SEV Biblia, Chapter 2:41
Así que, los que recibieron su palabra, fueron bautizados; y fueron aadidas a ellos aquel día como tres mil personas.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Acts 2:41
Verse 41. They that gladly received his word] The word asmenwv, which signifies joyfully, readily, willingly, implies that they approved of the doctrine delivered; that they were glad to hear of this way of salvation; and that they began immediately to act according to its dictates. This last sense is well expressed in a similar phrase by Josephus: when speaking of the young Israelites enticing the Midianitish women to sin, by fair speeches, he says, ai de asmenwv dexamenai touv logouv sunhesan autoiv, Ant. l. iv. c. 4. Then they who approved of their words consorted with them. The word is however omitted by ABCD, Coptic, Sahidic, AEthiopic, Vulgate, the Itala of the Codex Bezae, Clemens, and Chrysostom. Were baptized] That is, in the name of Jesus, ver. 38, for this was the criterion of a Jew's conversion; and when a Jew had received baptism in this name he was excluded from all communication with his countrymen; and no man would have forfeited such privileges but on the fullest and clearest conviction. This baptism was a very powerful means to prevent their apostasy; they had, by receiving baptism in the name of Jesus, renounced Judaism, and all the political advantages connected with it; and they found it indispensably necessary to make the best use of that holy religion which they had received in its stead. Dr. Lightfoot has well remarked, that the Gentiles who received the Christian doctrine were baptized in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost; whereas the Jewish converts, for the reasons already given, were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
Were added-three thousand souls.] proseteqhsan, They went over from one party to another. The Greek writers make use of this verb to signify that act by which cities, towns, or provinces changed their masters, and put themselves under another government. So these 3000 persons left the scribes and Pharisees, and put themselves under the teaching of the apostles, professing the Christian doctrine, and acknowledging that Christ was come, and that he who was lately crucified by the Jews was the promised and only Messiah; and in this faith they were baptized.
These 3000 were not converted under one discourse, nor in one place, nor by one person. All the apostles preached, some in one language, and some in another; and not in one house-for where was there one at that time that could hold such a multitude of people? For, out of the multitudes that heard, 3000 were converted; and if one in five was converted it must have been a very large proportion. The truth seems to by this: All the apostles preached in different, parts of the city, during the course of that day; and in that day, th hmera ekeinh, 3000 converts were the fruits of the conjoint exertions of these holy men. Dr. Lightfoot thinks that the account in this place is the fulfillment of the prophecy in Psa. cx. 1, &c.: The Lord said unto my Lord, sit thou on my right hand; this refers to the resurrection and ascension of Christ. Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power, Psa. cx. 3. This was the day of his power; and while the apostles proclaimed his death, resurrection, and ascension, the people came willingly in, and embraced the doctrines of Christianity.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 41. Then they that gladly received his word , etc.] The Syriac version adds, and believed; what Peter said concerning repentance and baptism, and especially concerning remission of sins, and the gift of the Holy Ghost; and concerning the promise of Christ, and salvation by him, of the pardon of sin, and of the Holy Spirit; which doctrine they received with great joy and gladness, it being suitable to their case; and very readily, and willingly, as the Syriac and Arabic versions render it; for they were now made a willing people in the day of Gods power, and now that promise, or prophecy, in ( <19B003> Psalm 110:3) had a remarkable accomplishment; these converts were the dew of Christs youth, as well as instances of his powerful and efficacious grace: not all that heard this sermon of Peters received his doctrine in this manner, only some; and so the Syriac and Arabic versions render the words, and some of them readily received, etc. which shows the distinguishing grace of God in this instance. The Vulgate Latin and Ethiopic versions leave out the word gladly, which should not be omitted: and as soon as they had received the word, and were comforted by it, they were baptized ; in water, by immersion, for which there was great conveniency in Jerusalem, and in the temple, where the apostles now were: in the city of Jerusalem, in private houses, they had their baths for purifications, by immersion, as in the case of menstruous, gonorrhoeas, and other defilements, by touching unclean persons, and things, which were very frequent; so that a digger of cisterns, for such uses, and others, was a business in Jerusalem. Says Simeon Sicana f127 , who was a digger of cisterns, ditches, and caves, in Jerusalem, to R. Jochanan ben Zaccai, I am as great a man as thou art; he made answer to him, why? (or your reason for it;) he replied to him, because I am employed in the necessary affairs of many, (or of the public,) as you are; for says he, if a man comes to you for judgment, or to ask a question, you say to him, drink out of this cistern, whose waters are pure, and cold; or, if a woman asks thee concerning her monstrous, you say to her, ylbj , dip in this cistern, whose waters purify.
