Sophia Scriptura

On Baptism 16

Tertullian · On Baptism · ca. 198–206 · Carthage · Read in context

Summary: Martyrdom is a second baptism, of blood, which takes the place of baptism in water for those who have not received it and restores it for those who have lost it.

Latin text · CSEL 20:214

Est quidem nobis etiam secundum lauacrum, unum et ipsum, sanguinis scilicet, de quo dominus, habeo, inquit, baptismo tingui, cum iam tinctus fuisset. uenerat enim per aquam et sanguinem, sicut Iohannes scripsit, ut aqua tingueretur, sanguine glorificaretur, perinde nos faceret aqua uocatos, sanguine electos. hos duos baptismos de uulnere perfossi lateris emisit, quatenus qui in sanguinem eius crederent, aqua lauarentur, qui aqua lauissent, etiam sanguinem portarent. hic est baptismus qui lauacrum et non acceptum repraesentat et perditum reddit.

English · Claude translation

We have, indeed, a second washing too, itself also one: that of blood, of which the Lord said, “I have a baptism to be dipped with,” when he had already been dipped. For he had come “by water and blood,” as John wrote, so as to be dipped with water and glorified with blood, and likewise to make us called by water, chosen by blood. These two baptisms he sent out from the wound of his pierced side, so that those who believed in his blood might be washed with water, and those who had washed in water might also bear blood. This is the baptism which both stands in for the washing when it has not been received and restores it when it has been lost.

About this passage

Source
CSEL 20:214 · August Reifferscheid and Georg Wissowa, eds., Quinti Septimi Florentis Tertulliani Opera, Pars 1, CSEL 20 (Prague: Tempsky; Vienna: Tempsky; Leipzig: Freytag, 1890), 201–218 · Latin text: August Reifferscheid and Georg Wissowa (CSEL 20), digitized by Open Greek and Latin, University of Leipzig (csel-dev), CC BY-SA 4.0
Text
As printed in CSEL 20. Manuscript variants and the editor's apparatus are not reproduced; no textual problem is noted in this passage.
Translation
Claude translation (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 · Translated by Claude from the Latin text of CSEL 20; made independently of existing English translations.
Compare
Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 3 (1885) (an older public-domain English translation, whole volume at CCEL; checked against ours only after ours was made)
Scripture
Topics
Baptism, Martyrdom

Notes

Translation notes

  • The quotations are Luke 12:50 and 1 John 5:6; the pierced side is John 19:34. “Called … chosen” echoes Matt 22:14.

Cite this passage

Tertullian, Bapt. 16 (trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/tertullian-baptismo/16/).

Plain text
Tertullian, Bapt. 16 (trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/tertullian-baptismo/16/).

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