The ancient world and its ungodly people refers to those who were alive at the time of the flood (Genesis 6:1 – 8:22). They are a second example of sinners who did not escape God’s judgment as the flood is said to have destroyed all humanity (Genesis 6:17; Genesis 20:9; Exodus 10:4; Jeremiah 19:3; Ezekiel 11:8) having come on account of people’s wickedness (Genesis 6:5).1 The universality of judgment in the days of Noah thus functions as a preview of the universal judgment to come in the future.2 (Interestingly as an aside, 1 Peter 3:19–20 also refers to individuals kept in prison having disobeyed God in the days before the flood. The fact that both 1 and 2 Peter refer to this event can surely be seen as evidence that Peter was responsible for both letters).
5 if he did not spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah, a herald of righteousness, with seven others, when he brought a flood upon the world of the ungodly;