And in the temple there was an apartment, called hlybj tyb , the dipping place, or room, where the high priest dipped himself on the day of atonement f128 : and besides, there were ten lavers of brass, made by Solomon; and every laver held forty baths of water, and each was four cubits broad and long, sufficient for immersion of the whole body of a man; and to these Herbanus the Jew seems to have respect, when he says, that in the outer part of Solomons temple, there were louthrhv , lavers, in every side, (or all around,) which were free, or open, for the use of all; to which, he thinks, the prophet Isaiah has respect, in ( Isaiah 1:16).
Those were for the priests, both to wash their hands and feet at, and also to wash the burnt offerings; (see Exodus 30:18-19 2 Chronicles 4:6) f130 : and who were likewise obliged, very often, to bathe, or dip their whole bodies in water; for if a priest went out of the temple for a little while to speak with a friend, hlybj w[j , he was obliged to dipping: and if he nodded, he was obliged to wash his hands and his feet; but if he slept, he was obliged to dip himself; yea, a man might not go into the court, or to service, even though he was clean, lbwj awh d[ , until he dip himself f131 . Add to this, that there was the molten sea also for the priests to wash in, ( 2 Chronicles 4:6) which was done by immersion; on which one of the Jewish commentators has these words: the sea was tlybjl , for the dipping of the priests; for in the midst of it, they dipped themselves from their uncleanness; but in the Jerusalem Talmud there is an objection, is it not a vessel? as if it was said, how can they dip in it, for is it not a vessel? and there is no dipping in vessels: R. Joshua ben Levi replied, a pipe of water was laid to it from the fountain of Etam, and the feet of the oxen, (which were under the molten sea,) were open at the pomegranates; so that it was as if it was from under the earth, and the waters came to it, and entered, and ascended, by the way of the feet of the oxen, which were open beneath them, and bored.
The reason of the objection is, because bathing, or dipping for purification, was not made in vessels, but in gatherings, or pools of water upon the ground; and which objection is removed, by observing, that a pipe was laid from the fountain of Etam, which supplied it with spring, or running water; so that the molten sea, and the lavers, were looked upon all one as pools of water, or springs of water, and as fit for immersion. This sea was ten cubits from brim to brim, and five cubits high, and held two thousand baths, ( 1 Kings 7:23,26). Yea, three thousand, as in ( 2 Chronicles 6:5) and every laver held forty baths, ( 1 Kings 7:38) and every bath held four gallons and a half, and between seven and eight gallons of wine measure. And it may be observed, that there were also in Jerusalem the pool of Bethesda, into which persons went down at certain times, ( John 5:1) and the pool of Siloam, where persons bathed, and dipped themselves, on certain occasions; See Gill John 9:7 . So that there were conveniences enough for baptism by immersion in this place: and the same day there were added; unto them, or to the church, as in ( Acts 2:47) the whole company of the hundred and twenty disciples; the Arabic version supplies, among the believers: the number of those, that were added to them, were about three thousand souls; or persons, men, and women; and their number is no objection to their being baptized by immersion. As for convenient places to baptize in, there were enough, as we have seen already; and there were administrators sufficient for this work: had there been no more than the twelve apostles, it was but two hundred and fifty men apiece; and there were twelve separate places in the temple, where they might be baptizing at the same time; there were the ten lavers, the molten sea, and the dipping room, so that the work was not so very heavy nor difficult; but besides, there were seventy disciples, who, as they were preachers of the word, were administrators of this ordinance; and supposing them all employed, as they might be, at the same time, either in the temple, or at the pools in Jerusalem, or at the baths, and cisterns, in private houses; they would not have more than six or seven and thirty persons apiece to baptize; and there was time enough in the day for it; it was but the third hour, or nine oclock in the morning, when Peter began his sermon; and allowing an hour for that, there were eight