1 Peter 3:20

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 Messiah once suffered for sins also—the righteous for the unrighteous—in order to bring you to God. He was put to death in the flesh, but made alive by the Ruach. 19Through the Ruach He also went and preached to the spirits in prison. Long ago they disobeyed while God kept waiting patiently, in the days of Noah as the ark was being built. In that ark a few (that is, eight souls) were brought safely through water. 21Corresponding to that, immersion now brings you to safety—not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but a pledge to God of a good conscience—through the resurrection of Messiah Yeshua. 22He has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels and authorities and powers subjected to Him.

1 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 Adonai said, “My Spirit will not remain with humankind forever, since they are flesh. So their days will be 120 years.
• Isaiah 30:18Therefore Adonai is longing to be gracious to you. Thus He will be exalted, so He may have mercy on you. For Adonai is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for Him.
• Romans 2:4Or do you belittle the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience—not realizing that God’s kindness leads you to repentance?
• Romans 9:22Now what if God, willing to demonstrate His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much patience vessels of wrath designed for destruction?
• 2 Peter 3:15Bear in mind that the patience of our Lord means salvation—just as our dearly loved brother Paul also wrote to you with the wisdom given to him.
• Matthew 24:37“For just as the days of Noah were, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.
• Luke 17:26As it was in the days of Noah, so will it also be in the days of the Son of Man.
• Genesis 6:14Make for yourself an ark of gopher wood. You shall make the ark with compartments and smear pitch on it, both inside and out.
• Hebrews 11:7By faith Noah, when warned about events not yet seen, in holy fear prepared an ark for the safety of his household. Through faith he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.
• Genesis 7:1Then Adonai said to Noah, “Come—you and all your household—into the ark. For you only do I perceive as righteous before Me in this generation.
• Genesis 8:1Then God remembered Noah and all the wild animals and all the livestock that were with him in the ark. So God caused a wind to pass over the land and the water subsided.
• Matthew 7:14How narrow is the gate and difficult the way that leads to life, and those who find it are few.”
• Luke 12:32Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father chose to give you the kingdom.
• Luke 13:24“Make every effort to enter through the narrow door; for many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able.
• 2 Peter 2:5He did not spare the ancient world. He preserved only Noah, a proclaimer of righteousness, along with seven others, when He brought a flood upon the world of the ungodly.
• Genesis 7:17The flood was forty days upon the land, and the waters increased and lifted the ark, so that it rose above the land.

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

• Antediluvians
• Ark
• Baptism
• Flood
• God Continued...
• Noah
• Sin
• Types

In the dictionaries

• God
• Noah
• Adorning
• Chaste
• Contrariwise
• Deluge
• Japheth
• 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