Christian Standard Bible
1 Peter 3:20
20who in the past were disobedient, when God patiently waited in the days of Noah while the ark was being prepared. In it a few — that is, eight people — were saved through water.
1 Peter 3:20 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)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.
- New International Version (NIV)to those who were disobedient long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water,
- English Standard Version (ESV)because they formerly did not obey, when God's patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through water.
- New King James Version (NKJV)who formerly were disobedient, when once the Divine longsuffering waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water.
Context of 1 Peter 3:20
18For Christ also suffered for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring you to God. He was put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit, 19in which he also went and made proclamation to the spirits in prison who in the past were disobedient, when God patiently waited in the days of Noah while the ark was being prepared. In it a few — that is, eight people — were saved through water. 21Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you (not as the removal of dirt from the body, but the pledge of a good conscience toward God) through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 22who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God with angels, authorities, and powers subject to him.
Read all of 1 Peter 31 Peter 3:20 word by word
ἀπειθήσασίν ποτε, ὅτε ἀπεξεδέχετο ἡ τοῦ θεοῦ μακροθυμία ἐν ἡμέραις Νῶε κατασκευαζομένης κιβωτοῦ, εἰς ἣν ὀλίγοι, τοῦτ᾽ ἔστιν ὀκτὼ ψυχαί, διεσώθησαν δι᾽ ὕδατος·Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- Which sometimeποτέpote · once/whenG4218
- were disobedientἀπειθέωapeitheō · to disobeyG544
- whenὅτεhote ho te hē te tō te · whenG3753
- onceἅπαξhapax · onceG530
- the longsufferingμακροθυμίαmakrothumia · patienceG3115
- of Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
- waitedἐκδέχομαιekdechomai · to wait forG1551
- inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
- the daysἡμέραhēmera · dayG2250
- of NoahΝῶεNōe · NoahG3575
- while the arkκιβωτόςkibōtos · ark: NoahG2787
- was a preparingκατασκευάζωkataskeuazō · to prepareG2680
- whereinεἰςeis · towardG1519
- ·ὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
- fewὀλίγοςoligos · little/fewG3641
- thatοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
- isεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
- eightὀκτώoktō · eightG3638
- soulsψυχήpsuchē · soul: personG5590
- were savedδιασῴζωdiasōzō · to saveG1295
- byδιάdia · through/because ofG1223
- waterὕδωρhudōr hudatos · waterG5204
Cross-references for 1 Peter 3:20
- Genesis 6:3And the Lord said, “My Spirit will not remain with mankind forever, because they are corrupt. Their days will be 120 years.”
- Isaiah 30:18Therefore the Lord is waiting to show you mercy, and is rising up to show you compassion, for the Lord is a just God. All who wait patiently for him are happy.
- Romans 2:4Or do you despise the riches of his kindness, restraint, and patience, not recognizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance?
- Romans 9:22And what if God, wanting to display his wrath and to make his power known, endured with much patience objects of wrath prepared for destruction?
- 2 Peter 3:15Also, regard the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as our dear brother Paul has written to you according to the wisdom given to him.
- Matthew 24:37As the days of Noah were, so the coming of the Son of Man will be.
- Luke 17:26“Just as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be in the days of the Son of Man:
- Genesis 6:14“Make yourself an ark of gopher wood. Make rooms in the ark, and cover it with pitch inside and outside.
- Hebrews 11:7By faith Noah, after he was warned about what was not yet seen and motivated by godly fear, built an ark to deliver his family. By faith he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.
- Genesis 7:1Then the Lord said to Noah, “Enter the ark, you and all your household, for I have seen that you alone are righteous before me in this generation.
- Genesis 8:1God remembered Noah, as well as all the wildlife and all the livestock that were with him in the ark. God caused a wind to pass over the earth, and the water began to subside.
- Matthew 7:14How narrow is the gate and difficult the road that leads to life, and few find it.
- Luke 12:32Don’t be afraid, little flock, because your Father delights to give you the kingdom.
- Luke 13:24“Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because I tell you, many will try to enter and won’t be able
- 2 Peter 2:5and if he didn’t spare the ancient world, but protected Noah, a preacher of righteousness, and seven others, when he brought the flood on the world of the ungodly;
- Genesis 7:17The flood continued for forty days on the earth; the water increased and lifted up the ark so that it rose above the earth.
Commentaries on 1 Peter 3:20
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 20When once the long-suffering of God waited - In Pirkey Aboth, cap. v. 2, we have these words: "There were ten generations from Adam to Noah, that the long-suffering of God might appear; for each of these generations provoked him to anger, and went on in their iniquity, till at last the deluge came." Were saved by water - While the ark was preparing, only Noah's family believed; these amounted to eight persons; and these only were saved from the deluge '…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 20Which sometime were disobedient - Which were “once,” or “formerly,” ( potedisobedient or rebellious. The language here does not imply that they had ceased to be disobedient, or that they had become obedient at the time when the apostle wrote; but the object is to direct the attention to a former race of people characterized by disobedience, and to show the patience evinced under their provocations, in endeavoring to do them good. To say that people were…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 14-22Verses 14-22 We sanctify God before others, when our conduct invites and encourages them to glorify and honour him. What was the ground and reason of their hope? We should be able to defend our religion with meekness, in the fear of God. There is no room for any other fears where this great fear is; it disturbs not. The conscience is good, when it does its office well. That person is in a sad condition on whom sin and suffering meet: sin makes suffering…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 20only eight souls: These were Noah, his wife, their three sons, and the sons’ wives (Genesis 6:18; 8:18).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2020. once--not in the oldest manuscripts. when ... the long-suffering of God waited in the days of Noah--Oldest manuscripts. Greek, "was continuing to wait on" (if haply men in the hundred twenty years of grace would repent) until the end of His waiting came in their death by the flood. This refutes Alford's idea of a second day of grace having been given in Hades. Noah's days are selected, as the ark and the destroying flood answer respectively to…Read the comment
Topics related to 1 Peter 3:20
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on 1 Peter 3
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Illustrated New Testament
- Burkitt’s Expository Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Family Bible Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- The People’s New Testament
- Robertson’s Word Pictures
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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