1 Peter 3, 4 & 5 - Peter is speaking of the evil of men in the days of Noah. 2025

1 Pet 3:19
in which also He went and made proclamation to the spirits now in prison,

1 Pet 3:20
who once were disobedient, when the patience of God kept waiting in the days of Noah, during the construction of the ark, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through the water.

This is a very difficult passage that has been classically misinterpreted for centuries. Some say that when Jesus died, He descended into hell and did an end zone dance in front of those lost souls that are suffering in hell. That took three days. Then He resurrected. Other say that the demonic beings during the days of Noah are being held in the "demon-dungeon" and after Jesus died, he did an end zone in front of those demons in chains. That took three days. Then He resurrected. Neither opinion is even close to being correct. Peter is speaking of the evil of men in the days of Noah in the time of Noah who are now dead and buried deep into the earth because of the flood.

Gen. 6:1-3

Peter speaks of how the Spirit made a proclamation, which we see in Gen. 6:3.

Gen. 6:3 Then the LORD said, “My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, because he also is flesh; nevertheless his days shall be one hundred and twenty years.”

Showing alternative meanings to a couple words in this passage makes it abundantly clear that he is speaking of those in the disobedient world that perished in the flood.

1 Peter 2:18-19 Servants, be submissive to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and gentle, but also to those who are unreasonable. 19For this finds favor, if for the sake of conscience toward God a man bears up under sorrows when suffering unjustly.

Gen. 6:4-5 The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of men, and they bore children to them. Those were the mighty men who were of old, men of renown. 5Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

Noah preached to them for 120 years. Peter also refers to Noah as a "preacher of righteousness".

2 Peter 2:5 and did not spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah, a preacher of righteousness, with seven others, when He brought a flood upon the world of the ungodly;