And this water symbolizes the baptism that now saves you also—not the removal of dirt from the body, but the pledge of a clear conscience toward God—through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,
Parallel translations
- WEB This is a symbol of baptism, which now saves you — not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,
- KJV 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:
- NKJV There is also an antitype which now saves us—baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,
- NASB Corresponding to that, baptism now saves you—not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God for a good conscience—through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,
- NLT And that water is a picture of baptism, which now saves you, not by removing dirt from your body, but as a response to God from a clean conscience. It is effective because of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
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
Baptism, which the flood-waters prefigured, saves not by washing the body but as the pledge of a good conscience toward God, grounded in Christ's resurrection. It matters because it points away from ritual to the saving work of Christ.
Overview
Peter links the previous reference to Noah's flood with baptism, calling water salvation a 'symbol' or antitype. He carefully denies any merely physical or magical efficacy ('not the putting away of the filth of the flesh') and locates baptism's meaning in a conscience cleansed before God. Faithful Christians differ over how directly baptism conveys grace, but all agree its power rests entirely on Christ's resurrection, not the water itself.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 23
- Mark 16:16Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.
- Ezek 36:25–26I will also sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean. I will cleanse you from all your impurities and all your idols.
- Gal 3:27For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.
- Acts 2:38Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
- Acts 22:16And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized, and wash your sins away, calling on His name.’
- Eph 5:26to sanctify her, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word,
- Rom 10:9–10that if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
- 1 Pet 1:3Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
- 1 Cor 12:13For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free, and we were all given one Spirit to drink.
- Matt 28:19Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit,
- Col 2:12And having been buried with Him in baptism, you were raised with Him through your faith in the power of God, who raised Him from the dead.
- Rom 6:3–6Or aren’t you aware that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?
- Titus 3:5–7He saved us, not by the righteous deeds we had done, but according to His mercy, through the washing of new birth and renewal by the Holy Spirit.
- 1 Tim 6:12Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made the good confession before many witnesses.
- Acts 8:36As they traveled along the road and came to some water, the eunuch said, “Look, here is water! What is there to prevent me from being baptized?”
- Heb 9:24For Christ did not enter a man-made copy of the true sanctuary, but He entered heaven itself, now to appear on our behalf in the presence of God.
- Acts 16:33At that hour of the night, the jailer took them and washed their wounds. And without delay, he and all his household were baptized.
- 1 Cor 4:6Brothers, I have applied these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, so that you may learn from us not to go beyond what is written. Then you will not take pride in one man over another.
- 2 Cor 7:1Therefore, beloved, since we have these promises, let us cleanse ourselves from everything that defiles body and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
- Zech 13:1“On that day a fountain will be opened to the house of David and the people of Jerusalem, to cleanse them from sin and impurity.
- Rom 5:14Nevertheless, death reigned from Adam until Moses, even over those who did not sin in the way that Adam transgressed. He is a pattern of the One to come.
- Heb 11:19Abraham reasoned that God could raise the dead, and in a sense, he did receive Isaac back from death.
- 2 Cor 1:12And this is our boast: Our conscience testifies that we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially in relation to you, in the holiness and sincerity that are from God—not in worldly wisdom, but in the grace of God.
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 3:21 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.
How traditions read this
Sign-and-seal or the means of the new birth?
Baptism does not itself save; it is the sign and seal of what saves — faith, repentance, regeneration, union with Christ. Scripture can still say baptism "saves" by sacramental union: sign and thing-signified are so joined that the name of one is given to the other.
Key points · Sign and seal, not the cause; sacramental union (WCF 27.2); "the answer of a good conscience."
Derek Thomas; the Westminster divines · Westminster Confession 27.2; Ligonier
Baptism is the ordinary instrument through which God gives the new birth, so Peter can say it "saves." Traditions nuance this: Catholic teaching holds it effective in itself (ex opere operato), while Lutherans insist it works only with faith.
Key points · Baptism the means of regeneration; Catholic ex opere operato; Lutheran faith-conditioned.
Catholic and Lutheran traditions · Catechism of the Catholic Church; Augsburg Confession
Each view is stated as that tradition would put it, with representative sources. Limitless Word presents them side by side and endorses none — see the methodology.