can comprehend, as the Holy Spirit came down and God spoke from Heaven.

And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to keep all that I commanded you; and behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."

Commentary: Here is what is often referred to as 'The Great Commission.' This is Jesus' final instruction to the apostles. He tells them to make disciples. He clarifies that making disciples is done by baptizing people in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned.

Commentary: This is a simple verse in 'The Great Commission' recorded in the Gospel of Mark. Jesus says that you must believe and be baptized in order to be saved.

Some claim that this negates baptism's importance because Jesus does not include not being baptized in the condemnation in the second half of the verse. It wouldn't be necessary for Him to say that because it is obvious that if you do not believe, then you wouldn't be baptized. Other verses about baptism support its salvation power, so it would be wrong to think this is not also saying the same.

Note: this verse may not have been in the original text.

Now there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews; this man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, "Rabbi, we know that You have come from God as a teacher; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him." Jesus answered and said to him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God." Nicodemus *said to Him, "How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?" Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which has been born of the flesh is flesh, and that which has been born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, 'You must be born again.' The wind blows where it wishes and you hear its sound, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who has been born of the Spirit." Nicodemus answered and said to Him, "How can these things be?" Jesus answered and said to him, "Are you the teacher of Israel and do not understand these things? Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know and bear witness of what we have seen, and you do not accept our witness. If I told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things? And no one has ascended into heaven, but He who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up; so that whoever believes will in Him have eternal life. "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.

Commentary: Here, Jesus is talking to the Pharisee Nicodemus. He is explaining to Nicodemus how to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Jesus says that a man must be 'born again.' This confuses Nicodemus. Jesus then clarifies that a man must be born of water and the Holy Spirit. This is a direct reference to baptism. Even later in this chapter Jesus and his disciples are baptizing (John 3:22).

Jesus then explains that this is something that is hard to understand. If we don't even understand how the wind blows, how can we understand how the Spirit works? As Jesus says here, only He has this knowledge because He descended from Heaven. Even if we cannot understand, we can trust in Him and believe and do what He tells us.

Throughout all of church history, this passage was known to be about baptism. No one questioned this as being baptism until John Calvin in the 1500s. John Calvin agreed that everyone else agreed it was talking about baptism. However, Calvin says it would be 'inappropriate' and 'absurd' for Christ to talk about baptism. Beware the new interpretation.

Therefore let all the house of Israel know for certain that God has made Him both Lord and Christ—this Jesus whom you crucified." About Three Thousand Souls Saved Now when they heard this, they were pierced to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, "Men, brothers, what should we do?" And 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. For the promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call to Himself." And with many other words he solemnly bore witness and kept on exhorting them, saying, "Be saved from this crooked generation!" So then, those who had received his word were baptized; and that day there were added about three thousand souls. And they were continually devoting themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to the prayers.

Commentary: This is the first time after Christ's ascension that baptism is commanded. This is on the day of Pentecost and was preceded by the first Gospel sermon. Peter preached to the Jews who had killed Jesus! The Truth of his message was so moving and so apparent to those who heard that they asked what they needed to do. To this, Peter replied that they need to stop their current ways and instead believe in Christ. He then said they needed to be baptized for the forgiveness of their sins. There has been the question of if this is simply something for those people on that day. Thankfully, Peter answered that question in verse 39 that this instruction and promise of salvation is for all!

To me, this is the clearest and most moving passage about baptism in Scripture. Those listening were "pierced" (or "pricked") to the heart. They were moved to ask what they needed to do. When we hear the Gospel message today, we should ask what should we do? We killed the Messiah, what should we do!? Peter, the apostle, with the Holy Spirit speaking through him, says to repent and be baptized for the forgiveness of their sins and to receive the Holy Spirit. Why would we argue with him? The Bible says they "gladly received" (or "welcomed" or "embraced") his message and were baptized! Believe he is speaking the Truth and become part of the church!

This is the beginning of the church of Christ! About 3000 were baptized and they devoted themselves to the teaching of the apostles.

