1 Peter 3:19 - An Understandable Version (2005 edition)

¹⁹ It was by the Holy Spirit that He went to preach [See Eph. 2:17] to the [now departed] spirits [of pre-Flood people who are now] in prison [i.e., Hades].

More versions

King James Version (Oxford) 1769

¹⁹ by which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison;

Amplified Bible - Classic Edition

¹⁹ In which He went and preached to the spirits in prison,

American Standard Version (1901)

¹⁹ in which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison,

Common English Bible

¹⁹ And it was by the Spirit that he went to preach to the spirits in prison.

Catholic Public Domain Version

¹⁹ And in the Spirit, he preached to those who were in prison, going to those souls

1 Peter 3:19 Cross References

1 Peter 4:6

This is the purpose that the Gospel was preached to those who have died physically [for the faith]: It was so that, even though they had been judged physically [i.e., by suffering death at the hands of men], they could still live spiritually in the presence of God.

Revelation 20:7

And when the thousand years are over, Satan will be released from his prison,

Revelation 19:10

Then I fell down in front of him to worship him. But he said to me, “Do not do that; I am [only] a fellow-servant with you and with your brothers who hold onto the testimony about Jesus. You should worship God. For the testimony about Jesus is the spirit [i.e., the purpose, or source] of prophecy.”

1 Peter 3:18

For Christ suffered once for people’s sins [to be forgiven]. [It was the case of] a righteous Man suffering for unrighteous people, so that He could bring you [or, “us”] to God [for salvation]. [Though] He [i.e., Jesus] was put to death physically, He was brought back to life by the Holy Spirit [Note: Some translations say “in spirit”].

1 Peter 3:20

These people had disobeyed [Noah’s preaching, See II Pet. 2:5] back when God’s patience waited [for them to repent, See Gen. 6:3], during the days of Noah, when the ship was being constructed. It was by that means [i.e., the ship floating them to safety through the Flood waters] that a few persons, eight of them, were saved [from destruction] through water.