Luke 3:17 His winnowing fork is in His hand to clear His threshing floor and to gather the wheat into His barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire."

◄ Luke 3:17 ►

New International Version
His winnowing fork is in his hand to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”

New Living Translation
He is ready to separate the chaff from the wheat with his winnowing fork. Then he will clean up the threshing area, gathering the wheat into his barn but burning the chaff with never-ending fire.”

English Standard Version
His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”

Berean Standard Bible
His winnowing fork is in His hand to clear His threshing floor and to gather the wheat into His barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”

Berean Literal Bible
of whom the winnowing fork is in His hand to clear His threshing floor, and to gather the wheat into His barn. But He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire."

King James Bible
Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and will gather the wheat into his garner; but the chaff he will burn with fire unquenchable.

New King James Version
His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather the wheat into His barn; but the chaff He will burn with unquenchable fire.”

New American Standard Bible
His winnowing fork is in His hand to thoroughly clear His threshing floor, and to gather the wheat into His barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”

NASB 1995
“His winnowing fork is in His hand to thoroughly clear His threshing floor, and to gather the wheat into His barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”

NASB 1977
“And His winnowing fork is in His hand to thoroughly clear His threshing floor, and to gather the wheat into His barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”

Legacy Standard Bible
His winnowing fork is in His hand to thoroughly clear His threshing floor and to gather the wheat into His barn, but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”

Amplified Bible
His winnowing fork is in His hand to thoroughly clear His threshing floor, and to gather the wheat (believers) into His barn (kingdom); but He will burn up the chaff (the unrepentant) with unquenchable fire.”

Christian Standard Bible
His winnowing shovel is in his hand to clear his threshing floor and gather the wheat into his barn, but the chaff he will burn with fire that never goes out.”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
His winnowing shovel is in His hand to clear His threshing floor and gather the wheat into His barn, but the chaff He will burn up with a fire that never goes out.”

American Standard Version
whose fan is in his hand, thoroughly to cleanse his threshing-floor, and to gather the wheat into his garner; but the chaff he will burn up with unquenchable fire.

Contemporary English Version
His threshing fork is in his hand, and he is ready to separate the wheat from the husks. He will store the wheat in his barn and burn the husks with a fire that never goes out."

English Revised Version
whose fan is in his hand, throughly to cleanse his threshing-floor, and to gather the wheat into his garner; but the chaff he will burn up with unquenchable fire.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
His winnowing shovel is in his hand to clean up his threshing floor. He will gather the wheat into his barn, but he will burn the husks in a fire that can never be put out."

Good News Translation
He has his winnowing shovel with him, to thresh out all the grain and gather the wheat into his barn; but he will burn the chaff in a fire that never goes out."

International Standard Version
His winnowing fork is in his hand to clean up his threshing floor. He'll gather the grain into his barn, but he'll burn the chaff with inextinguishable fire."

Majority Standard Bible
His winnowing fork is in His hand to clear His threshing floor and to gather the wheat into His barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”

NET Bible
His winnowing fork is in his hand to clean out his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his storehouse, but the chaff he will burn up with inextinguishable fire."

New Heart English Bible
whose winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor, and to gather the wheat into his barn; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire."

Webster's Bible Translation
Whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly cleanse his floor, and will gather the wheat into his granary; but the chaff he will burn with fire unquenchable.

Weymouth New Testament
His winnowing-shovel is in His hand to clear out His threshing-floor, and to gather the wheat into His storehouse; but the chaff He will burn up in fire unquenchable."

World English Bible
His winnowing fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly cleanse his threshing floor, and will gather the wheat into his barn; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”

Literal Translations

Literal Standard Version
whose winnowing shovel [is] in His hand, and He will thoroughly cleanse His floor, and will gather the wheat into His storehouse, and He will burn the chaff with unquenchable fire.”

Berean Literal Bible
of whom the winnowing fork is in His hand to clear His threshing floor, and to gather the wheat into His barn. But He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire."

Young's Literal Translation
whose winnowing shovel is in his hand, and he will thoroughly cleanse his floor, and will gather the wheat to his storehouse, and the chaff he will burn with fire unquenchable.'

Smith's Literal Translation
Whose winnowing fan in his hand, and he will thoroughly cleanse his threshing-floor, and gather the wheat into his store; and the chaff he will burn down with inextinguishable fire.

