ris3n's Apologetics Codex

1 Peter 3.18-19

type: passage created: 2026-05-06 updated: 2026-05-06 book: 1 Peter chapter: 3 verses: "18-19" translation_default: ASV / WEB / KJV / YLT tags: [scripture] citation_count: 2 enriched: false

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1 Peter 3.18-19

Book: 1 Peter · ASV / WEB / KJV / YLT

Immediate context (±2 verses)

ASV (ASV)

"16. having a good conscience; that, wherein ye are spoken against, they may be put to shame who revile your good manner of life in Christ. 17. For it is better, if the will of God should so will, that ye suffer for well-doing than for evil-doing."

"18. Because Christ also suffered for sins once, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God; being put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit; 19. in which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison,"

"20. that aforetime were disobedient, when the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water: 21. which also after a true likeness doth now save you, even baptism, not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the interrogation of a good conscience toward God, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ;" (1 Peter 3:16-21, ASV)

WEB (WEB)

"16. having a good conscience; that, while you are spoken against as evildoers, they may be disappointed who curse your good way of life in Christ. 17. For it is better, if it is God’s will, that you suffer for doing well than for doing evil."

"18. Because Christ also suffered for sins once, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring you to God; being put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit; 19. in which he also went and preached to the spirits in prison,"

"20. 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. 21. 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," (1 Peter 3:16-21, WEB)

KJV (KJV)

"16. Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ. 17. For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing."

"18. For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: 19. By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison;"

"20. 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. 21. 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:" (1 Peter 3:16-21, KJV)

YLT (YLT)

"16. having a good conscience, that in that in which they speak against you as evil-doers, they may be ashamed who are traducing your good behaviour in Christ; 17. for [it is] better doing good, if the will of God will it, to suffer, than doing evil;"

"18. because also Christ once for sin did suffer, righteous for unrighteous, that he might lead us to God, having been put to death indeed, in the flesh, and having been made alive in the spirit, 19. in which also to the spirits in prison having gone he did preach,"

"20. who sometime disbelieved, when once the long-suffering of God did wait, in days of Noah, an ark being preparing, in which few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water; 21. also to which an antitype doth now save us, baptism, (not a putting away of the filth of flesh, but the question of a good conscience in regard to God,) through the rising again of Jesus Christ," (1 Peter 3:16-21, YLT)

Setting

  • Speaker: Peter the Apostle (with Silvanus as scribe)
  • Audience: Christian believers scattered in Asia Minor
  • Location: composed in Rome (referred to as 'Babylon')
  • Time period: composed c. AD 62-64 (before Peter's martyrdom under Nero)

Theological reading

Key words

Why these four translations

ris3n chose ASV, WEB, KJV, and YLT for two reasons together. They are the most literal English translations available (formal-equivalence: word-for-word renderings that preserve the Hebrew and Greek grammar rather than smoothing it into modern dynamic-equivalence idiom). And they are in the public domain in the United States, which means fair-use quotation at any length requires no publisher license. Modern licensed translations (NASB95, ESV, NIV) restrict volume of quotation under their copyright terms, so they are not used at stub-level coverage here. NASB95 appears only on hand-curated rich passage hubs under Lockman Foundation's fair-use allowance.

The four:

  • ASV (American Standard Version, 1901). The basis of the modern critical-text English tradition.
  • WEB (World English Bible, contemporary). Public-domain revision in the ASV line, in current English.
  • KJV (King James Version, 1611). Reformation-era, Textus Receptus base.
  • YLT (Young's Literal Translation, Robert Young, 1862). Hyper-literal preservation of Hebrew and Greek grammar; useful for word-study work even where English reads stiff.

See Bibles for the full per-translation history, translators, textual basis, strengths, and weaknesses.