The passage
      v18. Peter describes Jesus acting rightly, suffering for it, yet victorious in his resurrection. The NIV says that Jesus was made alive by the action of the Holy Spirit rather than "quickened in the Spirit." "Quickened in" implies that Jesus was alive in some spiritual state while he lay in the tomb. Some commentators have suggested that in this state he visited a notorious group trapped in the underworld, and preached the gospel to them.
      v19-20. Here we are introduced to the idea of Jesus preaching to the "spirits in prison." They are described as a disobedient group who lived during the time of Noah. Are they the spirits of the dead bound in hell? They may even be the people who lived before the flood, or even all those who have never heard the Good News. Although these ideas are popular, they are probably a long way from the truth. It is more likely that Peter is using an illustration of suffering for righteousness sake. Noah was someone who was faithful to his calling. He spoke the word of God to his generation, but no one listened to his words. He suffered humiliation and even more, he suffered the violence of the surging deep. Yet, he was saved with his family. The preaching of Jesus, referred to here, is best understood as a preached word by Noah to his own generation. That generation was the notorious group - the spirits in prison. Noah was the agent of Jesus' words in that he preached the way of salvation. His generation failed to listen to the gospel and thus perished in the surging deep.
      v21. Here again we face an extremely difficult verse that seems to imply that baptism saves us. The verse is often used by those who believe in baptismal regeneration. It is also used to support other teachings on water baptism. Yet, the chances are that the text is not referring to water baptism, but rather the baptism of fire - of suffering, cf. Mk.10:38-40. Noah's trial, through the surging water, symbolizes the trials believers go through in their journey to eternity. Such suffering doesn't actually save us, but we will inevitably be saved, and this through the death, resurrection, ascension and heavenly rule of Christ. Our struggle reflects his, as it does of all who went before, eg. Noah. Suffering is a "pledge of a good conscience", an outward expression of our standing with Christ which involves both living the gospel and proclaiming the gospel. To make sure we don't think that he is speaking about water baptism, Peter states clearly that he is not on about a washing baptism. Rather, he is speaking about another kind of baptism, a baptism of persecution, suffering and trouble. This kind of baptism demonstrates a right relationship with God through Christ. Our willingness to serve Christ in difficult times, is an expression of his renewing work within and thus, our right standing in the sight of God.
      v22. As for coming through this suffering (baptism), it is our identification with Christ's resurrection and ascension that saves us. All powers will ultimately submit to Him, thus we are secure in him.

Glory in suffering
      Our passage for study is an extremely difficult one to understand. What Peter does is link the suffering of his readers with that of Christ. Christ's suffering achieved wonderful results and ended in glory. For the believer, who similarly suffers because of their testimony (witness) to Christ, there are positive effects and in the end, glory.
      Good flows from suffering because of the involvement of Christ in our suffering for him, an involvement made possible through the Spirit. It was the Spirit who empowered the resurrection of Christ, and it was through the self same Spirit that Christ was involved in the suffering of Noah. The word of testimony "preached" by Noah was actually the living Word, Christ. Noah was rejected and suffered through the flood, but in the end he was saved. We now suffer, as we proclaim our faith in Christ, in the same way as Noah did, and we will be saved in the same way Noah was saved. In Christ's resurrection, through the power of the indwelling Spirit, we possess life in all its fullness. In Christ's ascension and present rule, through the power of the Spirit of God, we possess an eternal future.
      Peter reminds his readers of the example of Jesus - the one who suffered for righteousness sake and who through that suffering entered into glory. Noah is given as another example of one who lived for God, spoke for God and suffered for it. Yet, he inevitably came through the surging waters to dry land. Peter aligns his readers with the suffering of Jesus and of Noah. Like them, we suffer for righteousness sake and like them, we will share in glory.
      So, the point Peter is making is simple. Living for Christ involves living the truth and speaking the truth. The consequence of such a life is trouble, suffering. Yet, in the power of our risen and ascended Lord, troubles are but an intrusion on the pathway to glory.

v19
      en wJ/ "through whom" - in which sphere, in which state, process or circumstance, in the course of which. The antecedent is most likely the death and resurrection of Christ, v18b. "[even?] in which process he went and proclaimed ....." The death and resurrection of Christ is the bases of the gospel of grace and applies to all preaching, even in the Old Testament. The saving power of Noah's preaching rested on Christ's death and resurrection and in that truth Christ confronted "the spirits in prison", namely Noah's generation. Other antecedents have been suggested, eg. Enoch, Noah and the "Holy Spirit", if "spirit" is taken to mean the third person of the trinity. Another possibility is "spirit", in the sense that Christ is present in the preached word in spirit. It seems best to hold that Christ's life-giving presence moves both back and forward in time.
      kai "also" - also, even, indeed, and ... Possibly best left untranslated. Certainly not "also", maybe "even."
      toiV en fulakh/ pneumasin "the spirits in prison" - Suggestions range from human, demonic or angelic beings, and the "prison" is most often aligned with Sheol. It is best to see the "spirits" as Noah's generation and their "prison" being their slavery to sin and death.
      poreuqeiV (poreuomai) aor. pas. part. "went" - having gone. The participle is probably attendant circumstance expressing action accompanying the verb "preached", so NIV, Moffatt, etc.
      ekhruxen (khrussw) aor. "preached" - made proclamation, proclaimed. The gospel of God's grace is what was proclaimed, in that it was a way of salvation for Noah's generation. It was proclaimed by Christ, the Word, through Noah. It is not possible to separate Christ from his Word.

