1 Peter 3:18

1 Peter 3:18 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:
• New International Version (NIV)For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit.
• English Standard Version (ESV)For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit,
• New King James Version (NKJV)For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit,

Context of 1 Peter 3:18

16and keep a good conscience so that in the thing in which you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ will be put to shame. 17For it is better, if God should will it so, that you suffer for doing what is right rather than for doing what is wrong. For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit; 19in which also He went and made proclamation to the spirits now in prison, 20who once were disobedient, when the patience of God kept waiting in the days of Noah, during the construction of the ark, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through the water.

1 Peter 3:18 word by word

ὅτι καὶ Χριστὸς ἅπαξ περὶ ἁμαρτιῶν ἔπαθεν, δίκαιος ὑπὲρ ἀδίκων, ἵνα ὑμᾶς προσαγάγῃ τῷ θεῷ, θανατωθεὶς μὲν σαρκί, ζῳοποιηθεὶς δὲ πνεύματι,Read the interlinear

• ChristΧριστόςChristos · ChristG5547
• alsoκαίkai · andG2532
• diedἀποθνήσκωapothnēskō · to dieG599
• for sinsἁμαρτίαhamartia · sinG266
• onceἅπαξhapax · onceG530
• justδίκαιοςdikaios · justG1342
• unjustἄδικοςadikos · unjustG94
• soἵναhina · in order that/toG2443
• bringπροσάγωprosagō · to bring nearG4317
• us to Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
• having been putθανατόωthanatoō · to killG2289
• in the fleshσάρξsarx · fleshG4561
• but madeζωοποιέωzōopoieō · to make aliveG2227
• spiritπνεῦμαpneuma · spirit/breath: spiritG4151

Cross-references for 1 Peter 3:18

• 1 Peter 2:21For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps,
• 1 Peter 4:1Therefore, since Christ has suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same purpose, because he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin,
• Isaiah 53:4Surely our griefs He Himself bore, And our sorrows He carried; Yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken, Smitten of God, and afflicted.
• Romans 5:6For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.
• Romans 8:3For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh,
• 2 Corinthians 5:21He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
• Galatians 1:4who gave Himself for our sins so that He might rescue us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father,
• Galatians 3:13Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us--for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”--
• Hebrews 9:26Otherwise, He would have needed to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now once at the consummation of the ages He has been manifested to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself.
• Zechariah 9:9Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout in triumph, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; He is just and endowed with salvation, Humble, and mounted on a donkey, Even on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
• Matthew 27:19While he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent him a message, saying, “Have nothing to do with that righteous Man; for last night I suffered greatly in a dream because of Him.”
• Acts 3:14But you disowned the Holy and Righteous One and asked for a murderer to be granted to you,
• Acts 22:14And he said, ‘The God of our fathers has appointed you to know His will and to see the Righteous One and to hear an utterance from His mouth.
• James 5:6You have condemned and put to death the righteous man; he does not resist you.
• 1 John 1:9If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
• Ephesians 2:16and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by it having put to death the enmity.

Commentaries on 1 Peter 3:18

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 18Christ also hath once suffered - See the notes on Romans 5:6; Hebrews 9:28; (note). Put to death in the flesh - In his human nature. But quickened by the Spirit - That very dead body revived by the power of his Divinity. There are various opinions on the meaning of this verse, with which I need not trouble the reader, as I have produced that which is most likely.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 18For Christ also hath once suffered for sins - Compare the notes at 1 Peter 2:21. The design of the apostle in the reference to the sufferings of Christ, is evidently to remind them that he suffered as an innocent being, and not for any wrong-doing, and to encourage and comfort them in their sufferings by his example. The reference to his sufferings leads him 1 Peter 3:18-22 into a statement of the various ways in which Christ suffered, and of his ultimate…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. 18He suffered physical death (literally death in the flesh), but he was raised to life in the Spirit (or in spirit). Flesh and spirit are often contrasted in Scripture (for example, Romans 7:5–6; 8:2–11). In this passage, flesh refers to ordinary human life, and the Spirit refers to the new realm that began through Christ’s death and resurrection. Christ died in the old realm and was brought to life in the new realm.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1818. Confirmation of 1Pe 3:17, by the glorious results of Christ's suffering innocently. For--"Because." That is "better," 1Pe 3:17, means of which we are rendered more like to Christ in death and in life; for His death brought the best issue to Himself and to us [Bengel]. Christ--the Anointed Holy One of God; the Holy suffered for sins, the Just for the unjust. also--as well as yourselves (1Pe 3:17). Compare 1Pe 2:21; there His suffering was brought…Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Peter 3:18

• Antediluvians
• Atonement
• Baptism
• Example
• God
• Holy Spirit
• Jesus Continued
• Jesus, the Christ
• Power
• Quickening
• Suffering
• Trinity

In the dictionaries

• Christ
• God
• Adorning
• Chaste
• Contrariwise
• Noah
• Ornament
• Pitiful
• Quiet
• Railing

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