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In the previous article, we explored the meaning of the Greek preposition eis in Acts 2:38 and found that it consistently points forward to something, never backward. According to BDAG, the leading Greek lexicon, eis in Acts 2:38 means “for forgiveness of sins, so that sins might be forgiven.”¹ No major Greek lexicon defines eis as meaning “because” or pointing backward. BDAG, Mounce, Thayer, Louw-Nida, and Strong’s all agree. They show eis means into, toward, or with a view to—always pointing ahead. It speaks of direction, result, or purpose. This forward-looking sense is consistent throughout the New Testament. 

Yet some scholars argue that eis can be causal, meaning “because of,” suggesting that baptism in Acts 2:38 happened because forgiveness had already taken place. In this article, we will examine those claims. In a subsequent post, we’ll evaluate the New Testament passages often used to support that view.

You’re sitting at the kitchen table with an open Bible and a friend who’s eager to learn. You’ve just read Acts 2:38 out loud: “Repent and be baptized…for the forgiveness of your sins.” Your friend pauses. “But I thought baptism isn’t necessary for salvation. My pastor said the word ‘for’ is a translation of the Greek word eis, which means ‘because of.’ So, someone baptized them because God had already forgiven their sins.”