Plural - Singular
Those denying the need of baptism for salvation have sought to avoid the connecting of both repentance and being baptized with the phrase 'for the remission of sins'' by asserting that in Acts 2:38 'repent' is second person plural, and 'be baptized," is third person singular, and that the two cannot properly be joined together to obtain the same result. Is this a valid objection? NO
The grammatical rule is, "A masculine noun in the singular, with the article, is often used collectively to denote the whole class. The singular in all such cases presents the distinctive characteristic more exclusively and more forcibly than the plural, designating, as the latter does, a multitude of individuals. Similar to this construction is the use of the singular to express, in reference to a plurality, an object which belongs to each of the individuals."
Liddell & Scott, in their classic Greek lexicon say: "The singular is often joined with a plural verb - they went home -- every one of them. The singular is also put in apposition with a plural noun -- fear seized them every one." (Eighth edition, New York, 1897, page 428).
Thayer, in defining ekastos ("every one of yoj," Acts 2:38), says that this word, when "it denotes individuality, every one of many is often added appositively to nouns and pronouns and verbs in the plural."
Examples from our own usage:
"Ye children," (2nd person plural), "and every one of your ancestors" (3rd person sinuglar), "descended from Adam and Eve."
"Come ye," (2nd person plural), "and be washed every one of you" (3rd person singular), "for the cleansing of your bodies."
"Turn ye," (2nd person plural), "and be ye inoculated every one of you" (3rd person singular) "for the prevention of the flu."
Deuteronomy 4:4
"But ye," (2nd person plural), "that did cleave unto the Lord your God are alive every one of you" (3rd person singular), "this day."