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.
Parallel translations
- WEB who before were disobedient, when God waited patiently in the days of Noah, while the ship was being built. In it, few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water.
- BSB 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.
- NKJV who formerly were disobedient, when once the Divine longsuffering waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water.
- NASB who once were disobedient when the patience of God kept waiting in the days of Noah, during the construction of the ark, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through the water.
- NLT those who disobeyed God long ago when God waited patiently while Noah was building his boat. Only eight people were saved from drowning in that terrible flood.
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
These spirits had been disobedient in Noah's day while God patiently waited, and only eight people were saved through water in the ark. God's patience has limits, yet he preserves his faithful remnant.
Overview
Peter ties the 'spirits in prison' to the rebellious generation of Noah's time, when God 'waited patiently' before the flood. Though disobedience was widespread, God rescued 'eight souls' through the ark, saved 'through water.' This account of judgment and salvation sets up Peter's connection to baptism in the following verse and assures a small, pressured church that God preserves his faithful few.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 20
- Heb 11:7By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.
- 2 Pet 2:5And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly;
- Gen 6:3And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years.
- Gen 6:5And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
- Gen 8:18And Noah went forth, and his sons, and his wife, and his sons’ wives with him:
- Gen 6:13And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth.
- Rom 2:4–5Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?
- Matt 7:14Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
- Gen 7:13In the selfsame day entered Noah, and Shem, and Ham, and Japheth, the sons of Noah, and Noah’s wife, and the three wives of his sons with them, into the ark;
- Gen 7:17–23And the flood was forty days upon the earth; and the waters increased, and bare up the ark, and it was lift up above the earth.
- Matt 24:37–39But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
- 2 Cor 2:15–16For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish:
- Rom 9:22What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction:
- Gen 8:1And God remembered Noah, and every living thing, and all the cattle that was with him in the ark: and God made a wind to pass over the earth, and the waters asswaged;
- Luke 13:24–25Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.
- 2 Pet 3:15And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you;
- Luke 12:32Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.
- Isa 30:18And therefore will the LORD wait, that he may be gracious unto you, and therefore will he be exalted, that he may have mercy upon you: for the LORD is a God of judgment: blessed are all they that wait for him.
- Luke 17:26–30And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man.
- Eph 5:26That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,
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