3:20a

who disobeyed long ago: In some languages it may be necessary to supply the implied information that these spirits disobeyed God :

they disobeyed ⌊God⌋ long ago

long ago: In this context the phrase long ago refers to ancient times (the time of Noah), a few thousand years before Peter wrote. Here is another way to translate this phrase:

in the past (Revised English Bible)

3:20b

when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built: Peter was referring to the story in Genesis 6–8. God told Noah to build an ark to escape the flood he was going to send on the earth. While Noah and his family were building the ark, God waited patiently for other people to repent from their sins. But none of them repented.

God waited patiently: God waited patiently for other people to repent from their sins. But none of them repented.

ark: An ark is large boat. Some versions such as the New Living Translation (2004) have:

boat (New Living Translation (2004))

3:20c

In the ark: The phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as In the ark is literally “in which.” The Greek sentence continues into this verse part. It may be helpful in your language to start a new sentence here, as the Berean Standard Bible does.

a few people, only eight souls: In your translation use an expression that indicates that eight is a small number of people compared to the number of people who died in the flood. For example:

not very many people, a total of only eight

were saved through water: There are several ways of understanding the Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as saved through water :

(1) Noah and his family reached safety by passing through the water. In other words, they experienced the flood and survived. For example:

were brought safely through the water (Revised Standard Version)

(Berean Standard Bible, New International Version, New Jerusalem Bible, New American Standard Bible, Revised English Bible, NET Bible, Contemporary English Version, Revised Standard Version)

(2) Noah and his family were saved by means of the water. It was the water that lifted and carried the ark. For example:

were saved by the water (Good News Translation)

(King James Version, God’s Word, Good News Translation, New Century Version)

(3) Noah and his family were saved from the water. For example:

saved from drowning in that terrible flood (New Living Translation (2004))

(New Living Translation (2004))

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1). Noah and his family were saved through water in the sense that God preserved their lives as they lived through the flood.

were saved: This is a passive verb. It was God who saved Noah and his family. If it is more natural in your language to use an active verb here, you could say:

they escaped
-or-

⌊God⌋ saved them

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