Luke 3:16

Luke 3:16 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire:
• New International Version (NIV)John answered them all, “I baptize you with water. But one who is 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 fire.
• English Standard Version (ESV)John answered them all, saying, "I baptize you with water, but he who is mightier than I is coming, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
• New King James Version (NKJV)John answered, saying to all, “I indeed baptize you with water; but One mightier than I is coming, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

Context of Luke 3:16

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.” 15Now 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). John 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.” 18So with many other appeals and various admonitions John preached the good news (gospel) to the people.

Luke 3:16 word by word

ἀπεκρίνατο λέγων πᾶσιν ὁ Ἰωάννης· ἐγὼ μὲν ὕδατι βαπτίζω ὑμᾶς· ἔρχεται δὲ ὁ ἰσχυρότερός μου, οὗ οὐκ εἰμὶ ἱκανὸς λῦσαι τὸν ἱμάντα τῶν ὑποδημάτων αὐτοῦ. αὐτὸς ὑμᾶς βαπτίσει ἐν πνεύματι ἁγίῳ καὶ πυρί,Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• JohnἸωάννηςIōannēs · JohnG2491
• answeredἀποκρίνωapokrinomai · to answerG611
• sayingλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• untoἅπαςhapas · allG537
• Iἐγώegō · I/weG1473
• indeedμένmen · on the other handG3303
• baptizeβαπτίζωbaptizō · to baptizeG907
• youσύsu · youG4771
• with waterὕδωρhudōr hudatos · waterG5204
• butδέde · thenG1161
• one mightier thanἰσχυρόςischuros · strongG2478
• comethἔρχομαιerchomai · to come/goG2064
• the latchetἱμάςhimas · leather strapG2438
• ·αὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• of whoseὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
• shoesὑπόδημαhupodēma · sandalG5266
• I amεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• notοὐou · noG3756
• worthyἱκανόςhikanos · sufficientG2425
• to unlooseλύωluō · to looseG3089
• withἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• theπνεῦμαpneuma · spirit/breath: spiritG4151
• Holyἅγιοςhagios · holyG40
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• with fireπῦρpur · fireG4442

Cross-references for Luke 3:16

• Matthew 3:11“As for me, I baptize you with water because of [your] repentance [that is, because you are willing to change your inner self—your old way of thinking, regret your sin and live a changed life], but He (the Messiah) who is coming after me is mightier [more powerful, more noble] than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to remove [even as His slave]; He will baptize you [who truly repent] with the Holy Spirit and [you who remain unrepentant] with fire (judgment).
• Mark 1:7And he was preaching, saying, “After me comes He who is mightier [more powerful, more noble] than I, and I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the straps of His sandals [even as His slave].
• John 1:26John answered them, “I baptize [only] in water, but among you there stands One whom you do not recognize and of whom you know nothing.
• Acts 1:5For John baptized with water, but you will be baptized and empowered and united with the Holy Spirit, not long from now.”
• Acts 11:16Then I remembered the word of the Lord, how He used to say, ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’
• Acts 13:24Before His coming John [the Baptist] had preached a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel.
• Acts 19:4Paul said, “John performed a baptism of repentance, continually telling the people to believe in Him who was coming after him, that is, [to confidently accept and joyfully believe] in Jesus [the Messiah and Savior].”
• Proverbs 1:23If you will turn and pay attention to my rebuke, Behold, I [Wisdom] will pour out my spirit on you; I will make my words known to you.
• Isaiah 32:15Until the Spirit is poured out upon us from on high, And the wilderness becomes a fertile field, And the fertile field is valued as a forest.
• Isaiah 44:3For I will pour out water on him who is thirsty, And streams on the dry ground; I will pour out My Spirit on your offspring And My blessing on your descendants;
• Ezekiel 36:25Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your uncleanness and from all your idols.
• Joel 2:28“It shall come about after this That I shall pour out My Spirit on all mankind; And your sons and your daughters will prophesy, Your old men will dream dreams, Your young men will see visions.
• John 7:38He who believes in Me [who adheres to, trusts in, and relies on Me], as the Scripture has said, ‘From his innermost being will flow continually rivers of living water.’ ”
• Acts 2:33Therefore having been exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He has poured out this [blessing] which you both see and hear.
• Acts 10:44While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell on all those who were listening to the message [confirming God’s acceptance of Gentiles].
• Acts 11:15When I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on them just as He did on us at the beginning [at Pentecost].

Commentaries on Luke 3:16

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 16On these verses see Matthew 3:11, Matthew 3:12, and Mark 1:7, Mark 1:8, and particularly the note on John 3:5; (note).Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 16-18Verses 16-18 See the notes at Matthew 3:11-12.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
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 16the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie: The untying of sandals was done only by slaves. John was showing great honor to Jesus the Messiah. Baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire: Old Testament prophets said God would give his Spirit to his people in the last times (Isaiah 32:15, Ezekiel 36:28–29; Joel 2:28). This prophecy partly came true on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2). Fire often represents judgment (see Luke 3:9). It can also…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 3:16

• Baptism
• Fire
• Humility
• Jesus Continued
• John
• Shoe
• Trinity

In the dictionaries

• Holy Ghost
• Demand
• Latchet
• Mary
• Reprove
• Unquenchable
• Violence
• Wages
• Antediluvian Patriarchs
• Baptism (lutheran Doctrine)

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