One of the most misunderstood verses in the Bible is found in 1 Peter 3:18-20 which says “For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit, by whom also He went and preached to the spirits in prison, 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.”
What does this verse mean? Did Jesus preach to spirits in hades or hell? Or did He preach to fallen angels? Or does this verse mean something completely different?
How can we understand this passage of Scripture? When we look at 1 Peter 3:18-20 we must ask a few questions.
- How did Jesus preach to these spirits in prison?
- Who are these spirits in prison?
- And when did He do this?
Thankfully the Bible gives us the answers.
But before we search the Scriptures to discover the answers let us pray…
Dear Heavenly Father,
We thank you that we can always call on you. Please guide us into all truth, grant us an open mind so that we may we simply take your Bible as it reads. We ask for the Holy Spirit to teach us and may we learn from your wonderful word today we pray, in Jesus name amen.
Q: How did Jesus preach to these spirits in prison?
Some think that this verse means that when Christ died on the cross that he went to hades and preached to the spirits in prison. However the word hades or hell is not in the text. Let’s take the verse slowly and see what it means…
One of the keys is verse 18-19 which says
” being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit, 19 by whom also He went and preached to the spirits in prison,” the question is who is the individual mentioned in the words “by whom” found in verse 19?
If you read the verse it says “by the Spirit, 19 by whom” Thus the “by whom” is the Holy Spirit. So with that in mind the verse says the following that Christ by the Holy Spirit “went and preached to the spirits in prison”. OK that makes it a little clearer. But that begs the question…
Q: When did Christ preach to these individuals by the Holy Spirit?
The verse says that Christ by the Holy Spirit “went and preached to the spirits in prison, 20 who formerly were disobedient,” when? The verse states ” 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.”
So Christ by the Holy Spirit preached to the spirits in prison in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared. Thus this happened before Jesus came as a man.
Q: But who are these spirits in prison during the days of Noah?
Well the Bible tells us Satan has “made the world as a wilderness
And destroyed its cities, ” and “did not open the house of his prisoners“. (Isaiah 14:17)
So Satan is the one keeping these prisoners. Prisoners have no freedom. Who is it whom Satan is trying to take captive? Humans of course. Thus, the prisoners are actually humans who are bound to sin. Jesus said “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin” (John 8:34). Slaves are not free, and whoever commits sin is a slave or prisoner to sin, they have no freedom. There is only one who can set us free, “if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.” (John 8:36). Jesus is the only one who can set us free from the prison of sin. This is His mission. One day Jesus stood up to read and He declared of Himself…
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me,
Because He has anointed Me
To preach the gospel to the poor;
He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,
To proclaim liberty to the captives
And recovery of sight to the blind,
To set at liberty those who are oppressed;
To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.”” (Luke 4:18-19)
Praise be to Jesus who can set us free from the prison of sin!
Therefore, Jesus by the Holy Spirit preached to people who were slaves to sin, during the days of Noah while the ark was being prepared.
Q: Who did Christ by the Holy Spirit use? Giving a warning of a coming prophetic flood?
The Bible tells us that “holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.” (2 Peter 1:21) and that “Noah, one of eight people, (was) a preacher of righteousness”. (2 Peter 2:5) Thus 1 Peter 3:18-20 tells us this, that Jesus in His great mercy by the Holy Spirit spoke through Noah, in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared. Striving to redeem those humans in prison to sin, while the ark was being prepared.
Q: Does the rest of the Bible confirm or contradict our interpretation?
It confirms it for it is written speaking during the days of Noah
And the Lord said, “My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, for he is indeed flesh; yet his days shall be one hundred and twenty years.” (Genesis 6:3)
It’s clear that the patience of Jesus is great. By the Holy Spirit He spent 120 years trying to reach the people before the flood came. The world was warned, but when the message was rejected the flood did come. Jesus has told us “As the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” (Matthew 24:37-39, 44) Are you ready for the return of Christ? Do you know what the mark of the beast is directly from the Bible? To learn more about God’s final message of warning to the world we recommend the below related posts and may the Lord bless you as you choose to follow Him.
I am studying theology at the moment ( a PhD scholarship I miraculously got after I started walking seriously with God again). I have come across the scripture verses of Jesus preaching to the spirits in prison, but have never understood it till today. I feel I cannot get enough of the Word. I just want to know more so I can teach others. Thank you for teaching me today and God bless.
Absolutely love your teaching on I Peter 3:18-20!!!
God bless your work for His glorious Kingdom here on earth within His children.
Donna
For sure you explained this very well many sects use the very chapter in supporting their beliefs, yet if we do take it the way they say it would contradict the other bible verses. So thanks very much.
this is amazing, to see how the bible interpret itself. I am now comforted for so long i have struggled searching for an interpretation, for many were excluding the bible principal of interpretation “preciept upon preciept”. This has rely exalted our GOD, The GOD of order and not comfusion. My GOD keep on opening His deepest things, written within the page of the bible to all that earnest seek His word.
1 pet3:18 said he was put to death and after that he went and preach to the spirits in prison. 1 Peter 4:6 said he preach to them that (ALSO)are dead. So where were the dead?
Hi Gary,
Good question 1 Peter 4:6 says “For this reason the gospel was preached also to those who are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.” Notice here that these individuals who were preached to could be made alive according to God in the spirit. Who can be dead but made alive according to God in the spirit? Paul writes of those who were dead but who were made alive in Ephesians 2:1-3
“And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.”
Notice here that these individuals were spiritually dead but not physically dead. Thus they could be granted eternal life. Some may ask, could these individuals be people who died lost but then received a second chance? No for it is written “And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment” (Hebrews 9:27) Therefore these individuals must be spiritually dead individuals who had the opportunity to hear the gospel and repent. The Bible often refers to the dead and those who are living but are spiritually dead for the Bible says
” Then He (Jesus) said to another, “Follow Me.”
But he said, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.”
Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and preach the kingdom of God.” (Luke 9:59-60) Certainly we would not think the literal physically dead could bury their own dead, therefore it must have a spiritual application. Paul also writes of this when he says
“And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses” (Colossians 2:13)
Thus we see the wonderful working power of the gospel in its ability to transform unholy sinners into holy saints who “keep the commandments of God and have the faith of Jesus” (Revelation 14:12) May you brother Gary be among that number and may the Lord bless you as you follow Him!
Colossians 2:3 is not rightly quoted
Thanks, there was a typo, it should have been Colossians 2:13.
I appreciated the explanation of preaching to the Spirits in prison. It fully commends itself to me.
Thank you for your biblical explanation of this verse. It was very helpful.
Thanks very much brother for explanation of this difficult verse. You are a blessing to the body of christ, keep it up and the lord will make you deep more and more in his word in Jesus name.
Very good, I’m a Bible story teacher and this commentary helped me a lot. Thank you very much and God bless.
Enjoyed this study as well as your comments addressing the question Br Gary Washington had. I had the same question.