Miss Muriel Oberst who lives in Portland, Oregon, wrote to Greek Professors at different Universities concerning the Greek word "eis" concerning its meaning. The following answers from these Greek professors certainly speak for themselves and clearly show that "eis" cannot mean "because of." Please examine the following:

 

LETTER #1 - The Greek proposition "eis" is not used to express cause. One of its common uses is to express purpose. That is the usage illustrated in the passage you quote from Acts (2:38). Peter means, "Let each one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the purpose of the remission of your sins." I hope this information will be adequate for your needs. Sincerely, Frederick M. Combellack, University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon.

 

LETTER #2 - Thank you for your letter of November 4. I think that "eis" never means "because of" in the sense of "as a result of." It may mean "because of" in the sense of "with a view to," as apparently it does in this passage. That is, it may express the end, either literal or figurative, toward which an action tends. In this passage, the remission of sins is the end of the act of baptism. Very sincerely yours, J.B. McDiarmid, Executive Officer, University of Washington, Department of Classics, Seattle 5.

 

LETTER #3 - As far as I am able to determine, "eis," in the New Testament, at any rate, can only be translated by some such phrase as "for the purpose of," "in order to accomplish," and the like. It could be translated "because of" in the sense of "for the purpose of," or "for the cause of" which mean exactly the same thing. It could never mean "because of" in the sense of "on account of." Sincerely, Robert B. Cross, Department of Greek and Latin, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California

 

LETTER #4 - I do not believe that "eis" ever means "because of," and certainly not in the passage you quote: Peter said to them, "Repent and be baptized, each of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the sake of forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." Here "eis" is certainly not causal, but final, meaning "for the purpose of," "in order to receive." Yours very sincerely, John L. Heller, Professor of the Classics, University of Illinois

 

LETTER #5 - To the best of my knowledge, "eis" cannot mean "because of." It does not express cause, but frequently expressed purpose. Acts 2:38, I shall translate (literally) as follows: And Peter (said) to them, Repent, and let each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for remission of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Sincerely yours, John V. A. Fine, Department of Classics, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey.

 

LETTER #6 - The preposition "eis" can never have the force of "because of" at any period of the language. Its primary meaning is always "to," "into," or in the N.T. and Modern Greek "in." It is used in this passage in the metaphorical sense of "limit of motion," i.e., "be baptized 'unto' or 'with a view to' remission of sins." This use is fairly frequent in the N.T., particularly with the articular infinitive. Cf. Roman. 3:25; Mt. 20:19; Rom. 1:11; Cor. 9:28 etc. Yours sincerely, Waren E. Blake, Professor the of Greek Language and Literature,; Dep't of Greek, University of Michigan.

 

LETTER #7 - The preposition denotes "purpose." "For the remittance of your sins" or with a view to the remittance, etc.," or "in order to (gain) remittance" or some such expression. "Peter said to them, "Repent and be baptized each of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remittance of your sins and receive the gift of the holy Spirit." "eis" could be translated "because of" only when "because of" means "purpose." E. Bundy, Asst. Prof. of Classics, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, CA.

 

LETTER #8 - I should say that "eis" indicates not result or consequence but rather end or design. I should translate, "Let everyone of you be baptized (the attainment of) forgiveness of sins..." The meaning "because of" is utterly out of the question." Henry B. Dewing, Bowdoin College and president of Athens College, Athens, Greece.

 

LETTER #9 - "In order to," but "for the purpose of" is better; because the fundamental universal meaning of "eis" is "toward," "into," "in the direction of"; and not "out of," "arising from," or "because of." Henry Darling Brackett, Professor of Greek, Clark College.

 

LETTER #10 - The meaning of "eis" may be either of two things, either to indicate the purpose...or to indicate the result. In the first place, it would be translated in order to gain; in the second, with the result of, the preposition "eis" never means "because of." Frank Hugh Foster, Instructor of New Testament Greek in Oberlin Graduate School of Theology

 

LETTER #11 - "Repent and be baptized" and "sins are forgiven." Our problem at this point is to determine the relationship of these two expressions as we find it indicated in the Greek preposition "eis" usually translated "into" but having a variety of meanings including "unto," "for," "in regards to." It is not easy to determine the precise relationships between these processes. We may regard the Greek "eis" as resultive, i.e.--the "baptism of repentance" results in forgiveness of sin. However, "eis" could also designate the purpose of the baptism... In English we can use the ambiguous conjunctive phrase "so that" and translate the portion of the verse as "repent and be baptized so that their sins may be forgiven." The use of "so that...may" still leaves some ambiguity, as between purpose and result, but the principal emphasis is upon purpose. E.A. Nida, member of Editorial board of "The Bible Translator," Vol. 3, No. 3, July 1952, page 101.

 

LETTER #12 - In respect to your inquiry about the force of the preposition "eis" in the passage of the New Testament to which you refer (Acts 2:38), I should say that it denoted intent or purpose, with a view to, much as if it has been written, "so as to obtain the remission of sins." Professor Flagg, Cornell University.

 

LETTER #13 - Peter spoke to them, "repent and let each one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ to the end (that there may be) delivery from your sins." "Eis" cannot mean "because of" but as very often in the N.T. "for the purpose of." J. H. Huddleston, Professor of Greek, University of Maine

 

LETTER #14 - Peter aid unto them You must repent and everyone of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, in order to have your sins forgiven." It (eis) never means "because of". Edgar J. Goodspeed, Professor of Biblical and Patristic Greek, University of Chicago.

 

LETTER #15 - We are inclined to agree with you that the evidence of its usage and interpretation in context indicate that the proposition (Eis in Acts 2:38) is used to indicate purpose. Donald L. Wise, Moody Bible Institute.

 

LETTER #16 - "Change your attitudes and let each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the removal of your sins." "Eis" takes the accusative "aphesin." I don't see that it can mean anything but "for," "for the purpose of." Clinton W. Keys, Assistant Professor of Greek and Latin, Columbia University, New York City.

 

LETTER #17 - But there is one meaning it (eis) never bears, not more in Biblical Greek than in Classical, and that is the causal (because of). He paraphrases--If you are sorry of your sins and you undergo baptism, your sins will be forgiven and the Holy spirit granted to you. Canon Emile Chartier, Vice Rector, Montreal University.