Some will try to say that this verse doesn't mean what it says; see What does "for" mean in Acts 2:38?

But when they believed Philip proclaiming the good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were being baptized, both men and women. Even Simon himself believed; and after being baptized, he continued on with Philip, and as he observed signs and great miracles taking place, he was constantly astounded.

Commentary: Philip was preaching in Samaria and part of his message was to be baptized. Here we learn that baptism is for both men and women. Even Simon the sorcerer was baptized and continued on with Philip.

But an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip saying, "Rise up and go south to the road that descends from Jerusalem to Gaza." (This is a desert road.) So he rose up and went; and behold, there was an Ethiopian eunuch, a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure; and he had come to Jerusalem to worship, and he was returning and sitting in his chariot, and was reading the prophet Isaiah. Then the Spirit said to Philip, "Go over and join this chariot." And Philip ran up and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet, and said, "Do you understand what you are reading?" And he said, "Well, how could I, unless someone guides me?" And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. Now the passage of Scripture which he was reading was this: "AS A SHEEP IS LED TO SLAUGHTER; AND AS A LAMB BEFORE ITS SHEARER IS SILENT, SO HE DOES NOT OPEN HIS MOUTH. IN HUMILIATION HIS JUDGMENT WAS TAKEN AWAY; WHO WILL RECOUNT HIS GENERATION? FOR HIS LIFE IS REMOVED FROM THE EARTH." And the eunuch answered Philip and said, "I ask you earnestly, of whom does the prophet say this? Of himself or of someone else?" Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning from this Scripture he proclaimed the good news about Jesus to him. And as they went along the road they came to some water; and the eunuch *said, "Look! Water! What prevents me from being baptized?" [And Philip said, "If you believe with all your heart, you may." And he answered and said, "I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God."] And he ordered the chariot to stop, and they both went down into the water, Philip as well as the eunuch, and he baptized him. When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away, and the eunuch no longer saw him, but went on his way rejoicing. But Philip found himself at Azotus, and as he passed through he kept proclaiming the gospel to all the cities until he came to Caesarea.

Commentary: This passage is part of a longer story about an Ethiopian eunuch who is reading Scripture. The apostle Philip explains the Scripture to him and the Ethiopian excitedly gets baptized after hearing the great news of Jesus.

It is interesting that the Ethiopian asked to be baptized, because baptism isn't mentioned previously in this story. Though the Bible does not record exactly what Philip told the Ethiopian man, he must have mentioned something about baptism in telling him about Jesus and explaining the passage in Isaiah the man was reading. This is another example how Baptism is inherent to the Gospel message and is the response to hearing it.

Now Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest, and asked for letters from him to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, both men and women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. And as he was traveling, it happened that when he was approaching Damascus, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him; and falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?" And he said, "Who are You, Lord?" And He said, "I am Jesus whom you are persecuting, but rise up and enter the city, and it will be told you what you must do." And the men who traveled with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one. And Saul got up from the ground, and though his eyes were open, he could see nothing. Leading him by the hand, they brought him into Damascus. And he was three days without sight, and neither ate nor drank. Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias, and the Lord said to him in a vision, "Ananias." And he said, "Here I am, Lord." And the Lord said to him, "Rise up and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for behold, he is praying, and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him, so that he might regain his sight." But Ananias answered, "Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he did to Your saints at Jerusalem. And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on Your name." But the Lord said to him, "Go, for he is a chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel; for I will show him how much he must suffer for My name." So Ananias departed and entered the house. And he laid his hands on him and said, "Brother Saul, the Lord sent me—that is Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you were coming—so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit." And immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he regained his sight, and he rose up and was baptized; and he took food and was strengthened. Saul Begins to Preach Christ Now for several days he was with the disciples who were at Damascus,

Commentary: This is Paul's conversion. Once a persecutor of Christians, he becomes a chosen apostle of Jesus and writer of much of the New Testament! He sees Jesus while traveling to go arrest Christians. A man named Ananias was told to meet him, heal him of his blindness, and tell him to go get baptized to receive the Holy Spirit. Paul obeyed the Gospel and was baptized. Later when Paul is retelling this story in Acts 22, baptism is reinforced as being for the forgiveness of sins.

