1 PET 3:19 Interlinear View

1. Greek word
2. Greek lemma
3. OET-LV words
4. OET-RV words
5. Strongs
6. Role/Morphology
7. OET Gloss
8. VLT Gloss
9. CAPS codes
10. Confidence
11. OET tags
12. OET word #
1. ἐν
2. en
3. in
4. -
5. 17220
6. P·······
7. in
8. in
9. -
10. Y60
11. 149766
1. ᾧ
2. hos
3. which
4. that
5. 37390
6. R····DNS
7. which
8. which
9. -
10. Y60
11. 149767
1. καί
2. kai
3. also
4. -
5. 25320
6. D·······
7. also
8. also
9. -
10. Y60
11. 149768
1. τοῖς
2. ho
3. to the
4. -
5. 35880
6. E····DNP
7. ˱to˲ the
8. ˱to˲ the
9. -
10. Y60
11. 149769
1. ἐν
2. en
3. in
4. -
5. 17220
6. P·······
7. in
8. in
9. -
10. Y60
11. 149770
1. φυλακῇ
2. fulakē
3. prison
4. prison
5. 54380
6. N····DFS
7. prison
8. prison
9. -
10. Y60
11. 149771
1. κατακεκλεισμένοις
2. katakleiō
3. -
4. -
5. 26230
6. VPEP·DNP
7. ˓having_been˒ locked_up
8. ˓having_been˒ locked_up
9. -
10. -
11. 149772
1. πνεύμασιν
2. pneuma
3. to spirits
4. spirits
5. 41510
6. N····DNP
7. ˱to˲ spirits
8. ˱to˲ spirits
9. -
10. Y60
11. 149773
1. πνεύματι
2. pneuma
3. -
4. -
5. 41510
6. N····DNS
7. ˱to˲ ˓a˒ spirit
8. ˱to˲ ˓a˒ spirit
9. -
10. -
11. 149774
1. πορευθείς
2. poreuō
3. having been gone
4. -
5. 41980
6. VPAP·NMS
7. ˓having_been˒ gone
8. ˓having_been˒ gone
9. -
10. Y60
11. 149775
1. ἐκήρυξεν
2. kērussō
3. he proclaimed
4. -
5. 27840
6. VIAA3··S
7. ˱he˲ proclaimed
8. ˱he˲ proclaimed
9. -
10. Y60; R149739; Person=Jesus
11. 149776

SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 3:8–22: God’s people may have to suffer for doing what is right

In this section Peter taught that Christians should always do good and act kindly towards others, even if they are mistreated and made to suffer. They should do this because it pleases God, and because that was how Jesus Christ behaved.

Some other headings for this section are:

Suffering for Doing Right (CEV)

Dedicate Your Lives to Jesus (GW)

3:19–22

Verses 19–22 are difficult to understand. For more details of the debates, see the UBS Translator’s Handbook on 1 Peter. There is also a fairly long discussion in KBT on Translators Workplace, in the article on Spirit, sense A1(d). Because the interpretation of these verses is uncertain, it is best to translate them literally. Supply as little implied information as possible.

3:19

in whom He also went and preached to the spirits in prison

and in this way he went to the spirits who were guarded/imprisoned and preached to them.
In this spiritual realm/sphere Christ went and declared/announced his victory to the spirits whom God was restricting/restraining.

in whom: The Greek phrase that the BSB translates as in whom can also be translated as “in which.” Here it refers to the sphere of the Spirit and spiritual life mentioned in 3:18e. The GNT makes this explicit:

in his spiritual existence (GNT)

He also went and preached to the spirits in prison: The Greek text does not say exactly where the spirits in prison were. One way to translate this is:

he went to the spirits in prison and preached to them

also: The Greek word that the BSB translates as also seems to function to introduce more information about the “spiritual realm” in 3:18e. It can also be translated as “even.” It is not translated in some versions such as the RSV. Translate it in a way that is natural in your language.

preached: The Greek verb that the BSB translates as preached can also be translated as “proclaimed” or “announced.” The text does not say what Christ proclaimed to the spirits in prison. Commentators suggest two possibilities:

Christ proclaimed his victory over the spiritual forces of darkness.
Christ preached about the need to repent and come to God for salvation.

