1 Peter 3:19-22
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
19 In it he also went to preach to the spirits in prison,[a] 20 who had once been disobedient while God patiently waited in the days of Noah during the building of the ark, in which a few persons, eight in all, were saved through water.(A) 21 This prefigured baptism, which saves you now. It is not a removal of dirt from the body but an appeal to God[b] for a clear conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,(B) 22 who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers subject to him.(C)
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 3:19 The spirits in prison: it is not clear just who these spirits are. They may be the spirits of the sinners who died in the flood, or angelic powers, hostile to God, who have been overcome by Christ (cf. 1 Pt 3:22; Gn 6:4; Enoch 6–36, especially 21:6; 2 Enoch 7:1–5).
- 3:21 Appeal to God: this could also be translated “pledge,” that is, a promise on the part of Christians to live with a good conscience before God, or a pledge from God of forgiveness and therefore a good conscience for us.
1 Peter 3:19-22
King James Version
19 By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison;
20 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.
21 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:
22 Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him.
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