Catholic Translations

Douay-Rheims Bible
Whose fan is in his hand, and he will purge his floor, and will gather the wheat into his barn; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.

Catholic Public Domain Version
His winnowing fan is in his hand. And he will purify his threshing floor. And he will gather the wheat into the barn. But the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”

New American Bible
His winnowing fan is in his hand to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”

New Revised Standard Version
His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”

Translations from Aramaic

Lamsa Bible
He holds a shovel in his hand, and purifies his threshing; the wheat he gathers into his barns, and the straw he burns in the unquenchable fire.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
“He who holds a winnowing fan in his hand and purges his threshing floor; the wheat he gathers into his barns and the chaff he will burn in unquenched fire.”

NT Translations

Anderson New Testament
His winnowing shovel is in his hand, and he will thoroughly cleanse his thrashing-floor, and gather the grain into his granary, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.

Godbey New Testament
Whose fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly purify His threshing-floor, and gather the wheat into His garner, and will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.

Haweis New Testament
whose winnowing fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly cleanse his threshing-floor, and collect the wheat into his granary; but the chaff he will burn with fire unquenchable.

Mace New Testament
and with the fan in his hand he will thoroughly cleanse his floor, and will lay up the wheat in his grainery: but the chaff he will burn with inextinguishable fire.

Weymouth New Testament
His winnowing-shovel is in His hand to clear out His threshing-floor, and to gather the wheat into His storehouse; but the chaff He will burn up in fire unquenchable."

Worrell New Testament
Whose fan is in His hand, thoroughly to cleanse His threshing-floor, and to gather the wheat into His granary; but the chaff He will burn up with unquenchable fire."

Worsley New Testament
whose fan is in his hand, and He will thoroughly cleanse his floor, and will gather the wheat into his granary, but will burn up the chaff in unquenchable fire.

Additional Translations ...

Audio Bible

Context

The Mission of John the Baptist
…16John answered all of them: “I baptize you with water, but One more powerful than I will come, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. 17His winnowing fork is in His hand to clear His threshing floor and to gather the wheat into His barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.” 18With these and many other exhortations, John proclaimed the good news to the people.…

Berean Standard Bible · Download

Cross References

Matthew 3:12
His winnowing fork is in His hand to clear His threshing floor and to gather His wheat into the barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”

Malachi 4:1
“For behold, the day is coming, burning like a furnace, when all the arrogant and every evildoer will be stubble; the day is coming when I will set them ablaze,” says the LORD of Hosts. “Not a root or branch will be left to them.”

Isaiah 66:24
“As they go forth, they will see the corpses of the men who have rebelled against Me; for their worm will never die, their fire will never be quenched, and they will be a horror to all mankind.”

Matthew 13:30
Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat into my barn.’”

Jeremiah 15:7
I will scatter them with a winnowing fork at the gates of the land. I will bereave and destroy My people who have not turned from their ways.

John 15:6
If anyone does not remain in Me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers. Such branches are gathered up, thrown into the fire, and burned.

Psalm 1:4
Not so the wicked! For they are like chaff driven off by the wind.

Isaiah 41:16
You will winnow them, and a wind will carry them away; a gale will scatter them. But you will rejoice in the LORD; you will glory in the Holy One of Israel.

Amos 9:9
“For surely I will give the command, and I will shake the house of Israel among all the nations as grain is sifted in a sieve; but not a pebble will reach the ground.

2 Thessalonians 1:7-9
and to grant relief to you who are oppressed and to us as well. This will take place when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels / in blazing fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. / They will suffer the penalty of eternal destruction, separated from the presence of the Lord and the glory of His might,

Revelation 14:14-19
And I looked and saw a white cloud, and seated on the cloud was One like the Son of Man, with a golden crown on His head and a sharp sickle in His hand. / Then another angel came out of the temple, crying out in a loud voice to the One seated on the cloud, “Swing Your sickle and reap, because the time has come to harvest, for the crop of the earth is ripe.” / So the One seated on the cloud swung His sickle over the earth, and the earth was harvested. ...

Revelation 20:15
And if anyone was found whose name was not written in the Book of Life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

Daniel 7:10
A river of fire was flowing, coming out from His presence. Thousands upon thousands attended Him, and myriads upon myriads stood before Him. The court was convened, and the books were opened.

Joel 3:13
Swing the sickle, for the harvest is ripe. Come, trample the grapes, for the winepress is full; the wine vats overflow because their wickedness is great.