hours more in the day, according to the Jewish reckoning of twelve hours in a day; so that the business might be done without any hurry, or great fatigue; and indeed, the objection, as to time, would equally lie against sprinkling, or pouring, as dipping; at least the difference is very inconsiderable; for the same form of words must be pronounced in administering the ordinance by the one, as by the other; and a person being ready, is very near as soon dipped into water, as water can be taken, and sprinkled, or poured on the face. Besides, after all, though these persons were added to the church the same day, it does not necessarily follow from the text, that they were all baptized in one day; the words do not oblige us to such a sense: I own, I am of opinion, that they were all baptized in one day; and that on the same day they were baptized, they were joined to the church; and that day was the day of Pentecost, the day on which the law was given on Mount Sinai, and on which now the Gospel was published to men of all nations under the heavens; the day on which the firstfruits were offered to the Lord, and on which now the firstfruits of the death, resurrection, and ascension of Christ were brought in to him. Let the order be observed, they were first baptized, and then added to the church.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 37-41 - From the first delivery of that Divine message, it appeared that ther was Divine power going with it; and thousands were brought to the obedience of faith. But neither Peter's words, nor the miracle the witnessed, could have produced such effects, had not the Holy Spiri been given. Sinners, when their eyes are opened, cannot but be pricke to the heart for sin, cannot but feel an inward uneasiness. The apostl exhorted them to repent of their sins, and openly to avow their belie in Jesus as the Messiah, by being baptized in his name. Thus professin their faith in Him, they would receive remission of their sins, an partake of the gifts and graces of the Holy Spirit. To separate from wicked people, is the only way to save ourselves from them. Those wh repent of their sins, and give up themselves to Jesus Christ, mus prove their sincerity by breaking off from the wicked. We must sav ourselves from them; which denotes avoiding them with dread and holy fear. By God's grace three thousand persons accepted the gospe invitation. There can be no doubt that the gift of the Holy Ghost which they all received, and from which no true believer has ever bee shut out, was that Spirit of adoption, that converting, guiding sanctifying grace, which is bestowed upon all the members of the famil of our heavenly Father. Repentance and remission of sins are stil preached to the chief of sinners, in the Redeemer's name; still the Holy Spirit seals the blessing on the believer's heart; still the encouraging promises are to us and our children; and still the blessings are offered to all that are afar off.
Greek Textus Receptus
οι 3588 T-NPM μεν 3303 PRT ουν 3767 CONJ ασμενως 780 ADV αποδεξαμενοι 588 5666 V-ADP-NPM τον 3588 T-ASM λογον 3056 N-ASM αυτου 846 P-GSM εβαπτισθησαν 907 5681 V-API-3P και 2532 CONJ προσετεθησαν 4369 5681 V-API-3P τη 3588 T-DSF ημερα 2250 N-DSF εκεινη 1565 D-DSF ψυχαι 5590 N-NPF ωσει 5616 ADV τρισχιλιαι 5153 A-NPF
Robertson's NT Word Studies
2:41 {They qen} (hoi men oun). A common phrase in Acts either without antithesis as in #1:6; 5:41; 8:4,25; 9:31; 11:19; 16:5; or with it as here, #8:25; 13:4; 14:3; 17:17; 23:31; 25:4. oun connects with what precedes as the result of Peter's sermon while men points forward to what is to follow. {Were baptized} (ebaptisqesan). First aorist passive indicative, constative aorist. Note that only those who had already received the word and were converted were baptized. {There were added} (proseteqesan). First aorist passive indicative of prostiqemi, old verb to add, to join to. Luke means that the 3,000 were added to the 120 already enlisted. It is not stated they were all baptized by Peter or the twelve or all on the same day, though that is the natural implication of the language. The numerous pools in Jerusalem afforded ample opportunity for such wholesale baptizing and Hackett notes that the habit of orientals would place no obstacle in the way of the use of the public reservoirs. Furneaux warns us that all the 3,000 may not have been genuine converts and that many of them were pilgrims at the passover who returned home. {Souls} (yucai). Persons as in verse #43.
