What Does Acts Teach about Baptism?

By Robb Brunansky

Published May 5, 2026

One primary reason for confusion over baptism in the church is because of a misunderstanding of this issue in the book of Acts.

Understanding Acts, however, is challenging because the narratives take place during a transitional period of history as we move from the old to the new covenant. As such, not everything within Acts is normative for the church throughout its history. A related challenge is sorting out what is descriptive from prescriptive in the book. Something descriptive simply means Luke, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, is telling us what happened. Something prescriptive means Luke is telling us what the church should emulate in every place and at all times.

If we properly sort through these challenges, we see that the examples in Acts help us understand the importance of baptism and how the early church obeyed Jesus’ command to make disciples. Acts shows that baptism is by immersion, for believers, and an outward manifestation of repentance, faith in Jesus, cleansing from sin, and the reception of the Holy Spirit.

To recognize these truths about baptism in Acts, we need to begin with the final charge.

Luke, the author of Acts, assumes Theophilus, the original reader, is familiar with everything in his Gospel, including baptism (Acts 1:1-2). Theophilus understands, therefore, that baptism began with John the Baptist as an outward demonstration of repentance for forgiveness of sins, that baptism was by immersion as people confessed their sins and need of forgiveness, and that Jesus’ baptism set the standard for Christian baptism moving forward. He also understands that Jesus had a baptism to undergo at the cross, and that baptism is a metaphor for divine judgment. This foundation gives us a better understanding of baptism in Acts.

The book of Acts begins with Jesus’ final charge to His disciples – the Great Commission (Acts 1:4-5; cf. Matthew 28:18-20). Jesus does not give His disciples clarity about the kingdom’s consummation because they have a final charge to keep, which is to testify about Him to all the nations (Acts 1:7-8). The apostles are to go to the remotest part of the earth to make disciples, and the first step in the process of learning to obey Christ for a new disciple is to be baptized. Nothing in this passage indicates anyone other than disciples are to be baptized.

With that foundation, we move to how baptism relates to the first Christians.

On Pentecost, Peter says, “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” (Acts 2:38). Those who have repented should be baptized in water to demonstrate forgiveness of sins. John the Baptist also baptized people as a sign of repentance (Matthew 3:11).

Peter adds, “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” (Acts 2:39). This promise is from the preceding verse – forgiveness of sins and the gift of the Spirit, which were key pillars of the new covenant promise prophesied in the Old Testament. That promise was for Peter’s hearers, their children, those who are far off, and as many as God would call to Himself.

So, how does this promise apply to these people’s children? Is Peter indicating unbelieving children should be baptized? The answer must be a resounding “no” because that would then mean that we not only must baptize these individuals’ children but also all who are far off (referencing Gentiles). The promise comes only to those God calls to Himself, demonstrated by repentance. We should not baptize unbelieving children any more than unbelieving Gentiles. Members of both groups have the same gospel and promise of salvation if they repent and believe.

The text is also clear that the people who were baptized were those who received God’s Word (Acts 2:41). The apostles did not baptize children, but only those who repented and recognized Jesus is Lord and Christ. We see, then, that people at Pentecost were baptized as a sign of cleansing, that they received the Holy Spirit upon repentance, and that only those who received the Word were baptized.

A second scene later in the book is more puzzling (Acts 8:4-24). Philip travels to Samaria, preaching Christ and performing miraculous signs, leading to many believing in Jesus (Acts 8:12).  The indication again is only those who believed the gospel were to be baptized. Though the mention of repentance is largely omitted from this account, we see in Acts that Luke gives several summary statements using one or both of ‘repentance’ and ‘faith,’ teaching that these two are always linked in the apostolic preaching of the gospel.

There is a third scene, which is the conversion of the Ethiopian eunuch (Acts 8:26-40). The text reflects the early church belief that baptism required faith in Christ, which the eunuch clearly proved. This account matches the description in the Gospel accounts, that baptism is performed by immersion in water.

We also should consider how baptism relates to family conversions (or household baptisms), which are some of the most used arguments by pedobaptism proponents.

The inaugural household baptisms recorded occur with Cornelius and his household, who were the first Gentile converts (Acts 10-11). As Peter preached the gospel, the Spirit fell on those who were listening, which was irrefutable evidence God was saving Jews and Gentiles the same way, cleansing their hearts by faith in Christ. Once Peter saw these Gentiles receiving the Spirit, he concluded they needed to be baptized in water. Peter does not suggest that anyone who does not have the Spirit should be baptized, but only those who have received the Holy Spirit. This event demonstrated the conversion, and therefore, the baptism of the entire household.

The second episode is with Lydia, where we don’t know exactly what the makeup of her household was (Acts 16:14-15). Because this episode is compressed, it’s best to allow the other household baptisms to inform our understanding rather than seeing it as an exception or deriving doctrine from the white spaces.

The third episode informs the second more clearly, with the Philippian jailer (Acts 16:25-34). After Paul and Silas evangelized the jailer and his household, the recipients of the gospel message believed in God and were baptized (Acts 16:34). It is an amazing work of grace that not only the jailer, but everyone else in his house, came to saving faith in Christ. If he had children, they were old enough to understand and believe the gospel, for the text is clear that everyone in his house received salvation.

In these accounts, these household baptisms are better described as family conversions, because everyone in the unit is converted, then baptized. The baptisms taught in the Gospels continue to be the practice throughout Acts: of believers, by immersion, as an outward sign of receiving the Spirit and receiving forgiveness through faith in Jesus as Messiah.

We must consider one last aspect in Acts, which is baptism as it relates to the fading Covenant.

One of the strangest accounts relating to baptism happens when Paul encountered disciples of John the Baptist in Ephesus (Acts 19:1-7). These men had no knowledge of the Spirit – or presumably the Messiah, so Paul pointed them to Jesus. The men believed in Christ and were baptized. To simplify this passage: Acts 19 closes the door on the old covenant.

As we mentioned at the onset, Acts is a book of transitions. This account demonstrates that the old covenant was fading and insufficient to save. It was not enough to believe in Moses or John the Baptist’s ministry or baptism. It was not enough to be part of God’s old covenant people. The old covenant was finished. The only way to be accepted by God was now to become part of His new covenant people through faith in Jesus the Messiah. Water baptism, then, is an outward identification with Christ and His new covenant people, the church.

That’s why water baptism is so important and mentioned repeatedly throughout the book of Acts. It’s not because it’s salvific; rather, water baptism is a public declaration that our trust for salvation from God’s wrath is Christ alone. Acts shows us baptism is a declaration that only Christ saves us from our sins, and that we have believed in Him for salvation.