Matthew 3

Matthew · Chapter 3

Matthew 3:12

1In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea,2And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.3For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.4And the same John had his raiment of camel’s hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey.5Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about Jordan,6And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins.7But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?8Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance:9And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.10And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.11I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:12Whose 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.13Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him.14But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?15And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him.16And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:17And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

King James Version (1769)

Other translations

VerseKJVBSBASV
12Whose 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.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.”whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly cleanse his threshing-floor; and he will gather his wheat into the garner, but the chaff he will burn up with unquenchable fire.

In context

Who is speaking and to whom, what is happening, when and where, and why it matters, each with its sources. Coming with the context cards.

Original Greek words

EnglishGreekSay itStrong'sMeaning
whoseοὗhouG3739
which

ὅς (hos, hē) ὅς, ἥ, ὅ, the postpositive article (ἄρθρον ὑποτακτικόν). I. As demonstr. pron. = οὗτος, ὅδε, this, that, also for αὐτός, chiefly in nom.: ὅς δέ, but he (cf. ἦ δὲ ὅς, frequently in Plat.), Mrk.15:23, Jhn.5:11; ὃς μὲν . . . ὃς δέ, the one . . . the other, Mat.21:35, 22:5, 25:15, Luk.23:33, Act.27:14, Rom.14:5, 1Co.11:21, 2Co.2:18, Ju 22; neut., ὃ μὲν . . . ὃ δέ, the one . . . the other, some . . . some, Mat.13:8, 23, Rom.9:21; ὃς (ὃ) μὲν . . . (ἄλλος (ἄλλο)) . . . ἕτερος, Mrk.4:4, Luk.8:5, 1Co.12:8-10; οὓς μέν, absol., 1Co.12:28; ὃς μὲν . . . ὁ δέ, Rom.14:2. …

winnowing fork [is]πτύονptuonG4425
winnowing fork

πτύον (ptuon) πτύον, -ου, τό [in Sm.: Isa.30:24 * ;] a winnowing shovel or fan: Mat.3:12, Luk.3:17.† (AS)

inἐνenG1722
in/on/among

ἐν (en) ἐν, prep, (the most frequently of all in NT), with dative (= Heb. בְּ, Lat. in, with abl.). I. Of place, with dative of thing(s), of person(s), in, within, on, at, by, among: ἐν τ. πόλει, Luk.7:37; τ. οφθαλμῷ, Mat.7:3; τ. κοιλίᾳ, Mat.12:40; τ. ὄρει, 2Pe.1:18; τ. θρόνῳ, Rev.3:21; τ. δεξιᾷ τ. θεοῦ, Rom.8:34; ἐν ἡμῖν Abbott-Smith has ὑμῖν., Luk.1:1; of books, ἐν τ. βιβλίῳ, Gal.3:10; τ. νόμῳ, Mat.12:5, al.; ἐν τοῖς τ. Πατρός, in my Father's house (RV; cf. M, Pr., 103), Luk.2:49; trop., of the region of thought or feeling, ἐν τ. καρδίᾳ (-αις), Mat.5:28, 2Co.4:6, al.; τ. συνειδήσεσιν, 2Co.5:11; af …

handχειρὶcheiriG5495
hand

χείρ (cheir) χείρ, genitive, χειρος (accusative, χεῖραν, 1Pe.5:6 T), ἡ, [in LXX chiefly for יָד ;] the hand: Mat.3:12, Mrk.3:1, Luk.6:6, al. mult.; ἡ χ., acting subject, Luk.22:21; pl., Act.17:25 20:34, 1Jn.1:1; τ. ἔργα τῶν χ., Act.7:41, Rev.9:20; ὁ ἀσπασμὸς τ. ἐμῇ χ., 1Co.16:21, Col.4:18, 2Th.3:17; prepositional phrases, esp. those without art., similar to Heb. constructions (Bl., §32, 4; 40, 9; 46, 9), ἐν χ.; with genitive (Lft., in l.), Gal.3:19; σὺν χ. ἀγγέλου, Act.7:35; διὰ (τῶν) χειρῶν (διὰ χειρός), Mrk.6:2, Act.5:12 7:25, al.; ἐπὶ χειρῶν, Mat.4:6, Luk.4:11; ellipse of χ. (ἡ δεξία, ἀριστερα; Bl., § …

