ca. 70 A.D., Didache or Teaching of the Twelve Apostles
— Trinitarian formula; effusion or pouring (Infant Baptism) —
7:1-4 In regard to Baptism—baptize thus: After the foregoing instructions, baptize in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit (Matt. 28:19), in living water [i.e., a flowing stream]. If you have no living water, then baptize in other water [i.e., a lake or pool]; and if you are not able in cold, then in warm. If you have neither, pour water three times on the head, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Before the Baptism, let the one baptizing and the one to be baptized fast, as also any others who are able. Command the one who is to be baptized to fast beforehand for one or two days.
— ca. 100 A.D., Death of Saint John, the last of the Apostles —
ca. 150 A.D., Hermas, brother of Pope Saint Pius I, The Shepherd
— Remission of sins; born again through Baptism —
Mandate 4:3:1 “I have heard, sir,” said I, “from some teachers, that there is no other repentance except that which took place when we went down into the water and obtained the remission of our former sins.” He said to me, “You have heard rightly, for so it is. …
“They had need,” [the shepherd] said, “to come up through the water, so that they might be made alive; for they could not otherwise enter into the kingdom of God (John 3:5), except by putting away the mortality of their former life. These also, then, who had fallen asleep, received the seal of the Son of God, and entered into the kingdom of God. For,” he said, “before a man bears the name of the Son of God, he is dead. But when he receives the seal, he puts mortality aside and again receives life. The seal, therefore, is the water. They go down into the water dead, and come out of it alive.”
ca. 150 A.D., Saint Justin the Martyr, First Apology
— Remission of sins; born again through Baptism; Trinitarian formula —
61 Whoever is convinced and believes that what they are taught and told by us is the truth, and professes to be able to live accordingly, is instructed to pray and to beseech God in fasting for the remission of their former sins, while we pray and fast with them. Then they are led by us to a place where there is water; and there they are reborn in the same kind of rebirth in which we ourselves were reborn: in the name of God, the Lord and Father of all, and of our Savior, Jesus Christ, and of the Holy Spirit (Matt. 28:19) they receive the washing with water. For Christ said, "Unless you be reborn, you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven (John 3:3)." ... The reason for doing this, we have learned is from the Apostles.
ca. 181 A.D. Saint Theophilus, Bishop of Antioch, To Autolycus
— Remission of sins; born again through Baptism —
2:16 Moreover, those things which were created from the waters were blessed by God, so that this might also be a sign that men would at a future time receive repentance and remission of sins through water and the bath of regeneration (Titus 3:5)—all who proceed to the truth and are born again and receive a blessing from God.
ca. 185 A.D., Saint Irenaeus, Bishop of Lyons, disciple of Saint Polycarp of Smyrna, Against Heresies
— Infant Baptism; born again through Baptism; remission of sins —
2:22:4 [Jesus] came to save all through Himself,—all, I say, who through Him are reborn in God—infants, and children, and youths, and old men. Therefore He passed through every age, becoming an infant for infants, sanctifying infants; a child for children, sanctifying those who are of that age … .
— Born again through Baptism; Trinitarian formula —
3:17:1 And again, giving the disciples the power of regenerating in God, He said to them: “Go and teach all nations, and baptize them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit” (Matt. 28:19). This He promised through the Prophets, that is in the last days He would pour out upon His servants and handmaids the ability to prophesy (see Joel 2:28). Therefore He did also descend upon the Son of God made Son of man, becoming accustomed to Him to dwell among the human race, to rest with men, to dwell in the workmanship of God, working the will of the Father in them, and renewing them from their old ways into the newness of Christ.
ca. 203 A.D., Saint Clement of Alexandria, The Instructor of the Children
— Born again through Baptism; remission of sins —
1:6:26:1-2 When we are baptized, we are enlightened. Being enlightened, we are adopted as sons. Adopted as sons, we are made perfect. Made perfect, we are become immortal. … This work is variously called grace, illumination, perfection, and washing. It is a washing by which we are cleansed of sins; a gift of grace by which the punishments due our sins are remitted; an illumination by which we behold that holy light of salvation—that is, by which we see God clearly; and we call that perfection which leaves nothing lacking.
ca. 215 A.D., Saint Hippolytus of Rome, Bishop of Pontus, disciple of Irenaeus of Lyons, The Apostolic Tradition
— Effusion or pouring; Infant Baptism —
21 At dawn a prayer shall be offered over the water. Where there is no scarcity of water the stream shall flow through the baptismal font or pour into it from above; but if water is scarce, whether as a constant condition or on occasion, then use whatever water is available.
Let them remove their clothing. Baptise first the children; and if they can speak for themselves, let them do so. Otherwise, let their parents or other relatives speak for them.
ca. 245 A.D., Origen, disciple of Saint Clement of Alexandria, Homilies on Romans
— Trinitarian formula —
5:8 Perhaps you may inquire even into this: why, when the Lord Himself told His disciples that they should baptize all peoples in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit (Matt. 28:19), does this Apostle employ the name of Christ alone in Baptism, saying, “We who have been baptized in Christ” (Rom. 6:3); for indeed, legitimate Baptism is had only in the name of the Trinity.
— Infant Baptism; remission of sins —
5:9 The Church received from the Apostles the tradition of giving Baptism even to infants. For the Apostles, to whom were committed the secrets of the divine mysteries, knew that there is in everyone the innate stains of [original] sin, which must be washed away through water and the Spirit.