1 Peter 3:20

“Which sometime were disobedient, etc.] To all the instructions and warnings which God gave them, to all the strivings of his Spirit, and to the ministry of Christ, by Noah; they continued in their profaneness and impiety, and to corrupt their ways, and fill the earth with violence and wickedness; not believing what they were threatened with, or that ever a flood would come upon them, and destroy them: and this “sometime” refers to the time of their being upon earth, who were now in hell; “to the days of Noah”; hereafter mentioned; and which the Syriac version connects with this clause, reading it thus, “who of old were disobedient in the days of Noah”; at which time it was, that Christ, by…”

“once--not in the oldest manuscripts. when . . . the long-suffering of God waited in the days of Noah--Oldest manuscripts. Greek, "was continuing to wait on" (if haply men in the hundred twenty years of grace would repent) until the end of His waiting came in their death by the flood. This refutes ALFORD'S idea of a second day of grace having been given in Hades. Noah's days are selected, as the ark and the destroying flood answer respectively to "baptism" and the coming destruction of unbelievers by fire. while the ark was a-preparing-- (Heb 11:7). A long period of God's "long-suffering and waiting," as Noah had few to help him, which rendered the world's unbelief the more inexcusable.…”

“Which sometime were disobedient - Which were “once,” or “formerly,” (ποτε pote,) disobedient or rebellious. The language here does not imply that they had ceased to be disobedient, or that they had become obedient at the time when the apostle wrote; but the object is to direct the attention to a former race of people characterized by disobedience, and to show the patience evinced under their provocations, in endeavoring to do them good. To say that people were formerly rebellious, or rebellious in a specified age, is no evidence that they are otherwise now. The meaning here is, that they did not obey the command of God when he called them to repentance by the preaching of Noah. Compare 2…”

“When the longsuffering of God waited - For an hundred and twenty years; all the time the ark was preparing: during which Noah warned them all to flee from the wrath to come. 1 Peter 3:21”

“3:20 Only eight people: That is, Noah, his wife, their three sons, and their wives (Gen 6:18; 8:18).”

“sometime: Gen 6:3, Gen 6:5, Gen 6:13 the longsuffering: Isa 30:18; Rom 2:4, Rom 2:5, Rom 9:22; Pe2 3:15 the days: Mat 24:37-39; Luk 17:26-30 while: Gen 6:14-22; Heb 11:7 wherein: Gen 7:1-7, Gen 7:13, Gen 7:23, Gen 8:1, Gen 8:18; Mat 7:14; Luk 12:32, Luk 13:24, Luk 13:25; Pe2 2:5 by: Gen 7:17-23; Co2 2:15, Co2 2:16; Eph 5:26 1 Peter 3:21”