Some make the bold claim that none of the apostle's baptisms are recorded. Here is one.

While Peter was still speaking these things, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who were listening to the word. And all the circumcised believers who came with Peter were astounded that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also. For they were hearing them speaking with tongues and magnifying God. Then Peter answered, "Can anyone refuse water for these to be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we did?" And he ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to remain for a few days.

Commentary: Peter is preaching to the Gentiles and while he is preaching, the Holy Spirit descended on the Gentiles and they began speaking in tongues. Peter then told them to be baptized in Jesus' name.

If they had received the Holy Spirit already, why did they have to be baptized? Why did Peter order them to do so? With the understanding that water baptism is for forgiveness of sins, then we can know that they still needed to be baptized to have their sins washed away.

If the Bible says that we receive the Holy Spirit through baptism, what is going on here? It seems that God chooses at times to have the Holy Spirit given in different ways. In John 3, Jesus does say it is hard to understand the Holy Spirit. What we can know for certain is what the Bible tells us. We can know that we receive the Holy Spirit through baptism, and there are times the Holy Spirit descends on people and influences them with or without baptism.

And a woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple fabrics, a worshiper of God, was listening, whose heart the Lord opened to pay attention to the things spoken by Paul. And when she and her household had been baptized, she urged us, saying, "If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house and stay." And she prevailed upon us.

Commentary: This here is a beautiful story of a woman named Lydia. She believed and was baptized along with her family. This was her responding (attending to) the Gospel message. She even welcomed Paul into her house to stay.

This is such a small and seemingly insignificant story to have included in the Bible. It is obviously not insignificant to God. This one woman of faith and her household were baptized and God included this because He cares for her and is glad that she was baptized. Just as when any of us today are baptized, whether a young man or an old woman, He is glad and is glorified when we decided to give our lives to Him and follow the instruction of baptism so that our sin are washed away and we can receive the Holy Spirit. Lydia (which is a beautiful name!) is an example to us all! Let us follow her example and be an example to others.

But about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns of praise to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. And suddenly there came a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the jailhouse were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone's chains were unfastened. And when the jailer awoke and saw the prison doors opened, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. But Paul cried out with a loud voice, saying, "Do not harm yourself, for we are all here!" And he called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas, and after he brought them out, he said, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" And they said, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your house." And they spoke the word of the Lord to him together with all who were in his household. And he took them that very hour of the night and washed their wounds, and immediately he was baptized, he and all his household. And he brought them into his house and set food before them, and rejoiced greatly with his whole household, because he had believed in God.

Commentary: Paul and Silas were arrested and placed in prison. There was an earthquake that set the prisoners free. The prison guard was terrified and asked them what he needed to do to be saved. They told him and his household to believe in Jesus and they would be saved. They then told them about Jesus. The very next thing they did, after they washed their wounds from the earthquake, was to baptize everyone in the guard's household. This is an example where belief was carried out in the action of baptism.

Some will ask why Paul and Silas told the guard he would be saved by believing in Jesus if he also needed to be baptized. Consider that the guard had little or no knowledge of Jesus or God at all. The first step is to believe in God and Jesus as the Messiah, which is what they are telling him. They told him this and then went on to explain the word of God. They surely explained baptism here because the very next thing they do is baptize the guard's entire household. When we come to understand that Baptism is how we obey the Gospel message, verses like this no longer seem contradictory.

And Crispus, the leader of the synagogue, believed in the Lord with all his household, and many of the Corinthians when they heard were believing and being baptized.

Commentary: Here, Paul converted Crispus who was a synagogue leader. Crispus and his household believed and were baptized.