Hosea 13:3
Therefore they will be like the morning mist, like the early dew that vanishes, like chaff blown from a threshing floor, like smoke through an open window.

Treasury of Scripture

Whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly purge his floor, and will gather the wheat into his garner; but the chaff he will burn with fire unquenchable.

fan.

Jeremiah 15:7
And I will fan them with a fan in the gates of the land; I will bereave them of children, I will destroy my people, since they return not from their ways.

Matthew 3:12
Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.

and will.

Micah 4:12
But they know not the thoughts of the LORD, neither understand they his counsel: for he shall gather them as the sheaves into the floor.

Matthew 13:30
Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.

but.

Psalm 1:4
The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away.

Psalm 21:9,10
Thou shalt make them as a fiery oven in the time of thine anger: the LORD shall swallow them up in his wrath, and the fire shall devour them…

Mark 9:43-49
And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: …

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Luke 3

1. The preaching and baptism of John;
15. his testimony of Jesus;
19. Herod imprisons John;
21. Jesus, baptized, receives testimony from heaven.
23. The age and genealogy of Jesus from Joseph upwards.

Berean Study Bible

His winnowing fork
The "winnowing fork" is an agricultural tool used in ancient times to separate grain from chaff. In the Greek, the word for "winnowing fork" is πτύον (ptyon), which signifies a tool for cleansing and purifying. This imagery is rich with meaning, symbolizing the discernment and judgment of Christ. The winnowing fork represents the authority and power of Jesus to distinguish between true believers (the wheat) and those who are not (the chaff). This tool is a metaphor for the divine judgment that Christ will execute, separating the righteous from the unrighteous.

is in His hand
The phrase "is in His hand" indicates readiness and control. The Greek word for "hand" is χείρ (cheir), often symbolizing power and action. This suggests that Jesus is actively engaged in the process of judgment. The imagery of the winnowing fork in His hand conveys the immediacy and certainty of His judgment. It is not a distant or future event but one that is imminent and assured. This serves as a reminder of the sovereignty of Christ and His ultimate authority over all creation.

to clear His threshing floor
The "threshing floor" was a place where grain was separated from chaff, a common sight in ancient agricultural societies. The Greek word for "threshing floor" is ἅλων (halon), which signifies a place of separation and purification. In a spiritual sense, the threshing floor represents the world or the church, where Christ will separate the true believers from the false. The act of clearing the threshing floor symbolizes the purification and sanctification process that Jesus will perform, ensuring that only the righteous remain.

and to gather the wheat into His barn
"Wheat" symbolizes the true believers, those who have accepted Christ and live according to His teachings. The Greek word for "wheat" is σῖτος (sitos), representing nourishment and sustenance. Gathering the wheat into "His barn" signifies the protection and eternal security that Christ offers to His followers. The "barn" is a metaphor for the Kingdom of God, a place of safety and eternal rest. This phrase assures believers of their ultimate salvation and the promise of eternal life with Christ.

but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire
"Chaff" represents those who reject Christ and His teachings, the unrepentant and unrighteous. The Greek word for "chaff" is ἄχυρον (achyron), which denotes something worthless and destined for destruction. The "unquenchable fire" is a powerful image of divine judgment and eternal punishment. The Greek word for "unquenchable" is ἄσβεστος (asbestos), meaning inextinguishable or perpetual. This phrase serves as a solemn warning of the consequences of rejecting Christ, emphasizing the reality of eternal separation from God for those who do not repent.

