Reference: Spirits In Prison
Fausets
1Pe 3:18-19. The argument is, Be not afraid (1Pe 3:14,17) of suffering for well doing even unto death, for death in the flesh leads to life in the spirit as in Christ's case, who was put to death in the flesh but quickened in spirit (i.e. in virtue of His divine nature: Ro 1:3-4; 1Co 15:45; 2Co 13:4) in which (as distinguished from in person) He went in the person of Noah (compare 1Pe 1:11 "a preacher of righteousness" (2Pe 2:5; He went not locally but as Eph 2:17, "He came and preached peace," namely, by His ministers) and preached unto the spirits in prison, namely, the antediluvian unbelievers; their bodies seemed free, but their spirits were in prison (Ps 141:9) and they like "prisoners shut up in the prison" just as the fallen are judicially regarded as in chains of darkness, though for a time at large on the earth (2Pe 2:4; Isa 24:18,22-23; 61:1; Ge 7:11, referred to in Isa 24:18). "His Spirit" long "strove" with them, but ceased to do so because even the seed of the godly Seth proved "flesh" and quenched the Spirit (Ge 6:3).
See Verses Found in Dictionary
And Yahweh said, "My Spirit shall not abide with humankind forever in that he [is] also flesh. And his days [shall be] one hundred and twenty years."
In the six hundredth year of the life of Noah, in the second month, on the seventeenth day of the month--on that day all the springs of the great deep were split open, and the windows of heaven were opened.
Protect me from [the] {grasp} of [the] trap they have laid for me, and [from the] snares of evildoers.
And this shall happen: The one who flees from the sound of the terror shall fall into the pit, and the one who goes up from {inside the pit} shall be caught in the snare, for [the] windows from heaven are opened, and [the] foundations of [the] earth tremble.
And this shall happen: The one who flees from the sound of the terror shall fall into the pit, and the one who goes up from {inside the pit} shall be caught in the snare, for [the] windows from heaven are opened, and [the] foundations of [the] earth tremble.
And they will be gathered [in] a gathering, [like] a prisoner {in} a pit. And they will be shut {in} a prison and be punished {after} many days. And the full moon will be ashamed and the sun will be ashamed, for Yahweh of hosts will rule on {Mount Zion} and in Jerusalem, and before his elders [in] glory.
[The] Spirit of the Lord Yahweh [is] upon me, because Yahweh has anointed me, he has sent me to bring good news [to the] oppressed, to bind up {the brokenhearted}, to {proclaim} release to [the] captives and liberation to those who are bound,
concerning his Son, who was born {a descendant} of David according to the flesh, who was declared Son of God in power according to {the Holy Spirit} by the resurrection from the dead of Jesus Christ our Lord,
And coming, he proclaimed the good news of peace to you who were far away and peace to the ones who were near,
investigating for what [person] or which time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating [when he] testified beforehand to the sufferings with reference to Christ and the glories after these [things],
But even if you might suffer for the sake of righteousness, [you are] blessed. And do not be afraid of their intimidation or be disturbed,
For [it is] better to suffer for doing good, {if God wills it}, than for doing evil. For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, in order that he could bring you to God, being put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit, read more. in which also he went [and] proclaimed to the spirits in prison,
For if God did not spare the angels who sinned, but held [them] captive in Tartarus with chains of darkness [and] handed [them] over to be kept for judgment, and did not spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah, a proclaimer of righteousness, {and seven others} [when he] brought a flood on the world of the ungodly,