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

14“What should we do?” asked some soldiers. John replied, “Don’t extort money or make false accusations. And be content with your pay.” 15Everyone was expecting the Messiah to come soon, and they were eager to know whether John might be the Messiah. John answered their questions by saying, “I baptize you with water; but someone is coming soon who is greater than I am—so much greater that I’m not even worthy to be his slave and untie the straps of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. 17He 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.” 18John used many such warnings as he announced the Good News 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“I baptize with water those who repent of their sins and turn to God. But someone is coming soon who is greater than I am—so much greater that I’m not worthy even to be his slave and carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.
• Mark 1:7John announced: “Someone is coming soon who is greater than I am—so much greater that I’m not even worthy to stoop down like a slave and untie the straps of his sandals.
• John 1:26John told them, “I baptize with water, but right here in the crowd is someone you do not recognize.
• Acts 1:5John baptized with water, but in just a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”
• Acts 11:16Then I thought of the Lord’s words when he said, ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’
• Acts 13:24Before he came, John the Baptist preached that all the people of Israel needed to repent of their sins and turn to God and be baptized.
• Acts 19:4Paul said, “John’s baptism called for repentance from sin. But John himself told the people to believe in the one who would come later, meaning Jesus.”
• Proverbs 1:23Come and listen to my counsel. I’ll share my heart with you and make you wise.
• Isaiah 32:15until at last the Spirit is poured out on us from heaven. Then the wilderness will become a fertile field, and the fertile field will yield bountiful crops.
• Isaiah 44:3For I will pour out water to quench your thirst and to irrigate your parched fields. And I will pour out my Spirit on your descendants, and my blessing on your children.
• Ezekiel 36:25“Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean. Your filth will be washed away, and you will no longer worship idols.
• Joel 2:28“Then, after doing all those things, I will pour out my Spirit upon all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy. Your old men will dream dreams, and your young men will see visions.
• John 7:38Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, ‘Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.’”
• Acts 2:33Now he is exalted to the place of highest honor in heaven, at God’s right hand. And the Father, as he had promised, gave him the Holy Spirit to pour out upon us, just as you see and hear today.
• Acts 10:44Even as Peter was saying these things, the Holy Spirit fell upon all who were listening to the message.
• Acts 11:15“As I began to speak,” Peter continued, “the Holy Spirit fell on them, just as he fell on us at 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

• 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