This verse draws another lesson from the two incidents in Israel’s history mentioned in verse 1.

In some Greek manuscripts the verb translated were baptized is in the middle voice, meaning “baptized themselves” or “got themselves baptized.” However, the UBS Greek text maintains the passive voice, and it is translated that way in almost all versions; Revised English Bible has “received baptism.”

For a discussion of the cloud, see comments on 1 Cor. 10.1.

If translators have “Red Sea” in verse 1, the reference in verse 2 may be translated as “sea,” following Revised Standard Version and Good News Bible‘s example.

The expression into Moses may have been invented by Paul on the analogy of baptism “into Christ” (Rom 6.3). Most modern translations add something to bring out the full meaning: Good News Bible has “as followers of Moses”; Bible en français courant renders it as “by being united with Moses.” The probable meaning is “communion with Moses” or “united” with him in the experience of the exodus.

Perhaps verses 1 and 2 may be combined in the following way:
• I want you to remember, fellow Christians, that our ancestors all had the experience of being protected by the pillar of cloud in the desert, and of crossing through the Red Sea with dry feet. They were all, so to speak, baptized in union with Moses by these experiences.

Quoted with permission from Ellingworth, Paul and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians, 2nd edition. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1985/1994. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .