I Peter 3:20
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who disobeyed long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In the ark a few people, only eight souls, were saved through water.
Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
once--not in the oldest manuscripts. when . . . the long-suffering of God waited in the days of Noah--Oldest manuscripts. Greek, "was continuing to wait on" (if haply men in the hundred twenty years of grace would repent) until the end of His waiting came in their death by the flood. This refutes ALFORD'S idea of a second day of grace having been given in Hades. Noah's days are selected, as the ark and the destroying flood answer respectively to "baptism" and the coming destruction of unbelievers by fire. while the ark was a-preparing-- (Heb 11:7). A long period of God's "long-suffering and waiting," as Noah had few to help him, which rendered the world's unbelief the more inexcusable. wherein--literally, "(by having entered) into which." eight--seven (the sacred number) with ungodly Ham. few--so now. souls--As this term is here used of living persons, why should not "spirits" also? Noah preached to their ears, but Christ in spirit, to their spirits, or spiritual natures. saved by water--The same water which drowned the unbelieving, buoyed up the ark in which the eight were saved. Not as some translate, "were brought safe through the water." However, the sense of the preposition may be as in Co1 3:15, "they were safely preserved through the water," though having to be in the water.
Open source ↗Wherein the apostle describes the duties of husbands and wives one to another, beginning with the duty of the wife (Pe1 3:1-7). He exhorts Christians to unity, love, compassion, peace, and patience under sufferings; to oppose the slanders of their enemies, not by returning evil for evil, or railing for railing, but by blessing; by a ready account of their faith and hope, and by keeping a good conscience (Pe1 3:8-17). To encourage them to this, he proposes the example of Christ, who suffered, the just for the unjust, but yet punished the old world for their disobedience, and saved the few who were faithful in the days of Noah (Pe1 3:18 to the end).
Open source ↗3:20 Only eight people: That is, Noah, his wife, their three sons, and their wives (Gen 6:18; 8:18).
Open source ↗Cross-references
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By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in godly fear built an ark to save his family. By faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.
if He did not spare the ancient world when He brought the flood on its ungodly people, but preserved Noah, a preacher of righteousness, among the eight;
So the LORD said, “My Spirit will not contend with man forever, for he is mortal; his days shall be 120 years.”
Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great upon the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was altogether evil all the time.
So Noah came out, along with his sons and his wife and his sons’ wives.
But small is the gate and narrow the way that leads to life, and only a few find it.
On that very day Noah entered the ark, along with his sons Shem, Ham, and Japheth, and his wife, and the three wives of his sons—
But God remembered Noah and all the animals and livestock that were with him in the ark. And God sent a wind over the earth, and the waters began to subside.
Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father is pleased to give you the kingdom.
What if God, intending to show His wrath and make His power known, bore with great patience the vessels of His wrath, prepared for destruction?