God’s Word Translation
Luke 3:16
16John replied to all of them, “I baptize you with water. But the one who is more powerful than I is coming. I am not worthy to untie his sandal straps. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
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 should we do?” He told them, “Be satisfied with your pay, and never use threats or blackmail to get money from anyone.” 15People’s hopes were rising as they all wondered whether John was the Messiah. John replied to all of them, “I baptize you with water. But the one who is more powerful than I is coming. I am not worthy to untie his sandal straps. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 17His 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.” 18With many other encouraging words, he told the Good News to the people.
Read all of Luke 3Luke 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 3:11I baptize you with water so that you will change the way you think and act. But the one who comes after me is more powerful than I. I am not worthy to remove his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
- Mark 1:7He announced, “The one who comes after me is more powerful than I. I am not worthy to bend down and untie his sandal straps.
- John 1:26John answered them, “I baptize with water. Someone you don’t know is standing among you.
- Acts 1:5John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”
- Acts 11:16I remembered that the Lord had said, ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized by the Holy Spirit.’
- Acts 13:24Before Jesus began his ministry, John ⌞the Baptizer⌟ told everyone in Israel about the baptism of repentance.
- Acts 19:4Paul said, “John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance. John told people to believe in Jesus, who was coming later.”
- Proverbs 1:23“Turn to me when I warn you. I will generously pour out my spirit for you. I will make my words known to you.
- Isaiah 32:15until the Spirit is poured on us from on high. Then the wilderness will be turned into a fertile field, and the fertile field will be considered a forest.
- Isaiah 44:3I will pour water on thirsty ground and rain on dry land. I will pour my Spirit on your offspring and my blessing on your descendants.
- Ezekiel 36:25I will sprinkle clean water on you and make you clean instead of unclean. Then I will cleanse you from all your idols.
- Joel 2:28“After this, I will pour my Spirit on everyone. Your sons and daughters will prophesy. Your old men will dream dreams. Your young men will see visions.
- John 7:38As Scripture says, ‘Streams of living water will flow from deep within the person who believes in me.’ ”
- Acts 2:33God the Father used his power to give Jesus the honored position—the one next to him on the heavenly throne. Jesus has also received and has poured out the Holy Spirit as the Father had promised, and this is what you’re seeing and hearing.
- Acts 10:44While Peter was still speaking, the Holy Spirit came to everyone who heard his message.
- Acts 11:15“When I began to speak, the Holy Spirit came to these people. This was the same thing that happened to us in the beginning.
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
In the dictionaries
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
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