Does 1 Peter 4:6 confirm that Jesus preached to dead people?
First, let’s take a look at this remarkable text:
“For this reason the gospel was preached also to those who are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.” 1 Peter 4:6
The text uses the word “preached,” and this indicates past tense. Those who are dead, once heard the gospel when they were alive—hence the reason they can now be judged.
The New International Version (NIV) of the Bible helps us understand this text. It says:
“For this is the reason the gospel was preached even to those who are now dead, so that they might be judged according to human standards in regard to the body, but live according to God in regard to the spirit.” 1 Peter 4:6 (NIV)
Peter is indicating that the dead can now be judged like the living who “live according to God in the spirit.” When the gospel is preached to anyone, the listeners must make a choice to either continue to live according to the flesh, or live according to the spirit. This is what Peter establishes in verses 2 and 3:
“That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God. For we have spent enough of our past lifetime in doing the will of the Gentiles—when we walked in lewdness, lusts, drunkenness, revelries, drinking parties, and abominable idolatries. 1 Peter 4:2–3
When we surrender our life to Christ, we die to sin and live a spiritual life according to the power of the indwelling Spirit (John 16:32; 2 Timothy 1:14).