1:5a–b

For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit: Here the word For introduces an explanation of why the disciples should wait (1:4c). A few days from this time the Holy Spirit would come.

1:5a

baptized with water: The verb baptized means to purify people with a special ritual that uses water. Here the ritual involved purification from sin. It did not mean that the person was cleaned to remove dirt. Baptism was an initiation that marked the beginning of a person’s life as one of God’s pure people.

Here are some ways to translate baptized:

• Use a descriptive term. For example:

ritually wash
-or-
initiate people in/with water
-or-
immerse people in water for God
-or-
sprinkle/shower people with God’s initiation water

• Use a term for a similar ritual that is already used in your culture. You may need to indicate that it has a special connection with God here. For example:

purify people with God’s ceremonial bath
-or-
wash people in initiation water for God

• Use a term that is already accepted by the local churches. In some areas this term may have been borrowed from the national language or transliterated from Greek or English.

Churches use different ways to baptize people. Choose a term that is acceptable to the different churches in your area.

1:5b

but: This conjunction indicates a contrast between what John the Baptist did in 1:5a and what God will do in 1:5b.

in a few days: Here this phrase refers to a time period of about ten days. Your translation should allow for that many days.

you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit: The word baptized here is a metaphor. It indicates that God would send the Holy Spirit to stay in them and help them. Some languages will have difficulty using baptized as a metaphor. If that is true in your language, you may need to:

• Explain the meaning of the metaphor in your translation. For example:

you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit ⌊when he is given to you⌋ ⌊and remains in you⌋

• Translate the meaning of the metaphor. For example:

you will be given the Holy Spirit ⌊and he will remain in you⌋
-or-
the Holy Spirit will be caused to live in you

You may then want to explain the literal words in a footnote. Here is an example footnote:

Literally: “you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” This uses “baptized” as a metaphor that refers to God causing the Holy Spirit to live in believers and help them.

• Translate literally and explain in a footnote. Here is an example footnote:

The word “baptized” here is a metaphor. It indicates that God would send the Holy Spirit to stay in the believers and help them. Acts 2:1–4 describes the first time when God “baptized” them with the Holy Spirit.

you will be baptized: This clause is passive. Here are some ways to translate it:

• Use a passive verb, as in the Berean Standard Bible.

• Use an active verb. For example:

⌊God⌋ will baptize you

with the Holy Spirit: The word with is used as a metaphor. Here it indicates that God would cause the Holy Spirit to live in believers and always be there to help them. Luke uses the word with to indicate the difference from the effect of John’s baptism to what God would do for believers.

In some languages a literal translation would not have that meaning. If that is true in your language, translate the correct meaning. For example:

by ⌊giving you⌋ the Holy Spirit
-or-
by ⌊causing⌋ the Holy Spirit ⌊to live in you⌋

General Comment on 1:5a–b

If possible, use the same word for “baptize” in the phrases “baptized with water” and “baptized with the Holy Spirit.” Doing this will help show the contrast. For example:

John put you in water, but God will put the Holy Spirit ⌊in your hearts/minds⌋.

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