By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison;
Parallel translations
- WEB in which he also went and preached to the spirits in prison,
- BSB in whom He also went and preached to the spirits in prison
- NKJV by whom also He went and preached to the spirits in prison,
- NASB in which He also went and made proclamation to the spirits in prison,
- NLT So he went and preached to the spirits in prison—
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
In or by the spirit Christ went and made proclamation to 'the spirits in prison.' This verse is debated, but it affirms Christ's victory and authority extending even to the imprisoned spirits.
Overview
This is among the most difficult verses in the New Testament, and faithful Christians have understood it variously. Some take it as the pre-incarnate Christ preaching through Noah to that disobedient generation; others as the risen or descended Christ proclaiming his triumph to spirits (often understood as fallen angels or the disobedient of Noah's day) held in confinement. While the precise reference is uncertain, the clear point is Christ's vindication and sovereign authority following his death, encouraging believers that he reigns even over the unseen realm.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 8
- 1 Pet 4:6For for this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.
- Isa 61:1The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;
- Isa 42:7To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house.
- Isa 49:9That thou mayest say to the prisoners, Go forth; to them that are in darkness, Shew yourselves. They shall feed in the ways, and their pastures shall be in all high places.
- Neh 9:30Yet many years didst thou forbear them, and testifiedst against them by thy spirit in thy prophets: yet would they not give ear: therefore gavest thou them into the hand of the people of the lands.
- Rev 20:7And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,
- Rev 19:10And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.
- 1 Pet 1:11–12Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
The lamb without blemish foreknown before the world, who bore our sins in his body on the tree, by whose wounds we are healed — the Shepherd and Overseer of our souls.
How 1 Peter 3:19 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.