What Does 1 Peter 3:18 Mean in the King James?
For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
The just one’s suffering does not end in death; it brings the unjust near to God.
THE MEANING
Christ, the just one, suffers once for sins on behalf of the unjust, bringing you to God. Though he is put to death in flesh, he is made alive by breath; the verse holds nearness and life together where death seems final.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
It dissolves the belief that being unjust leaves you beyond God’s reach: the just one suffers on behalf of the unjust in order to bring them near.
THE ROOT
προσαγάγῃ
prosagagē
GROWS FROM
ἄγω (agō), ἀγ-
To lead, carry, or bring.
English “bring” can sound like movement in general, while προσάγω (prosagō, “bring near”) carries someone toward another’s presence. The destination here is not merely a place; it is nearness to God.
ALSO GROWS
prosagō: Bring near, lead toward.
προσάγω
This is the verb’s base form: bringing us to God is the purpose named in the verse.
prosagōgē: Approach, access.
προσαγωγή
This related word names the opened approach to God as access, echoing the movement in this verse.
δίκαιος
dikaios
GROWS FROM
δικ-
dik-
What is right or just; right order, alignment.
“the just / the unjust” in this verse is dikaios. The just and the unjust belong to one shared word family: the unjust are marked by the privative ἀ- before the same root. The verse places them on one axis of rightness, then shows the just one suffering on behalf of those out of alignment.
ALSO GROWS
dikaios: Just, righteous.
δίκαιος
This names Christ as the one whose rightness stands in contrast with the condition of the unjust.
adikos: Unjust, outside what is right.
ἄδικος
The shared root makes the pairing visible: the just one acts for those who are unjust.
dikaiosynē: Justice, righteousness, alignment.
δικαιοσύνη
This related noun shows the wider family’s concern with what is rightly ordered.
πνεύματι
pneumati
GROWS FROM
πνέω (pneō), πνε-
To blow or breathe.
One Greek word, πνεῦμα (pneuma), carries the senses of breath, wind, and spirit beneath the familiar English rendering. Beside “quickened,” meaning made alive, it holds the verse’s contrast close: put to death in flesh, made alive by breath.
ALSO GROWS
pneuma: Breath, wind, spirit.
πνεῦμα
The word in this verse carries these senses together in the phrase “by the Spirit.”
pnoē: Breath, wind.
πνοή
This related word keeps the breath and wind imagery connected to the same root family.
pneō: Breathe, blow.
πνέω
The verb exposes the motion beneath the noun: breath and wind are what move.
THE PATTERN
The one who is just bears suffering for the unjust, opening their way to God.
He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.THE THREAD
For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.The verb προσαγάγῃ (prosagagē, “bring near”) in 1 Peter and προσαγωγή (prosagōgē, “access, approach”) in Ephesians share the same root. Peter describes Christ bringing us to God; Ephesians names that opened approach as access to the Father through him.
Read the SDV Bible.
Every verse has a Deep Dive in the app.
The iPhone Bible app with the Selah Decoded Version.
Does something in this reading look wrong? Tell us