Now it happened that while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul passed through the upper regions and came to Ephesus and found some disciples. And he said to them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?" And they said to him, "No, we have not even heard if the Holy Spirit is being received." And he said, "Into what then were you baptized?" And they said, "Into John's baptism." Then Paul said, "John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in Him who was coming after him, that is, in Jesus." And when they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.

Commentary: Here Paul is talking to some followers who did not know about the baptism of the Holy Spirit but were baptized with John's baptism. Paul differentiates Jesus' baptism from John's and they were then baptized again in the name of Jesus.

This is an appropriate verse for those who have been baptized for something other than what the Bible teachers. See Do I need rebaptized?

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

Commentary: Paul is addressing Jews and telling them of his conversion story. On the road to Damascus, he heard God and was blinded by the light from God. When he arrived in Damascus, a man named Ananias healed Paul and told him to be baptized so his sins would be washed away. The Greek grammar used in this verse indicates that the washing of sins is done in baptism, and the calling of the Lord is done in baptism.

Ananias prefaced his instruction of Paul with asking what he is waiting for. This enforces the sense of urgency always seen with Baptism.

Or do you not know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.

Commentary: When you are baptized, you are baptized into the death of Christ. Therefore, you are dead to sin because it has been washed away by baptism.

Now I mean this, that each one of you is saying, "I am of Paul," and "I of Apollos," and "I of Cephas," and "I of Christ." Has Christ been divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, so that no one would say you were baptized in my name. Now I did baptize also the household of Stephanas; beyond that, I do not know whether I baptized any other. For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to proclaim the gospel, not in wisdom of word, so that the cross of Christ will not be made empty.

Commentary: Paul is writing here to address the divisions in Corinth. They were divided based on who taught them. Paul is saying he is glad he did not baptize many of them himself because they would divide over that. He says that we should be unified in Christ, not divided over who taught us or who baptized us.

Some will say this passage shows that Paul is negating the importance of baptism. This is not the case. His emphasis is on unity here. In fact, his mention of baptism here confirms the idea that all believers were baptized. Some have tried to say that he is separating baptism from the Gospel. However, with the understanding that baptism is in obedience to the Gospel message, he is still talking about unity in Corinth.

For I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud and all passed through the sea; and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea;

Commentary: Similar to how Peter compares baptism to Noah's Ark, Paul compares baptism to Moses and the Israelites crossing the Red Sea!

For also by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.

Commentary: Paul is once again saying that all Christians received one baptism.

For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.

Commentary: Paul is writing to the church in Galicia. Chapter 3 concerns that we are saved by faith and not by doing works. After a long passage about this, he concludes that we are saved by faith and that when we are baptized we put on Christ. This verse in context shows that baptism is not a work, but simply the way we receive the gift of salvation, which is not earned.

There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all.

Commentary: Paul says that Christians are united by a few things, one of which is our baptism. This means all Christians are baptized believers.

in whom you were also circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, in the removal of the body of the flesh, in the circumcision of Christ, having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.

Commentary: When we are baptized, we are put to death and raised again with Jesus!

Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.

Commentary: The writer of Hebrews mentions baptism as something that washes us and cleanses us from an 'evil conscience.'

For Christ also suffered for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, so that He might bring you to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit; in which also He went and made proclamation to the spirits now in prison, who once were disobedient, when the patience of God kept waiting in the days of Noah, during the construction of the ark, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through the water. Corresponding to that, baptism now saves you—not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal of a good conscience to God—through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,

Commentary: Peter compares baptism to Noah's Ark. The world was wicked and was washed with an all-encompassing flood in order to cleanse it. Peter suggests that this was a saving baptism for those on the Ark. He says that now we are saved in a similar way through baptism. He clarifies that baptism is not a bath, but an appeal to God. Some have tried to interpret Peter's remarks as to say baptism is not required for salvation. However, this is the same Peter who instructed baptism on the day of Pentecost. This is not a change in instruction, but an explanation of what is going on during baptism.