-- Answer: "REPENT" and "BE BAPTIZED" --

Contrary to the thinking of many people today, Acts 2:38 shows that one must do more than merely repent to be forgiven -- one must also be baptized!

In 1977 I became a Christian. Prior to that time, I had been in various religious denominations that taught salvation by "faith only." I can remember reading this verse way back then and knowing that it did say I had to also be baptized; but, at the time, I would have to blot out from my mind that "be baptized" part because it wasn't in harmony with what the denominational preacher and the others there were teaching me. How wrong I had been.

I heard a story once about a Christian who was trying to teach a woman the need for water baptism. It seemed that he was getting nowhere, so he asked the woman to merely read Acts 2:38; and he wouldn't say anything. After reading the verse, the woman looked up to the silent man and said, "But that's your opinion."

Still another person once said during the course of a Bible study, "You can't get baptism out of Acts 2:38!" "That's right, ma'm," the fellow replied. "It's there to stay!"

"And Peter said to them, "Repent, and let each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins...." (NASB).

Interestingly, one of the earlier editions of the New International Version renders Acts 2:38 as follows: "Peter replied, 'Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ SO THAT YOUR SINS MAY BE FORGIVEN...." (emphasis mine).

Could it be any clearer than that?