If you must choose, it is recommended that you follow interpretation (1), which has the support of most commentaries. This is based on the interpretation of “spirits” as evil spiritual beings. See the following note for more information.

Some other ways preached can be translated are:

proclaim his victory (GW)

made a proclamation (NRSV)

the spirits: There are two ways to understand the Greek word that the BSB translates as spirits:

It refers to evil spiritual beings such as demons or fallen angels.
It refers to the souls of dead people.

It is recommended that you use an expression that could refer to either of these. If you must choose between them, it is recommended that you choose interpretation (1). This is the normal meaning of spirits in the New Testament. It is also the view of the majority of modern commentators.For example, see Selwyn, pages 198–199; Michaels, pages 107–109; Achtemeier pages 260–261; Kelly pages 153–155; Marshall pages 125–127. For an opposing view (that of Augustine and Aquinas) that Christ preached through Noah to the disobedient people alive in Noah’s time, see Grudem. Bigg (page 162–3) believes that Christ here gave the spirits of dead people a chance to repent.

in prison: The Greek word that the BSB translates as prison refers to a place where people are guarded and cannot leave. Presumably the spirits were in prison because they were waiting for God to judge them. Your translation should not give the idea that the spirits were in an earthly prison, but rather that they were held in some kind of custody so that they could not escape.

Some other ways to translate this phrase are:

who are being held/restrained

who are waiting for the judgment of God

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

ἐν ᾧ

in which

Here, which refers to “spirit” in the previous verse. As in the previous verse, this could refer to: (1) the Holy Spirit. Alternate translation: [by means of the Spirit] (2) Jesus’ spiritual existence. Alternate translation: [in the spiritual realm]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / ellipsis

ἐκήρυξεν

˱he˲_proclaimed

Peter is leaving out some of the words that a sentence would need in many languages to be complete. If it would be helpful in your language, you could supply these words from the context. This phrase could mean: (1) Jesus proclaimed God’s victory over sin and death, which he accomplished through his death and resurrection. Alternate translation: [he proclaimed God’s victory] (2) Jesus preached the gospel to wicked people indirectly through the preaching of Noah during the time before the great flood. This interpretation is less likely to be correct, because it would mean that Noah was actually the one preaching and Peter does not mention Noah preaching or Jesus’ pre-incarnate existence anywhere in this letter. Alternate translation: [he preached the gospel]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

τοῖς ἐν φυλακῇ πνεύμασιν

˱to˲_the in prison ˱to˲_spirits

Here, spirits could refer to: (1) evil spirits whom God imprisoned because of what they did before the flood that occurred in Noah’s time (See: [2 Peter 2:4–5](../2pe/02/04.md); [Jude 6–7](../jud/01/06.md); [Genesis 6:1–4](../gen/06/01.md)), as in the UST. (2) the spirits of people who died during the flood that occurred in Noah’s time. This interpretation is a less likely to be correct because Peter never refers to people as spirits, but rather “souls,” as in the next verse. Alternate translation: [to those people who had died and were in prison]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

ἐν φυλακῇ

in in prison

Here Peter uses prison as a metaphor. It could refer to: (1) a place where God imprisoned certain evil spirits whom he will judge when he judges the whole world (See: [2 Peter 2:4–5](../2pe/02/04.md); [Jude 6–7](../jud/01/06.md)). Alternate translation: [whom God had imprisoned to await judgment] (2) the place where sinful people go when they die. Alternate translation: [in hell]

OET-LV English word order (‘Reverse’ interlinear)

Note: The OET-RV is still only a first draft, and so far only a few words have been (mostly automatically) matched to the Hebrew or Greek words that they’re translated from.

Acknowledgements: The SR Greek text, lemmas, morphology, and VLT gloss are all thanks to the CNTR.

OET interlinear 1 PET 3:19

SR Greek word order (including unused variant words in grey)

Section 3:8–22: God’s people may have to suffer for doing what is right

3:19–22

3:19

OET-LV English word order (‘Reverse’ interlinear)

OET interlinear 1 PET 3:19

SR Greek word order (including unused variant words in grey)

Section 3:8–22: God’s people may have to suffer for doing what is right

3:19–22

3:19

OET-LV English word order (‘Reverse’ interlinear)

OET interlinear 1 PET 3:19