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

19Through the Ruach He also went and preached to the spirits in prison. 20Long 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. Corresponding 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 3:21 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 5:14Nevertheless death reigned from Adam until Moses, even over those who had not sinned in a manner similar to the violation of Adam, who is a pattern of the One to come.
• 1 Corinthians 4:6Now I have applied these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, brothers and sisters, so you might learn from us not to go beyond what is written. Then none of you will be puffed up in favor of one against the other.
• Hebrews 9:24For Messiah did not enter into Holies made with hands—counterparts of the true things—but into heaven itself, now to appear in God’s presence on our behalf.
• Hebrews 11:19He reasoned that God was able to raise him up even from the dead—and in a sense, he did receive him back from there.
• Matthew 28:19Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, immersing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Ruach ha-Kodesh,
• Mark 16:16He who believes and is immersed shall be saved, but he who does not believe shall be condemned.
• Acts 2:38Peter said to them, “Repent, and let each of you be immersed in the name of Messiah Yeshua for the removal of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Ruach ha-Kodesh.
• Acts 22:16Now why are you waiting? Get up and be immersed, and wash away your sins, calling on His Name.’
• Romans 6:3Or do you not know that all of us who were immersed into Messiah Yeshua were immersed into His death?
• 1 Corinthians 12:13For in one Ruach we were all immersed into one body—whether Jewish or Greek, slave or free—and all were made to drink of one Ruach.
• Galatians 3:27For all of you who were immersed in Messiah have clothed yourselves with Messiah.
• Ephesians 5:26to make her holy, having cleansed her by immersion in the word.
• Colossians 2:12You were buried along with Him in immersion, through which you also were raised with Him by trusting 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 from all your uncleanness and from all your idols.
• Zechariah 13:1“In that day a spring will be opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem to cleanse them from sin and impurity.
• 2 Corinthians 7:1Therefore, since we have these promises, loved ones, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of body 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