1 Peter 3:21

That water, by means of which eight people were saved when God punished the other people [MET], represents the water in which we are baptized to show that God has saved us from being punished. The water in which we are baptized does not remove dirt from our bodies. Instead, it shows that we are requesting God to assure us that he has removed our guilt for having sinned. And because Jesus Christ became alive again after he died, we know that God accepted his sacrifice for us and because of that he was able to remove our guilt.

Translation for Translators

In The King James Version

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:

In Context

20Long ago, during the time that Noah was building a big boat, those evil spirits disobeyed God when he waited patiently [PRS] to see if people would turn from their evil behavior. Only a few people were saved { God saved only a few people} in that boat. Specifically, God brought only eight persons safely through the waters of the flood, while all the others drowned in it.

22Christ has gone into heaven and is ruling [MTY] in the place of highest honor ◄next to God/at God’s side►, after God caused all the evil and powerful spirit beings [DOU] to be made subject to him.

Read all of 1 Peter 3

Cross References

Zechariah 13:1At that time it will be as though [MET] there will be a fountain from which water flows continually to cleanse the descendants [MTY] of King David and all the other people in Jerusalem from the guilt of the sins that they have committed, especially from becoming unacceptable to me by worshiping idols.

Mark 16:16Everyone who believes your message and who is baptized will be saved { God will save}. But everyone who does not believe it will be condemned { God will condemn}.

Acts 2:38Peter answered them, “Each of you should turn away from your sinful behavior. Then we(exc) will baptize you, if you now believe in Jesus Christ. Then God will give you the Holy Spirit.

Acts 22:16So now ◄do not delay!/why delay?► [RHQ] Stand up, let me baptize you, and by praying to the Lord Jesus ask God to forgive you (sg) for your sins!’”

Romans 6:3When we were baptized { asked someone to baptize us} in order to show that we have a relationship with (OR, are united to) Jesus Christ, our being baptized was to declare that it was as though we died with Christ. ◄ I want you to remember that!/Do you not know that?► [RHQ]

Matthew Henry on 1 Peter 3:19-21

Christ's Sufferings. ( a. d. 66.) 18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: 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. Here, I. The example of Christ is proposed as an argument for… Read the whole commentary →

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