v20
      apeiqhsasin (apeiqew) aor. part. "who disobeyed" - the disobeying ones. The participle is adjectival, describing "the spirits in prison." "Who had refused obedience", NEB. Noah's sinful generation, rather than some special group, eg. the angelic "sons of god" who came to the earth and bred with humans, etc....
      pote "long ago" - then, once upon a time, long ago.
      apexedeceto (apekdecomai) imperf. "waited" - was waiting eagerly, patiently. Most likely referring to God. "the long-suffering of God waited patiently", waiting for the consummation of all things.
      kataskeuazomenhV (kataskeuazw) pres. pas. part. "while [the ark] was being built" - being built, constructed, made ready. The participle is adverbial, forming a temporal clause, as NIV. In first Enoch, angels built the Ark, but elsewhere it is Noah.
      eiV hJn oligoi "in it only a few" - in which a few .... Peter is emphasizing the insignificant number saved in Noah's day to parallel the small and persecuted band of his readers.
      yucai (h) "persons" - souls, living beings. "In which only a small number of persons", Cassirer.
      dieswqhsan (diaswzw) aor. pas. "saved" - were saved. "Were brought safely through."
      di + gen. "through [water]" - through (of time or place), by means of. The NIV takes a local sense. In the face of the surging waters, Noah and his family were saved and reached the safety of dry land. This is the best sense. Some argue it is instrumental, saved "by means of water." Those who want a link with water baptism favour this sense. The water was the means of their salvation. Not the best sense.

v21
      antitupon (oV) "symbolizes" - antitype, echoing, copy, figure... It is often argued that this is a gloss; an early note later included in the text. It is so argued because it is next to impossible to determine its antecedent and so produce a sentence with anything like decent grammar. Of course, it is possibly Peter's note. "Which images our baptism", in the sense that Noah's suffering is a type of ours, works well although is not grammatically correct. "Which baptism (Noah's immersion in suffering) is an image of ours", has similar problems, but also makes sense. The point is that Noah's situation is the same as the readers; it serves as a Biblical type for their situation. As Noah suffered and was saved, so Peter's readers suffer and will be saved. Peter's use of a Biblical type to draw out God's word for his readers rests on the Biblical theology of the kingdom of God. As the kingdom was realized in the life of God's people way back then, so it is realized in his people now.
      baptisma (a atoV) "baptism" - immersion. It must not be assumed that this word always means dipping in water. It often has a figurative meaning, eg. immersed in the Spirit, immersed in suffering, immersed in teaching.... In this passage it obviously means immersed in suffering. Noah and his family suffered, but were saved; Peter's readers are now suffering, and like Noah, they will be saved.
      swzei (swzw) pres. "saved" - saves, rescues. As Noah and his family suffered at the hands of evil men and the raging sea and yet reached the safety of dry land, so believers today, who similarly suffer, will inevitably be at peace in the presence of the Lord. Baptism, or as it means here, suffering, does not save, it is not an instrument of saving. The local rather than the instrumental sense carries over from v20.
      apoqesiV (iV ewV) "removal" - a putting away. Here Peter makes sure that the reader understands that the "baptism" he is speaking of is figurative, it is not a water baptism for the "removal" of filth from the body, not a washing. It is possible, and certainly this is the view of most commentators, that the washing which Peter says he is not speaking of, is the Christian rite of water baptism - the sign of repentance imaging the washing away of sin.
      suneidhsewV (iV ewV) "conscience" - the innate power to discern what is good. Here an objective genitive, lit "a good conscience of God" = "a good conscience toward God." Most commentators argue that Peter has dismissed the outward sign of baptism, namely water, to focus on its inward reality, namely the pledge of a good conscience. Yet, the text doesn't say this. Peter want's to make sure that his readers know he is not speaking about the Christian rite of baptism. The good conscience toward God concerns suffering, not Christian baptism. The "good conscience" is well illustrated in the life of Noah. He accepted God's word, proclaimed it to his neighbors, lived it out by building the ark and stood firm in the face of opposition.
      eperwthma (a atoV) "pledge" - a promise, answer, pledge. A clause in a contract containing a question and consent. So it is a pledge, consent, commitment, answer.... Possibly "judgment", "decision", Greeven. Even "enquiry" has been suggested. Here most likely of an assent to a situation of suffering that requires a good conscience before God. As with Noah, innocent suffering is the lot of a believer.
      di + gen. "by [the resurrection]" - through, by means of. "Through the resurrection of Jesus Christ", NEB. Most translations link this phrase with "saves" at the beginning of the verse. This seems the best way to handle it. The Ark saved Noah and his family in the midst of their baptism of suffering, and Christ's (death,) resurrection (ascension and heavenly rule) will save us in the midst of our tribulations.