Why would a translator get to a word and decide not to translate it and instead just spell it in English? There can be many reasons for this. In some instances the word had already come into the receptor language (in this case English) so that even though the Greek was retained through transliteration, people already knew what the word meant (satan, for instance). In the case of baptism the best explanation I can find is that translating it “to immerse” had political and religious ramifications in the days of the early English translations. They avoided raising those issues by retaining the Greek baptizo. In other words, when the religious practice of the day is pouring and sprinkling it has less ramifications to transliterate the word into “baptism” than it does to actually translate it “immerse.” If they had put immerse in every instance of baptizo (verb) or baptismos (noun) in the New Testament they ran the risk of people questioning their current religious practice and they feared what might result. That, at least, is the take that many people have on why baptism was not translated. I am trying to find a legitimate reference who says that is the case but cannot come up with it. I have looked at Ferguson’s new book on baptism but he doesn’t cover transliteration as he is more interested in the practice itself rather than what English translators did with it 1500 years later.
Translation & Meaning:
Baptizo primarily means to immerse. It can also be translated: to dip, wash, or plunge
(BDAG, 164). In all instances the result is full immersion. In Everett Ferguson’s recent tome on baptism,
Baptism in the early church, he spends over 10 pages citing extra biblical examples of the Greek use of baptizo. Here is his conclusion,
“Baptizo meant to dip, usually through submerging, but it also meant to overwhelm and so could be used whether the object was placed in an element (which was more common) or was overwhelmed by it (often in the metaphorical usages)…Pouring and sprinkling were distinct actions that were represented by different verbs and this usage too continued in Christian sources. When the latter speak of the pouring out of the Holy Spirit or the sprinkling of blood, they do not use baptize for these actions.” (Ferguson, 59)
First let me begin by noting immerse does not mean to submerge and emerge. Immerse puts one in water but it does not take out
second let me note the bible never speaks of baptizo into (eis) water
third let me note The baptism en the Holy spirit has a modal action of pouring
Let’s look at Scripture’s description of baptism with the Spirit and see: Acts 2:16-17 at Pentecost: " … in the last days, says God, I will pour out of my Spirit on all flesh."
Acts 2:33: "Jesus … having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, … poured out this which you now see and hear."
Acts 10:45: " … on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Spirit."
Titus 3:6: " … The Holy Spirit whom (God) poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior."
Isaiah 44:3: "For I will pour water on him who is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my Spirit on your descendants, and My blessings upon your offspring."
The mode of the baptism with the Spirit is not dipping or what is called immersion but pouring. The spiritual washing (loutron) of regeneration and renewal is through the Holy Spirit, whom God poured out abundantly (Titus 3:5-6).
fourth the Jews baptised coming from the market place
Mark 7:3–4 (KJV 1900) — 3 For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, except they wash their hands oft, eat not, holding the tradition of the elders. 4 And when they come from the market, except they
wash, they eat not. And many other things there be, which they have received to hold, as the washing of cups, and pots, brasen vessels, and of tables.
wash is baptizo here
Campbell in his translation writes
Mark 7:3 (for the Pharisees, and indeed all the Jews who observed the tradition of the elders, eat not until they have washed their hands by pouring a little water upon them: lo A Campbell
fourth let me note wash, cleanse purify is the only translation of baptizo which appears in most translations
English Standard Version
2 in 2 verses
Mark 7:4and when they come from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they
wash. And there are many other traditions that they observe, such as the washing of cups and pots and copper vessels and dining couches.)
Luke 11:38The Pharisee was astonished to see that he did not first
wash before dinner.
King James Version
1 in 1 verse
Mark 7:4And when they come from the market, except they
wash, they eat not. And many other things there be, which they have received to hold, as the washing of cups, and pots, brasen vessels, and of tables.
The New International Version (1984)
2 in 2 verses
Mark 7:4When they come from the marketplace they do not eat unless they
wash. And they observe many other traditions, such as the washing of cups, pitchers and kettles.)
Luke 11:38But the Pharisee, noticing that Jesus did not first
wash before the meal, was surprised.
NASB 95
1 in 1 verse
Mark 7:4and when they come from the market place, they do not eat unless they
cleanse themselves; and there are many other things which they have received in order to observe, such as the washing of cups and pitchers and copper pots.)
Fifth Old Testament prophesy of regeneration speaks of sprinkled water
Ezekiel 36:25–27 (KJV 1900) — 25 Then will I
sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. 26 A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. 27 And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.
sixth many Old Testament purification were by sprinkling
Lev 14:51And he shall take the cedar wood, and the hyssop, and the scarlet, and the living bird, and dip them in the blood of the slain bird, and in the running
water, and
sprinkle the house seven times:
Num 8:7And thus shalt thou do unto them, to cleanse them:
Sprinkle water of purifying upon them, and let them shave all their flesh, and let them wash their clothes, and so make themselves clean.
Num 19:18And a clean person shall take hyssop, and dip it in the
water, and
sprinkle it upon the tent, and upon all the vessels, and upon the persons that were there, and upon him that touched a bone, or one slain, or one dead, or a grave:
Num 19:19And the clean person shall
sprinkle upon the unclean on the third day, and on the seventh day: and on the seventh day he shall purify himself, and wash his clothes, and bathe himself in
water, and shall be clean at even.
seven No major modern translation translates baptizo by immerse
