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 it he went and preached to the spirits in prison, 20after they were disobedient long ago when God patiently waited in the days of Noah as an ark was being constructed. In the ark a few, that is eight souls, were delivered through water. And this prefigured baptism, which now saves you – not the washing off of physical dirt but the pledge of a good conscience to God – through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 22who went into heaven and is at the right hand of God with angels and authorities and powers subject 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

Words taken from the KJV.

• The like figureἀντίτυποςantitupon · representationG499
• whereuntoὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
• baptismβάπτισμαbaptisma · baptismG908
• dothσῴζωsōzō · to saveG4982
• alsoκαίkai · andG2532
• nowνῦνnun · nowG3568
• usἐγώegō · I/weG1473
• notοὐou · noG3756
• the putting awayἀπόθεσιςapothesis · removalG595
• of the filthῥύποςrhupos · filthG4509
• of the fleshσάρξsarx · fleshG4561
• butἀλλάalla · butG235
• the answerἐπερώτημαeperōtēma · pledgeG1906
• of a goodἀγαθόςagathos · goodG18
• conscienceσυνείδησιςsuneidēsis · conscienceG4893
• towardεἰςeis · towardG1519
• Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
• byδιάdia · through/because ofG1223
• the resurrectionἀνάστασιςanastasis · resurrectionG386
• of JesusἸησοῦςIēsous · JesusG2424
• ChristΧριστόςChristos · ChristG5547

Cross-references for 1 Peter 3:21

• Romans 5:14Yet death reigned from Adam until Moses even over those who did not sin in the same way that Adam (who is a type of the coming one) transgressed.
• 1 Corinthians 4:6I have applied these things to myself and Apollos because of you, brothers and sisters, so that through us you may learn “not to go beyond what is written,” so that none of you will be puffed up in favor of the one against the other.
• Hebrews 9:24For Christ did not enter a sanctuary made with hands – the representation of the true sanctuary – but into heaven itself, and he appears now in God’s presence for us.
• Hebrews 11:19and he reasoned that God could even raise him from the dead, and in a sense he received him back from there.
• Matthew 28:19Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,
• Mark 16:16The one who believes and is baptized will be saved, but the one who does not believe will be condemned.
• Acts 2:38Peter said to them, “Repent, and each one 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 22:16And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized, and have your sins washed away, calling on his name.’
• Romans 6:3Or do you not know that as many as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?
• 1 Corinthians 12:13For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body. Whether Jews or Greeks or slaves or free, we were all made to drink of the one Spirit.
• Galatians 3:27For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.
• Ephesians 5:26to sanctify her by cleansing her with the washing of the water by the word,
• Colossians 2:12Having been buried with him in baptism, you also have been raised with him through your faith in the power of God who raised him from the dead.
• Ezekiel 36:25I will sprinkle you with pure water and you will be clean from all your impurities. I will purify you from all your idols.
• Zechariah 13:1“In that day there will be a fountain opened up for the dynasty of David and the people of Jerusalem to cleanse them from sin and impurity.
• 2 Corinthians 7:1Therefore, since we have these promises, dear friends, let us cleanse ourselves from everything that could defile the body and the spirit, and thus accomplish holiness out of reverence for 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
• Christ, Messiah
• Jesus, Jesus Christ, Christ Jesus
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Jesus Christ
• Adorning
• Chaste
• Conscience

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