1 Peter 3:19

1 PETER—NOTE ON 1 Peter 3:19 spirits in prison. There is much debate about the identity of these spirits. The Greek term can mean either human spirits or angels, depending on the context (compare Numbers 27:16; Acts 7:59; Hebrews 12:23). (1) Some interpreters say that “spirits” refers to the unsaved human spirits of Noah’s day. Christ, “in the spirit” (1 Peter 3:18), preached the gospel “in the days of Noah” (v. 1 Peter 3:20) through Noah. Unbelievers who heard “did not obey... in the days of Noah” (v. 1 Peter 3:20). They are now suffering judgment. (2) Others believe that the spirits are fallen angels who were cast into hell to await the final judgment. In this case the message that Christ proclaimed is almost certainly one of triumph, after having been “put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit” (v. 1 Peter 3:18). (3) Others have advocated that Christ offered a second chance of salvation to those in hell. This interpretation, however, is in direct contradiction with other Scripture (see Luke 16:26; Hebrews 9:27) and with the rest of 1 Peter 1:1 and therefore must be rejected, leaving either of the first two views as the most likely interpretation.