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(17) He will throughly purge . . .--The better MSS. give, throughly to purge, and to gather.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 17. - Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and will gather the wheat into his garner. But not only, taught John, was Messiah's work to consist in baptizing those who sought his face with the mighty baptism of the Holy Ghost and fire, there was another terrible aspect of his mission. The useless, the selfish, the oppressor, and the false-hearted, - these were to be separated and then destroyed. When will this separation and subsequent destruction take place? The separation will begin in this life. The effect of the revelation of a Savior would be to intensify at once the antagonism between good and evil. Between the followers of Christ and the enemies of Christ would a sharp line of demarcation be speedily drawn even here; but the real separation would only take place on the great day when Messiah should judge the world; then would the two classes, the righteous and the unrighteous, be gathered into two bands; condemnation, sweeping, irresistible, would hurry the hapless evil-doers into destruction, while the righteous would be welcomed in his own blessed city. The imagery used is rough, but striking. It was taken, as is so much of Oriental teaching, from scenes from the everyday life of the working world around them. The theater is one of those rough Eastern threshingfloors on the top or side of a hill, so chosen for the purpose of having the benefit of the wind. The actor, a peasant employed in winnowing. "Not far from the site of ancient Corinth," writes a modern traveler in Greece, "where the peasants in many of their customs approach near to Oriental nations, I passed a heap of grain which some laborers were employed in winnowing: they used for throwing up the mingled wheat and chaff, a three-pronged wooden fork, having a handle three or four feet long. Like this, no doubt, was the fan, or winnowing-shovel, which John the Baptist represents Christ as bearing" (Dr. Hackett, quoted by Dr. Morrison, on Matthew 3:12). The fan thus described would throw up against the breeze the mingled wheat and chaff; the light particles would be wafted to the side, while the grain would fall and remain on the threshing floor. With fire unquenchable. This image in itself is a terrible one; still, it must not be used in the question of eternity of punishment. The tire is here termed "unquenchable" because, when once the dry chaff was set on fire, nothing the peasants could do would arrest the swift work of the devouring flame. All that is here said of the condemned is that they will be destroyed from before the presence of the great Husbandman with a swift, certain destruction. If it points to anything, the imagery here would hint at the total annihilation of the wicked; for the flames, unquenchable while any chaff remained to be consumed, would, when the rubbish was burnt up, die quickly down, and a little heap of charred ashes would alone mark the place of its burning. But it is highly improbable that any deduction of this kind was intended to be drawn. The Baptist's lesson is severely simple.

Parallel Commentaries ...

Greek

[His]
οὗ (hou)
Personal / Relative Pronoun - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 3739: Who, which, what, that.

winnowing fork [is]
πτύον (ptyon)
Noun - Nominative Neuter Singular
Strong's 4425: A simple wooden pitchfork; a winnowing-shovel or fan. From ptuo; a winnowing-fork.

in
ἐν (en)
Preposition
Strong's 1722: In, on, among. A primary preposition denoting position, and instrumentality, i.e. A relation of rest; 'in, ' at, on, by, etc.

His
αὐτοῦ (autou)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.

hand
χειρὶ (cheiri)
Noun - Dative Feminine Singular
Strong's 5495: A hand.

to clear
διακαθᾶραι (diakatharai)
Verb - Aorist Infinitive Active
Strong's 1245: To cleanse thoroughly. From dia and katharizo; to cleanse perfectly, i.e. winnow.

His
αὐτοῦ (autou)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.

threshing floor
ἅλωνα (halōna)
Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 257: A threshing-floor. Probably from the base of heilisso; a threshing-floor, i.e. the grain.

and
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

to gather
συναγαγεῖν (synagagein)
Verb - Aorist Infinitive Active
Strong's 4863: From sun and ago; to lead together, i.e. Collect or convene; specially, to entertain.

the
τὸν (ton)
Article - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

wheat
σῖτον (siton)
Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 4621: Wheat, grain. Also plural irregular neuter sita of uncertain derivation; grain, especially wheat.

into
εἰς (eis)
Preposition
Strong's 1519: A primary preposition; to or into, of place, time, or purpose; also in adverbial phrases.

His
αὐτοῦ (autou)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.

barn.
ἀποθήκην (apothēkēn)
Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 596: A repository, granary, barn, storehouse. From apotithemi; a repository, i.e. Granary.

But
δὲ (de)
Conjunction
Strong's 1161: A primary particle; but, and, etc.

He will burn up
κατακαύσει (katakausei)
Verb - Future Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 2618: To burn up, consume entirely. From kata and kaio; to burn down, i.e. Consume wholly.

the
τὸ (to)
Article - Accusative Neuter Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

chaff
ἄχυρον (achyron)
Noun - Accusative Neuter Singular
Strong's 892: Chaff. Perhaps remotely from cheo; chaff.

with unquenchable
ἀσβέστῳ (asbestō)
Adjective - Dative Neuter Singular
Strong's 762: Inextinguishable, unquenchable. Not extinguished, i.e. perpetual.

fire.”
πυρὶ (pyri)
Noun - Dative Neuter Singular
Strong's 4442: Fire; the heat of the sun, lightning; fig: strife, trials; the eternal fire. A primary word; 'fire'.

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NT Gospels: Luke 3:17 Whose fan is in his hand (Luke Lu Lk)