Old Testament

1 Peter 3:17-21
The Suffering and Exaltation of Christ
17Indeed, it is better, if it is God's will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil, 18because Christ also suffered once for sins in our place,[] the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you[] to God. He was put to death in flesh[] but was made alive in spirit,[] 19in which he also went and made an announcement to the spirits in prison. 20These spirits disobeyed long ago, when God's patience was waiting in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In this ark a few, that is, eight souls, were saved by water. 21And corresponding to that, baptism now saves you—not the removal of dirt from the body but the guarantee[] of a good conscience before God through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Footnotes

  • 3:18 Some witnesses to the text omit in our place.
  • 3:18 Some witnesses to the text read us.
  • 3:18 Here flesh is a reference to Christ's state of humiliation. See Romans 1:3; 1 Timothy 3:16.
  • 3:18 Here spirit is a reference to Christ's state of exaltation. See Romans 1:4; 1 Timothy 3:16.
  • 3:21 Or legal claim, or assurance