New Living Translation
1 Peter 3:20
20those who disobeyed God long ago when God waited patiently while Noah was building his boat. Only eight people were saved from drowning in that terrible flood.
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
18Christ suffered for our sins once for all time. He never sinned, but he died for sinners to bring you safely home to God. He suffered physical death, but he was raised to life in the Spirit. 19So he went and preached to the spirits in prison— those who disobeyed God long ago when God waited patiently while Noah was building his boat. Only eight people were saved from drowning in that terrible flood. 21And that water is a picture of baptism, which now saves you, not by removing dirt from your body, but as a response to God from a clean conscience. It is effective because of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. 22Now Christ has gone to heaven. He is seated in the place of honor next to God, and all the angels and authorities and powers accept his authority.
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 6:3Then the Lord said, “My Spirit will not put up with humans for such a long time, for they are only mortal flesh. In the future, their normal lifespan will be no more than 120 years.”
- Isaiah 30:18So the Lord must wait for you to come to him so he can show you his love and compassion. For the Lord is a faithful God. Blessed are those who wait for his help.
- Romans 2:4Don’t you see how wonderfully kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you? Does this mean nothing to you? Can’t you see that his kindness is intended to turn you from your sin?
- Romans 9:22In the same way, even though God has the right to show his anger and his power, he is very patient with those on whom his anger falls, who are destined for destruction.
- 2 Peter 3:15And remember, our Lord’s patience gives people time to be saved. This is what our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you with the wisdom God gave him—
- Matthew 24:37“When the Son of Man returns, it will be like it was in Noah’s day.
- Luke 17:26“When the Son of Man returns, it will be like it was in Noah’s day.
- Genesis 6:14“Build a large boat from cypress wood and waterproof it with tar, inside and out. Then construct decks and stalls throughout its interior.
- Hebrews 11:7It was by faith that Noah built a large boat to save his family from the flood. He obeyed God, who warned him about things that had never happened before. By his faith Noah condemned the rest of the world, and he received the righteousness that comes by faith.
- Genesis 7:1When everything was ready, the Lord said to Noah, “Go into the boat with all your family, for among all the people of the earth, I can see that you alone are righteous.
- Genesis 8:1But God remembered Noah and all the wild animals and livestock with him in the boat. He sent a wind to blow across the earth, and the floodwaters began to recede.
- Matthew 7:14But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it.
- Luke 12:32“So don’t be afraid, little flock. For it gives your Father great happiness to give you the Kingdom.
- Luke 13:24“Work hard to enter the narrow door to God’s Kingdom, for many will try to enter but will fail.
- 2 Peter 2:5And God did not spare the ancient world—except for Noah and the seven others in his family. Noah warned the world of God’s righteous judgment. So God protected Noah when he destroyed the world of ungodly people with a vast flood.
- Genesis 7:17For forty days the floodwaters grew deeper, covering the ground and lifting the boat high 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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