1 Peter 3:20 (ASV)

Passage

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:

Nearby Context

1 Peter 3:18 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;

1 Peter 3:19 in which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison,

1 Peter 3:20 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:

1 Peter 3:21 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 3:22 who is one the right hand of God, having gone into heaven; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "saved", "aforetime", "disobedient", "longsuffering", "waited", "days", "noah", and "preparing". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "saved" and "aforetime", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 19's "in which also he went and preached..." into verse 21's "which also after a true likeness doth...", so "saved" and "aforetime" belong inside that flow. In 1 Peter context, the local focus is hope in suffering, holy conduct, submission, and grace.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "saved" and "aforetime" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.