Luke 3:15

Luke 3:15 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And as the people were in expectation, and all men mused in their hearts of John, whether he were the Christ, or not;
• New International Version (NIV)The people were waiting expectantly and were all wondering in their hearts if John might possibly be the Messiah.
• English Standard Version (ESV)As the people were in expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Christ,
• New King James Version (NKJV)Now as the people were in expectation, and all reasoned in their hearts about John, whether he was the Christ or not,

Context of Luke 3:15

13And he told them, “Collect no more than the fixed amount you have been ordered to [collect].” 14Some soldiers asked him, “And what about us, what are we to do?” And he replied to them, “Do not extort money from anyone or harass or blackmail anyone, and be satisfied with your wages.” Now the people were in a state of expectation, and all were wondering in their hearts about John, as to whether he was the Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed). 16John answered them all by saying, “As for me, I baptize you [only] with water; but One who is mightier [more powerful, more noble] than I is coming, and I am not fit to untie the strap of His sandals [even as His slave]. He will baptize you [who truly repent] with the Holy Spirit and [you who remain unrepentant] with fire. 17His 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.”

Luke 3:15 word by word

Προσδοκῶντος δὲ τοῦ λαοῦ καὶ διαλογιζομένων πάντων ἐν ταῖς καρδίαις αὐτῶν περὶ τοῦ Ἰωάννου, μήποτε αὐτὸς εἴη ὁ χριστός,Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Andδέde · thenG1161
• as the peopleὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• as the peopleλαόςlaos · a peopleG2992
• were in expectationπροσδοκάωprosdokaō · to look forG4328
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• all menπᾶςpas · allG3956
• musedδιαλογίζομαιdialogizomai · to discussG1260
• inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• theirαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• heartsκαρδίαkardia · heartG2588
• ofπερίperi · aboutG4012
• JohnἸωάννηςIōannēs · JohnG2491
• whetherμήποτεmēpote mē pote · lestG3379
• wereεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• the ChristΧριστόςChristos · ChristG5547

Cross-references for Luke 3:15

• John 10:24So the Jews surrounded Him and began saying to Him, “How long are You going to keep us in suspense? If You are [really] the Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed), tell us so plainly and openly.”
• John 1:19This is the testimony of John [the Baptist] when the Jews sent priests and Levites to him from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?”
• John 3:28You yourselves are my witnesses that I stated, ‘I am not the Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed),’ but, ‘I have [only] been sent ahead of Him [as His appointed forerunner and messenger to announce and proclaim His coming].’

Commentaries on Luke 3:15

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 15Whether he were the Christ - So general was the reformation which was produced by the Baptist's preaching that the people were ready to consider him as the promised Messiah. Thus John came in the spirit and power of Elijah, and reformed all things; showed the people, the tax-gatherers, and the soldiers, their respective duties, and persuaded them to put away the evil of their doings. See the note on Matthew 17:11.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 15In expectation - Expecting the Messiah. Margin, “suspense.” That is, they were not certain whether John was not himself the Messiah. They confidently “expected” his appearing, and there minds were in “suspense,” or they were in a state of doubt whether he had not already come, and whether John was not the Messiah. Mused in their hearts of John - Thought of his character, his preaching, and his success, and anxiously inquired whether he did not do the…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 15-20Verses 15-20 John the Baptist disowned being himself the Christ, but confirmed the people in their expectations of the long-promised Messiah. He could only exhort them to repent, and assure them of forgiveness upon repentance; but he could not work repentance in them, nor confer remission on them. Thus highly does it become us to speak of Christ, and thus humbly of ourselves. John can do no more than baptize with water, in token that they ought to purify…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 15-1715-17. whether he were the Christ--showing both how successful he had been in awakening the expectation of Messiah's immediate appearing, and the high estimation, and even reverence, which his own character commanded. (Also see on Mt 3:10.)Read the comment

Topics related to Luke 3:15

• Israel, Prophecies Concerning
• John

In the dictionaries

• Christ
• Christ, Messiah
• Demand
• Mary
• Reprove
• Unquenchable
• Violence
• Wages
• Antediluvian Patriarchs
• Expect; Expectation

Commentaries on Luke 3

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Catena Aurea
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• John Lightfoot Commentary
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings