Does Acts 22:16 Teach That Baptism Washes Away Sins?

Acts 22 records Paul’s testimony before the Jewish council. In recounting his conversion, Paul describes how Ananias came to him with these words:

“And now why do you wait? Rise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on his name.” (Acts 22:16)

At first glance, this verse might seem to teach that baptism itself washes away sins. But a closer look at the Greek grammar, the sequence of actions, and the theological context shows something deeper.

The Four Actions in Acts 22:16

Ananias gives Paul a sequence of commands:

Rise (aorist participle, active)
Be baptized (aorist imperative, middle voice)
Wash away your sins (aorist imperative, middle voice)
Call on His name (aorist participle, middle voice)

This isn’t just random wording — the grammar matters.

What the Grammar Tells Us

Aorist tense: Describes an action at a point in time, not an ongoing process.
Participles: Usually describe actions that happen before the main verb, but when everything is in the aorist (as it is here), they can also happen together.
Middle voice: Means the subject is personally involved in the action, often for their own benefit.

Example of middle voice:

Active: “The doctor injected the patient.”
Passive: “The doctor was injected.”
Middle: “The doctor injected himself.”

In Acts 22:16, the verbs “be baptized,” “wash away your sins,” and “call on His name” are all in the middle voice. That means Paul is not a passive recipient of something done to him, but an active participant whose own choice and faith are in view.

Sequential or Simultaneous?

Because the verbs are all aorist, two interpretations are possible:

Sequential:“Having risen, be baptized and wash away your sins, having called on His name.”
Here, “calling on the Lord” (faith) comes first, followed by baptism.
Simultaneous:“Rise, be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on His name.”
Here, the actions are presented together, but still tied to Paul’s active faith-response.

Either way, the grammar places the emphasis on faith (calling on Jesus) as the key element, not the water.

Baptism and Washing Away Sins

If Luke (the writer of Acts) had used the passive voice, the text could suggest: “Let yourself be baptized, and let your sins be washed away by the water.”

But since he used the middle voice, the meaning is closer to: “Get up, have yourself baptized, and deal with your sins by personally calling on the name of the Lord.”

This makes the role of baptism clear:

Baptism is the outward, visible act.
Forgiveness comes through calling on Jesus’ name (faith).
The two are joined together in Paul’s experience, but it is faith that saves, not the ritual.

Context in Paul’s Life

This makes sense when we remember Paul’s story:

On the Damascus road, Paul had already acknowledged Jesus as Lord (Acts 22:10). Faith was already awakened in him.
Baptism, then, became the public expression of that faith — his outward identification with Christ.
Ananias’ charge was urgent: “Don’t delay — confess your faith, be baptized, and let it be seen that you now belong to Jesus.”

The Theology Confirmed

So, does baptism wash away sins? Not in itself.

The washing is tied to calling on the Lord’s name (faith).
Baptism is the God-ordained sign and seal of that faith.
The grammar (middle voice) guards us from reading this as “water saves,” and instead directs us to the central act: trusting in Jesus.

This fits perfectly with the wider New Testament:

“Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” (Romans 10:13)
“Baptism… now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body, but as an appeal to God for a good conscience.”(1 Peter 3:21)

Faith in Christ brings forgiveness; baptism expresses that faith outwardly.

Final Thought

Acts 22:16 shows us that baptism and faith belong together — but it is faith in Jesus that saves, not water. Baptism is the believer’s outward declaration of inward trust.

Ananias’ words to Paul still echo today: “Why do you wait? Rise, and be baptized, and call on His name.”

📚 References

The Holy Bible: Acts 22:16; Romans 10:13; 1 Peter 3:21.
Daniel B. Wallace, Greek Grammar Beyond the Basics (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1996).
Michael S. Heiser, Naked Bible Podcast, Episode 9: Baptism and Problem Passages: Acts 22:16.