Keraia
1 Peter 3

1 Peter 3:20

Suffering for Righteousness · 1 Peter 3:14–22
Read 1 Peter 3

Translations

Modern
…who disobeyed long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In the ark a few people, only eight souls, were saved through water.
Traditional
Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.
Literal
…at one time having disobeyed, when the longsuffering of God was waiting in the days of Noah, of the ark being prepared, in which a few—that is, eight souls—were saved through water,
Latin
…qui increduli fuerant aliquando, quando exspectabant Dei patientiam in diebus Noë, cum fabricaretur arca: in qua pauci, id est octo animæ, salvæ factæ sunt per aquam.

Original

Greek
English
…who disobeyed long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In the ark a few people, only eight souls, were saved through water.

Notes

1 Peter 3:20

only eight souls: These were Noah, his wife, their three sons, and the sons’ wives (Genesis 6:18; 8:18).

1 Peter 3:19–20

This difficult passage has been widely interpreted in three ways:

  1. One interpretation says that these were the spirits of people who had died, and that Christ preached the good news to them after his resurrection. However, the New Testament does not support the idea that people can hear the good news or respond to it after death. Because of this, it is not likely that spirits in this passage refer to the spirits of dead people.

  2. A second interpretation understands 3:19–20 as describing Christ preaching through Noah to the people who lived in Noah’s time. These people are now spirits in prison. This interpretation would explain the reference to people in the days of Noah in 3:20. However, it does not fit well with the main discussion about Christ’s death and resurrection in 3:18.

  3. In the third interpretation, the spirits in prison are evil spiritual beings. Jewish tradition, based on Genesis 6:1–4, taught that many angels rebelled during the time of Noah (see also Jude 1:6; 1 Enoch 6–10). In this view, Peter is saying that Christ announced his victory over these evil spiritual powers after his resurrection (compare 1 Peter 3:22).

1 Peter 3:18–22

As in 2:21–25, Peter again points to Christ as an example for believers who suffer. Christ was righteous, yet he suffered (3:13–17). His unique work for us reminds suffering Christians that their hope and confidence rest on a secure foundation.

Theme notes and profiles

Noah Simon Peter Salvation in Isaiah

People

Noah: Righteous man, built ark, survived flood

Glossary

Baptism Bible, Manuscripts and Text of the (New Testament) Descent into Hell Gospel Intermediate State Longsuffering Music Patience Peter, First Letter of Place of the Dead Soul Spirits in Prison The Flood

Topics

Antediluvians: Noah Preaches To Ark: Noah's: Noah and Family Preserved In Baptism of the Holy Spirit Baptism with the Holy Spirit: Renews and Cleanses the Soul Baptism: Typified Flood: References To Floods God: Longsuffering of Infant and Adult Baptism Noah: Son of Lamech: Builds an Ark (Ship) and Saves his Family from the Great Flood Repentance: we should be Led To, by The Patience of God Sin: Love of The Deluge of Baptism The Deluge: Patience of God Exhibited in Deferring The Deluge: The Wicked Warned of The Patience of God: Exercised Toward: The Wicked Types of Christ: Ark Types: Miscellaneous: The Saving of Noah and his Family, of the Salvation Through the Gospel