1 Peter 3:20 Meaning and Explanation
“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 (KJV)
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Read Full Chapter →These spirits had been disobedient in Noah's day, when God waited patiently while the ark was built and eight were saved through water.
What Does 1 Peter 3:20 Mean?
Peter identifies the spirits as those who were disobedient long ago, in the days of Noah, while God waited with great patience and the ark was being built. Only a few, eight souls, were brought safely through the water.
The patience of God is the quiet center here: he waited through the long years of the ark's construction, holding back judgment, giving room. And the deliverance came through water, the same flood that judged the world carrying the faithful few to safety. Peter joins this ancient scene to Christ's proclamation to the spirits and to the salvation of his readers, drawing a line from Noah's small rescued household to their own.
1 Peter 3:20 in the Original Language
makrothymia (μακροθυμία), 'longsuffering' -- patient endurance, the slowness to anger that waits long before judgment.
Frequently Asked Questions About 1 Peter 3:20
What does 1 Peter 3:20 mean?
These spirits had been disobedient in Noah's day, when God waited patiently while the ark was built and eight were saved through water.