1 Peter 3:20-22
New English Translation
20 after they were disobedient long ago[a] when God patiently waited[b] in the days of Noah as an ark was being constructed. In the ark[c] a few, that is eight souls, were delivered through water. 21 And this prefigured baptism, which now saves you[d]—not the washing off of physical dirt[e] but the pledge[f] of a good conscience to God—through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 22 who went into heaven and is at the right hand of God[g] with angels and authorities and powers subject to him.[h]
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 1 Peter 3:20 tn This reflects a Greek participle, literally “having been disobedient formerly,” that refers to the “spirits” in v. 19. Many translations take this as adjectival describing the spirits (“who had once been disobedient”; cf. NASB, NIV, NKJV, NLT, NRSV, TEV), but the grammatical construction strongly favors an adverbial interpretation describing the time of the preaching, as reflected above.
- 1 Peter 3:20 tn Grk “the patience of God waited.”
- 1 Peter 3:20 tn Grk “in which,” referring to the ark; the referent (the ark) has been specified in the translation for clarity. Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
- 1 Peter 3:21 tn Grk “which also, [as] an antitype, now saves you, [that is] baptism.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
- 1 Peter 3:21 tn Grk “the removal of the dirt of the flesh,” where flesh refers to the physical make-up of the body with no moral connotations.
- 1 Peter 3:21 tn Or “response”; “answer.”
- 1 Peter 3:22 tn Grk “who is at the right hand…having gone into heaven.”
- 1 Peter 3:22 tn Grk “angels…having been subjected to him.”
1 Peter 3:20-22
New International Version
20 to those who were disobedient long ago when God waited patiently(A) in the days of Noah while the ark was being built.(B) In it only a few people, eight in all,(C) were saved(D) through water, 21 and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you(E) also—not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a clear conscience(F) toward God.[a] It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ,(G) 22 who has gone into heaven(H) and is at God’s right hand(I)—with angels, authorities and powers in submission to him.(J)
Footnotes
- 1 Peter 3:21 Or but an appeal to God for a clear conscience
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