LIVING THE CHRISTLIFE

WAYNE BARRETT

OCTOBER 21, 2026

1 Peter 3:13-22

13 Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? 14 But even if you should suffer for

righteousness' sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, 15 but in your hearts

honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a

reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, 16 having a good conscience, so

that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. 17 For

it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God's will, than for doing evil.

18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, 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 he went and proclaimed to the

spirits in prison, 20 because they formerly did not obey, when God's patience waited in the days of Noah,

while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through

water. 21 Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but

as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 22 who has gone into

heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to

him.

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v 13 – “Now who is there to harm you …”

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.—Galatians 5:22-23

In general, godly living does not bring trouble or occasion for accusation

v 14 – “But even if you should suffer …”

But there are exceptions!

more lit. “But even if you might suffer for righteousness, [you are] blessed!”

This is a consistent teaching of the New Testament

more lit. “but of their fear you should not be afraid” – so, do not be intimidated by them, do not

be afraid of the fear they seek to project

nor be troubled – tarassó, troubled, stirred, terrified

v 15 – “But in your hearts …”

This is the way not to fear of be intimidated.

honor – hagiazó, sanctify, make holy. More than “honor.”

“always being prepared to make a defense …”

A passage often memorized and for good reason; the particular context is when suffering for

righteousness.

defense – apologia, defense is a frequent translation, but it should not convey being “on the

defensive.” It means to give a reasoned answer or word. [apó "from" + logos “word;

reason”]. Our word apologetics is rather obviously taken from this Greek word.

“yet with gentleness and respect”

respect – phobos (!), here the word referring to a profound respect toward the ones to whom our

“apologia” is being given

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v 16 – “having a good conscience …”

making sure that we do not give people a legitimate reason to criticize and accuse

“so that, when you are slandered” – again, this is the context for the teaching to be “prepared to

make a defense …”

“your good behavior in Christ”—which needs to be the standard

“may be put to shame”—in this world or the next (or both)

v 17 – “For it is better …”

more lit. “better indeed, you doing good, if the will of God should will it, to suffer, than you

doing evil.”

This is often usually interpreted/translated, perhaps correctly, better to suffer for doing

good, if God should will it, than suffer for doing evil.

It could also mean, better to do good, and to suffer—if that is God’s will—than to do evil

(and perhaps escape the suffering)

vv 18-20 – “For Christ also suffered …”

Our suffering as Christians is often related to the suffering of Christ

In his case, it was the ultimate in unjust suffering – “the righteous for the unrighteous”

“that he might bring us to God” – there was purpose in it

“having been put to death in the flesh but made alive in [the] spirit”

Peter’s meaning—while uniquely found here in the New Testament—seems to be clear enough

more lit. “in which, also, having gone to the spirits in prison, he preached”

This is one of those places in the New Testament, where something is basically summarized, in a

“matter-of-fact” way, and where we would love to have more information. But God has

revealed what is necessary and according to his will for us to know.

Who knew that there are departed spirits in prison? Or that Jesus was going to preach to those

spirits—those, at least, who perished before the Flood. Or perhaps those are the only ones

that were/are? in prison. For what reason did Jesus preach to them?

It is a reminder that there is more going on than we are privy to

more lit. “formerly having disobeyed/disbelieved”

disobeyed – apeitheó – to refuse to be persuaded; usu. trans. disobeyed

more lit. “when the longsuffering of God was waiting, in the days of Noah, the ark being prepared …”

And they did not repent. But Jesus preached to them in prison. It is a mystery, but we make note

of it.

more lit. “in which a few, that is eight souls, were saved through [diaa] water.”

I think the way to understand the analogy that Peter is drawing is that eight souls were saved in a

way that involved water.b

a For the record, this is how dia is translated in the NASB: account (4), after (2), afterward (1), always* (2), because (111),

between* (1), briefly* (1), charge* (1), constantly (1), continually* (6), during (1), forever* (1), gives (1), means (3), over

(1), presence (1), reason (40), sake (41), sakes (5), since (1), so then* (1), so* (1), therefore* (16), this reason* (1), this* (1),

though (1), through (225), through the agency (1), through* (1), view (2), way (3), what (1), why (3), why* (27).

b They were actually saved by the ark from the water. Or, one could argue, the very water that was the judgment upon the

world provided the means for the ark to float and save the eight souls. So they were saved by water (from the water). As far

as we know, the eight souls never got wet. The were certainly not placed under the water and then drawn up again.

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v 21 – “Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you …”

The Flood and the Ark are types of God’s judgment and salvation

This is hard to translate literally into English. It could be “antitypical baptism now saves you”

Antitypes (antitypos) are important in Scripture as one thing that points to another (generally

greater) thing. In the early Church, OT preaching was greatly based upon types.

The Ark in the water represented salvation. And the analogy here is that baptism also represents

salvation.

“Baptism” was nearly inseparable with the confession it represented. Christians were baptized—

generally, it appears, as soon as possible after conversion. Baptism was their official, public

testimony that they had become followers of Christ.

more lit. “not a putting away of the filth of the flesh, but an inquiry of a good conscience unto

God, through [dia] the resurrection of Jesus Christ.”

So here, baptism now “saves you,” not because of the water, but because it represents “an

inquiry unto God of a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.”

Without the victory of Jesus over death, no one could be saved through confession or baptism or

any other way.

v 22 – “who has gone into heaven …”

more lit. “who is at the right hand of God, having gone into heaven, having been subjected to

him angels and authorities and powers.”

This great and living truth is often proclaimed in the NT. We need to know it. Jesus is in heaven

at the right hand of God.

angels – Christ is over all angels and created heavenly beings

authorities – perhaps pointing specifically that Jesus is over all earthly authorities, King of kings

and Lord of lords; this would include spiritual powers on the earth, if they were not being

considered under “angels”

powers – perhaps pointing specifically that are “forces” are under the command of Christ, he

whom even the wind and the sea must obey

The authority of Christ is complete