1 Peter 3:21

1 Peter 3:21 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:
• New International Version (NIV)and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also—not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a clear conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ,
• English Standard Version (ESV)Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,
• New King James Version (NKJV)There is also an antitype which now saves us—baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,

Context of 1 Peter 3:21

19in which He also went and made proclamation to the spirits 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. Corresponding to that, baptism now saves you--not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God for a good conscience--through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 22who is at the right hand of God, having gone into heaven, after angels and authorities and powers had been subjected to Him.

1 Peter 3:21 word by word

ὃ καὶ ὑμᾶς ἀντίτυπον νῦν σῴζει βάπτισμα, οὐ σαρκὸς ἀπόθεσις ῥύπου, ἀλλὰ συνειδήσεως ἀγαθῆς ἐπερώτημα εἰς θεόν, δι᾽ ἀναστάσεως Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ,Read the interlinear

• Correspondingἀντίτυποςantitupon · representationG499
• that, baptismβάπτισμαbaptisma · baptismG908
• nowνῦνnun · nowG3568
• savesσῴζωsōzō · to saveG4982
• not the removalἀπόθεσιςapothesis · removalG595
• of dirtῥύποςrhupos · filthG4509
• from the fleshσάρξsarx · fleshG4561
• but an appealἐπερώτημαeperōtēma · pledgeG1906
• to Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
• goodἀγαθόςagathos · goodG18
• conscienceσυνείδησιςsuneidēsis · conscienceG4893
• throughδιάdia · through/because ofG1223
• the resurrectionἀνάστασιςanastasis · resurrectionG386
• of JesusἸησοῦςIēsous · JesusG2424
• ChristΧριστόςChristos · ChristG5547

Cross-references for 1 Peter 3:21

• Romans 5:14Nevertheless death reigned from Adam until Moses, even over those who had not sinned in the likeness of the violation committed by Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come.
• 1 Corinthians 4:6Now these things, brothers and sisters, I have figuratively applied to myself and Apollos on your account, so that in us you may learn not to exceed what is written, so that no one of you will become arrogant in behalf of one against the other.
• Hebrews 9:24For Christ did not enter a holy place made by hands, a mere copy of the true one, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us;
• Hebrews 11:19He considered that God is able to raise people even from the dead, from which he also received him back as a type.
• Matthew 28:19Go, therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,
• Mark 16:16The one who has believed and has been baptized will be saved; but the one who has not believed will be condemned.
• Acts 2:38Peter said to them, “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
• Acts 22:16Now why do you delay? Get up and be baptized, and wash away your sins by calling on His name.’
• Romans 6:3Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death?
• 1 Corinthians 12:13For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.
• Galatians 3:27For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.
• Ephesians 5:26so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word,
• Colossians 2:12having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.
• Ezekiel 36:25Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols.
• Zechariah 13:1“On that day a fountain will be opened for the house of David and for the inhabitants of Jerusalem, for sin and for defilement.
• 2 Corinthians 7:1Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let’s cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

Commentaries on 1 Peter 3:21

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 21The like figure whereunto, etc. - Dr. Macknight has translated this verse so as to make the meaning more clear: By which (water) the antitype baptism (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience towards God) now saveth us also, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. He remarks that the relative ̔ͅ being in the neuter gender, its antecedent cannot be , the ark, which is feminine, but ̔, water, which is neuter…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 21The like figure whereunto, even baptism, doth also now save us - There are some various readings here in the Greek text, but the sense is not essentially varied. Some have proposed to read ( ͂ͅ hō) to which instead of ( ̔́ ho) which, so as to make the sense “the antitype to which baptism now also saves us.” The antecedent to the relative, whichever word is used, is clearly not the ark, but water; and the idea is, that as Noah was saved by water, so there…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. 21symbolizes the baptism: Peter might mean that, just as the water lifted the boat that saved Noah and his family, baptism brings believers into salvation. Or he may mean that, just as Noah and his family passed through water to reach safety, Christians pass through the waters of baptism as part of their salvation. A third possibility is that, just as the water in Noah’s day judged sin, the water of baptism shows the washing away of sin for Christians…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2121. whereunto--The oldest manuscripts read, "which": literally, "which (namely, water, in general; being) the antitype (of the water of the flood) is now saving (the salvation being not yet fully realized by us, compare 1Co 10:1, 2, 5; Jude 5; puts into a state of salvation) us also (two oldest manuscripts read 'you' for 'us': You also, as well as Noah and his party), to wit, baptism." Water saved Noah not of itself, but by sustaining the ark built in…Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Peter 3:21

• Baptism
• Conscience
• Jesus Continued
• Types

In the dictionaries

• Christ
• God
• Jesus
• Adorning
• Chaste
• Conscience
• Contrariwise
• Ornament
• Pitiful
• Quiet

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