of Him,αὐτοῦ,autouG0846
it/s/he

αὐτός (autos) αὐτός, -ή, -ό, determinative pron., in late Gk. much more frequently than in cl. (WM, 178f.; Jannaris, HGG, §1399). 1. Emphatic (so always in nom. exc. when preceded by the art., see infr., iii); (1) self (ipse), expressing opposition, distinction, exclusion, etc., αὐ. ἐκχυθήσεται, Luk.5:37; αὐ. ἐγινώσκεν, Jhn.2:25; αὐ.ὑμεῖς, Jhn.3:28; καὶ αὐ. ἐγώ, Rom.15:14; αὐ. Ἰησοῦς, Jhn.2:24; αὐ. καὶ οἱ μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ, Mrk.2:25; ὑμεῖς αὐ., Mrk.6:31; esp. (as freq in cl.) αὐ. ὁ, Mat.3:4, Mrk.6:17, Jhn.16:27, 1Th.3:11, al.; in late Gk., sometimes weakened, ἐν αὐτῇ τ. ὥρᾳ, in that hour, Luk.10:21 (M, Pr., 91; …

andκαὶkaiG2532
and

καί (kai) καί, conj., and I. Copulative. 1. Connecting single words; (a) in general: Mat.2:18, 16:1, Mrk.2:15, Luk.8:15, Heb.1:1, al. mult.; repeated before each of the terms in a series, Mat.23:23, Luk.14:21, Rom.7:12, 9:4, al. (b) connecting numerals (WM, §37, 4): Jhn.2:20, Act.13:20; (with) joining terms which are not mutually exclusive, as the part with the whole: Mat.8:33, 26:59, Mrk.16:17, Act.5:29, al. 2. Connecting clauses and sentences: Mat.3:12, Act.5:21, al. mult.; esp. …

He will clearδιακαθαριεῖdiakatharieiG1245
to clear out

διακαθαρίζω (diakatharizō) δια-καθαρίζω = θαίρω: Mat.3:12.† δια-καθαίρω, to cleanse thoroughly: Luk.3:17.† (AS)

threshing floorἅλωναhalōnaG0257
threshing-floor

ἅλων (halōn) ἅλων, -ωνος (for Attic ἅλως, -ω, see MM, VGT, see word), ἡ, [in LXX chiefly for גֹּרֶן ;] a threshing floor: Mat.3:12, Luk.3:17 (here prob. by meton. = the grain on the threshing floor).† (AS)

of HimαὐτοῦautouG0846
it/s/he

αὐτός (autos) αὐτός, -ή, -ό, determinative pron., in late Gk. much more frequently than in cl. (WM, 178f.; Jannaris, HGG, §1399). 1. Emphatic (so always in nom. exc. when preceded by the art., see infr., iii); (1) self (ipse), expressing opposition, distinction, exclusion, etc., αὐ. ἐκχυθήσεται, Luk.5:37; αὐ. ἐγινώσκεν, Jhn.2:25; αὐ.ὑμεῖς, Jhn.3:28; καὶ αὐ. ἐγώ, Rom.15:14; αὐ. Ἰησοῦς, Jhn.2:24; αὐ. καὶ οἱ μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ, Mrk.2:25; ὑμεῖς αὐ., Mrk.6:31; esp. (as freq in cl.) αὐ. ὁ, Mat.3:4, Mrk.6:17, Jhn.16:27, 1Th.3:11, al.; in late Gk., sometimes weakened, ἐν αὐτῇ τ. ὥρᾳ, in that hour, Luk.10:21 (M, Pr., 91; …

