1 Peter 3:20
“Which sometime were disobedient, when once the long-suffering of God waited in the dayes of Noah, while the Arke was a preparing: wherein few, that is, eight soules were saued by water.”
1611 King James Version (KJV)
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1 Peter 3:20 Context
18For Christ also hath once suffered for sinnes, the iust for the vniust, that he might bring vs to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit. 19By which also he went and preached vnto the spirits in prison, 20Which sometime were disobedient, when once the long-suffering of God waited in the dayes of Noah, while the Arke was a preparing: wherein few, that is, eight soules were saued by water. 21The like figure whereunto, euen Baptisme, doth also now saue vs, (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answere of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Iesus Christ. 22Who is gone into heauen, and is on the right hand of God, Angels, and authorities, and powers being made subiect vnto him.
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Other Translations for 1 Peter 3:20
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.
- King James Version
who once were disobedient, when the patience of God kept waiting in the days of Noah, during the construction of the ark, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through {the} water.
- New American Standard Version (1995)
that aforetime were disobedient, when the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water:
- American Standard Version (1901)
Who, in the days of Noah, went against God's orders; but God in his mercy kept back the punishment, while Noah got ready the ark, in which a small number, that is to say eight persons, got salvation through water:
- Basic English Bible
heretofore disobedient, when the longsuffering of God waited in [the] days of Noah while the ark was preparing, into which few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water:
- Darby Bible
Who formerly were disobedient, when once the long-suffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was preparing, in which few, that is, eight souls, were saved by water.
- Webster's Bible
who in ancient times had been disobedient, while God's longsuffering was patiently waiting in the days of Noah during the building of the Ark, in which a few persons--eight in number--were brought safely through the water.
- Weymouth Bible
who before were disobedient, when God waited patiently in the days of Noah, while the ship was being built. In it, few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water.
- World English Bible
whiche weren sum tyme vnbileueful, whanne thei abididen the pacience of God in the daies of Noe, whanne the schip was maad, in which a few, that is to seie, eiyte soulis weren maad saaf bi water.
- Wycliffe Bible
who sometime disbelieved, when once the long-suffering of God did wait, in days of Noah -- an ark being preparing -- in which few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water;
- Youngs Literal Bible
Wesley's Notes for 1 Peter 3:20
3:20 When the longsuffering of God waited - For an hundred and twenty years; all the time the ark was preparing: during which Noah warned them all to flee from the wrath to come.
People's Bible Notes for 1 Peter 3:20
1Pe 3:20 The long-suffering of God waited in the days of Noah. They had then refused to obey the call to repentance. It is stated in Ge 6:3 that the long suffering of God waited 120 years. This difficult passage has been given two interpretations. The more common view is that Jesus, after his suffering, during the interval before his resurrection, went without the body in a spirit form, to these antediluvians and preached to them. If this view is correct, it only teaches that an offer of salvation was then made to these disobedient ones who had never before heard of Christ before their final judgment. It furnishes no comfort to those that have an opportunity and reject it in this life. It only shows that one opportunity is given to all. The other view is that Christ went "in spirit" in the person of Noah and by him preached to those who were afterwards held in prison on account of their disobedience. The first view seems more in harmony with the context; the second furnishes fewer theological difficulties. Wherein few, that is, eight souls. Only eight souls out of a great multitude were saved; these were saved by water, since it bore up the ark. The Greek word "dia", rendered "by", means "by means of".