Why are “be baptized” in different voices in Acts 2:38 and Acts 22:16?
Question:
I would love your thoughts on this.
In Acts 2:38, "be baptized" is a third-person verb in the passive voice, unlike the second-person verbs of "repent" and "hear" (Acts 2:22). This confirms that baptism is less of a work for the sinner to perform and more a work for the sinner to submit to.
In Acts 22:16, however, when Ananias commanded Saul to be baptized, "be baptized" is a second-person verb in the middle voice. In this tense, the subject is both the actor and recipient of the action. So, was Paul told to baptize himself?
Answer:
In the active voice, the subject acts on the object: "Joe hit the ball." In the passive voice, the object receives the action: "The ball was hit by Joe." The Greek language has a middle voice where the action affects both the subject and the object.
By being in the middle voice, Ananias is telling Paul to submit to baptism, but in doing so, he also will receive a benefit: his sins will be washed away. "The convert in 'getting baptised' was conceived as doing something for himself, not merely as receiving something" [Expositor's Greek New Testament]. Another way to phrase this is that Paul is choosing to submit himself to baptism. It is an action that Paul takes, which is also done to him.
In Acts 2:38, a person is to repent (active voice) and be baptized (passive voice), gaining forgiveness of sin and receiving (middle voice) the gift of the Holy Spirit. The Greek word lepsesthe (you will receive) is grammatically a second-person, indicative, future, middle verb.
- Indicative means that this is an assertion, which is why it is translated as will receive.
- Future means that we are talking about something that has not happened yet.
- Middle means that the subject (you) has a vested interest in the action. The emphasis is on the subject rather than the action.
At the time Peter spoke these words, his audience had not yet been baptized. Thus, what they will receive is in their future. Peter is emphasizing that they have a vested interest in receiving the gift. This gift comes in response to their action (repenting) and submission (being baptized). It is not just a gift given to them (that would require a passive voice). It is not something they are earning (that would require an active voice).