andκαὶkaiG2532
and

καί (kai) καί, conj., and I. Copulative. 1. Connecting single words; (a) in general: Mat.2:18, 16:1, Mrk.2:15, Luk.8:15, Heb.1:1, al. mult.; repeated before each of the terms in a series, Mat.23:23, Luk.14:21, Rom.7:12, 9:4, al. (b) connecting numerals (WM, §37, 4): Jhn.2:20, Act.13:20; (with) joining terms which are not mutually exclusive, as the part with the whole: Mat.8:33, 26:59, Mrk.16:17, Act.5:29, al. 2. Connecting clauses and sentences: Mat.3:12, Act.5:21, al. mult.; esp. …

will gatherσυνάξειsunaxeiG4863
to assemble

συνάγω (sunagō) συν-άγω [in LXX chiefly for אָסַף, also for קָבַץ, etc. (cf. Kennedy, Sources, 128) ;] to gather or bring together: of things, Jhn.6:12-13; before εἰς, Mat.3:12, al.; ἐκεῖ, Luk.12:18; ποῦ, Luk.12:17; συναγαγὼν πάντα (sc. εἰς ἀργύριον; see Field, Notes, 68, MM, xxiv), having sold off all: Luk.15:13; of persons, Jhn.11:52; esp. of assemblies, Mat.2:4, Jhn.11:47, Act.14:27, al. Pass., to be gathered or come together: Mat.22:41, Mrk.2:2, Luk.22:66, al.; before ἐπί Mrk.5:21, Act.4:27; πρός, Mat.13:2, Mrk.4:1, al.; εἰς, Rev.19:17; ἐν, Act.11:26; μετά, Mat.28:12; οὗ, Mat.18:20; ὅπου, Mat.26:57; ἐκε …

wheatσῖτονsitonG4621
grain

σῖτος (sitos) σῖτος, -ου, ὁ [in LXX chiefly for דָּגָן ;] wheat, corn: Mat.3:12 13:25, 29-30 Mrk.4:28, Luk.3:17 12:18 16:7 22:32, Jhn.12:24, Act.27:38, 1Co.15:37, Rev.6:6 18:13.† σιτίοι, -ου, τό (dimin. of σῖτος), [in LXX: Pro.30:22 (לֶחֶם)* ;] 1. corn, grain: Act.7:12 (but see 131., § 9, 1). 2. Mostly in pl., σιτία, bread, food, provisions (LXX, l.with, Hdt., al.).† (AS)

of HimαὐτοῦautouG0846
it/s/he

αὐτός (autos) αὐτός, -ή, -ό, determinative pron., in late Gk. much more frequently than in cl. (WM, 178f.; Jannaris, HGG, §1399). 1. Emphatic (so always in nom. exc. when preceded by the art., see infr., iii); (1) self (ipse), expressing opposition, distinction, exclusion, etc., αὐ. ἐκχυθήσεται, Luk.5:37; αὐ. ἐγινώσκεν, Jhn.2:25; αὐ.ὑμεῖς, Jhn.3:28; καὶ αὐ. ἐγώ, Rom.15:14; αὐ. Ἰησοῦς, Jhn.2:24; αὐ. καὶ οἱ μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ, Mrk.2:25; ὑμεῖς αὐ., Mrk.6:31; esp. (as freq in cl.) αὐ. ὁ, Mat.3:4, Mrk.6:17, Jhn.16:27, 1Th.3:11, al.; in late Gk., sometimes weakened, ἐν αὐτῇ τ. ὥρᾳ, in that hour, Luk.10:21 (M, Pr., 91; …

intoεἰςeisG1519
toward

εἰς (eis) εἰς, prep. with accusative, expressing entrance, direction, limit, into, unto, to, upon, towards, for, among (Lat. in, with accusative). I. Of place. 1. After verbs of motion; (a) of entrance into: Mat.8:23, 9:7, Mrk.1:45, Luk.2:15, 8:31, al.; (b) of approach, to or towards: Mrk.11:1, Luk.6:8, 19:28, Jhn.11:31, 21:6, al.; (with) before pl. and collective nouns, among: Mrk.4:7, 8:19, 20, Luk.11:49, Jhn.21:23, al.; …

