1 Peter 3:21 Meaning and Explanation
“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:”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →As the flood prefigured, baptism now saves through the resurrection of Christ, as the pledge of a good conscience toward God.
What Does 1 Peter 3:21 Mean?
Peter draws the waters of the flood forward to baptism, calling the one a figure of the other. As the ark carried Noah through the waters, so baptism now saves, joined to the salvation Christ accomplished.
He guards the meaning carefully. It is not the washing of dirt from the body that saves, but the answer of a good conscience toward God, the inner pledge of a heart turned to him. And the saving power belongs to the resurrection of Jesus Christ; baptism is bound to the risen Lord. Peter sets the outward sign and the inner reality side by side, both held within the power of Christ raised from the dead.
1 Peter 3:21 in the Original Language
eperotema (ἐπερώτημα), 'answer' -- a pledge or appeal, the response of a conscience reaching toward God.
Frequently Asked Questions About 1 Peter 3:21
What does 1 Peter 3:21 mean?
As the flood prefigured, baptism now saves through the resurrection of Christ, as the pledge of a good conscience toward God.