Acts 22:16 Meaning and Explanation
“And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →To a man undone by meeting Jesus, the call is plain: rise, be washed, and call on His name.
The Context of Acts 22:16
Paul, on trial before a Jerusalem crowd, retells his own conversion. These are the words Ananias of Damascus spoke to him after the blinding light on the road, when the fierce persecutor had been waiting three days, sightless and fasting (Acts 9:9-18). Paul quotes them back years later to explain how his new life began.
What Does Acts 22:16 Mean?
Saul has been knocked flat by the risen Jesus and has sat three days in darkness, his old certainties in ruins. Now Ananias comes with a gentle urgency: why wait any longer? Rise, be baptized, and let your sins be washed away as you call on the name of the Lord. The words gather up everything a new believer does in turning to Christ: a getting up, a public washing, and a calling out to Jesus by name. The cleansing is the Lord's work; the calling is Saul's open response to it.
The man who once hunted believers is here invited to be made clean, and so is anyone. The washing away of sins is not something we accomplish for ourselves; it flows from the One we call upon. Jesus meets the worst of our past with a fresh and decisive start, and He waits to be called on by name. To anyone weighed down by what they have done, this verse holds out the same uncluttered welcome it held out to Saul.
Acts 22:16 in the Original Language
epikaleo (ἐπικαλέω), 'calling on' -- to call upon, to invoke by name; the same word used when Scripture says all who call on the Lord shall be saved.
How to Apply Acts 22:16 Today
However far we feel from God, the welcome here is direct and unhurried: rise, be washed, and call on the name of the Lord. The cleansing of our past is His to give, not ours to earn, and it comes to those who simply call on Him. Like Saul, we can stop waiting and turn to Jesus, who meets us with a clean and genuine new beginning.
Frequently Asked Questions About Acts 22:16
What does Acts 22:16 mean?
To a man undone by meeting Jesus, the call is plain: rise, be washed, and call on His name.
What is the context of Acts 22:16?
Paul, on trial before a Jerusalem crowd, retells his own conversion. These are the words Ananias of Damascus spoke to him after the blinding light on the road, when the fierce persecutor had been waiting three days, sightless and fasting (Acts 9:9-18). Paul quotes them back years later to explain how his new life began.
How can I apply Acts 22:16 today?
However far we feel from God, the welcome here is direct and unhurried: rise, be washed, and call on the name of the Lord. The cleansing of our past is His to give, not ours to earn, and it comes to those who simply call on Him. Like Saul, we can stop waiting and turn to Jesus, who meets us with a clean and genuine new beginning.