barnἀποθήκηνapothēkēnG0596
storehouse

ἀποθήκη (apothēkē) ἀπο-θήκη, -ης, ἡ (ἀποτίθημι), [in LXX for אוֹצָר, טֶנֶא, etc. ;] a storehouse, granary: Mat.3:12 6:26 13:30, Luk.3:17 12:18, 24.† (AS)

butδὲdeG1161
then

δέ (de) δέ (before vowels δ᾽; on the general neglect of the elision in NT, see WH, App., 146; Tdf., Pr., 96), post-positive conjunctive particle; 1. copulative, but, in the next place, and, now (Abbott, JG, 104): Mat.1:2ff., 2Co.6:15, 16, 2Pe.1:5-7; in repetition for emphasis, Rom.3:21, 22, 9:30, 1Co.2:6, Gal.2:2, Php.2:8; in transition to something new, Mat.1:18, 2:19, Luk.13:1, Jhn.7:14, Act.6:1, Rom.8:28, 1Co.7:1 8:1, al.; in explanatory parenthesis or addition, Jhn.3:19, Rom.5:8, 1Co.1:12, Eph.2:4, 5:32, al.; ὡς δέ, Jhn.2:9; καὶ . . . δέ, but also, Mat.10:18, Luk.1:76, Jhn.6:51, Rom.11:23, al.; …

chaffἄχυρονachuronG0892
chaff

ἄχυρον (achuron) ἄχυρον, -ον, τό [in LXX chiefly for תֶּבֶן ;] chaff: Mat.3:12, Luk.3:17.† (AS)

He will burn upκατακαύσειkatakauseiG2618
to burn

κατακαίω (katakaiō) κατα-καίω [in LXX chiefly for שָׂרַף; in Exo.3:2 (אָכַל pu.), distinguished from καίω ;] to burn up, burn completely: with accusative of thing(s), Mat.13:30 Act.19:19; pass., 1Co.3:15, Heb.13:11, 2Pe.3:10, Rev.8:7; before πυρί Mat.3:12 13:40, Luk.3:17 (cf. Exo.29:14, al.); ἐν πυρί (Deu.9:21, al.): Rev.17:16 18:8.† (AS)

with fireπυρὶpuriG4442
fire

πῦρ (pur) πῦρ genitive, πυρός, τό, [in LXX chiefly and very frequently for אֵשׁ ;] fire: Mrk.9:22, Luk.3:9, Jhn.15:6, Act.2:10, 1Co.3:13, Jas.3:5, Rev.8:5, al; π. καὶ θεῖον, Luk.17:29; κατακαίειν (ἐν) π., Mat.13:40, Rev.17:16 18:8; καίεσθαι πυρί, Heb.12:18, Rev.8:8 21:8; φλὸξ πυρός, Act.7:30, 2Th.1:8, Heb.1:7, Rev.1:14 2:18 19:12; λαμπάδες πυρός, Rev.4:5; στῦλοι πυρός, Rev.10:1; ἄνθρακες πυρός, Rom.12:20 (LXX); γλῶσσαι ὡσεὶ πυρός, Act.2:3; δοκιμάζειν (πυροῦσθαι) διὰ πυρός, 1Pe.1:7, Rev.3:18; ὡς διὰ. π. (Lft., Notes, 193), 1Co.3:15. Of the fire of hell (cf. Dalman, Words,161): Mrk.9:48 (LXX); τὸ π. τὸ …

unquenchable.ἀσβέστῳ.¶asbestōG0762
unquenchable

ἄσβεστος (asbestos) ἄ-σβεστος, -ον (σβέννυμι), [in LXX for נָפַח לֹא, Job.20:26 א3 A (ἄκαυστον, א2 B)* ;] unquenched, unquenchable: πῦρ, Mat.3:12, Mrk.9:43, Luk.3:17.† (AS)

Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.