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InterlinearVerse GEN EXO LEV NUM DEU JOB JOS JDG RUTH 1 SAM 2 SAM PSA AMOS HOS 1 KI 2 KI 1 CHR 2 CHR PROV ECC SNG JOEL MIC ISA ZEP HAB JER LAM YNA (JNA) NAH OBA DAN EZE EZRA EST NEH HAG ZEC MAL LAO GES LES ESG DNG 2 PS TOB JDT WIS SIR BAR LJE PAZ SUS BEL MAN 1 MAC 2 MAC 3 MAC 4 MAC YHN (JHN) MARK MAT LUKE ACTs YAC (JAM) GAL 1 TH 2 TH 1 COR 2 COR ROM COL PHM EPH PHP 1 TIM TIT 1 PET 2 PET 2 TIM HEB YUD (JUD) 1 YHN (1 JHN) 2 YHN (2 JHN) 3 YHN (3 JHN) REV
Luke C1 C2 C3 C4 C5 C6 C7 C8 C9 C10 C11 C12 C13 C14 C15 C16 C17 C18 C19 C20 C21 C22 C23 C24
Luke 3 V1 V2 V3 V4 V5 V6 V7 V8 V10 V11 V12 V13 V14 V15 V16 V17 V18 V19 V20 V21 V22 V23 V24 V25 V26 V27 V28 V29 V30 V31 V32 V33 V34 V35 V36 V37 V38
OET (OET-LV) And already also the axe is_lying to the root of_the trees, therefore every tree not producing good fruit, is_being_cut_off and is_being_thrown into the_fire.
OET (OET-RV) The axe is already sitting at the base of the trees, so that every tree that doesn’t produce good fruit will be chopped down and thrown into the fire.”
The last event in Luke 2 describes Jesus’ trip to Jerusalem when he was twelve years old. This section begins about eighteen years later. At the beginning of chapter 3, both Jesus and John the Baptizer were about thirty years old. Both men were ready to begin public ministry.
It is good to translate this section before you decide on a heading for it. Some other possible headings for this section are:
The Preaching of John (NCV)
John the Baptist and Jesus (REB)
John the Baptizer tells people to prepare themselves for the Messiah
Parts of Luke 3:1–20 are basically the same as verses in Matthew 3:1–12. But Luke 3:1–2, 10–14, and 19–20 are not in Matthew.
These verses are similar to the text in Matthew 3:7–10.
The axe lies ready at the root of the trees,
Look! Right now there is an ax aimed toward the base/foot of the trees,
Like an ax that a man holds ready to chop down trees at their roots, God’s judgment is about to strike sinners.
God is ready to strike sinful people like a man aiming his ax
In Greek, 3:9a begins with a phrasede kai. that emphasizes what John was about to say. The BSB does not translate this phrase. Consider whether it is natural in your language to use such an expression here. Some ways to translate it in English are:
Yes, even now (NJB)
Indeed (NASB)
The axe lies ready at the root of the trees: This clause is a metaphor. Its literal meaning is that someone has already placed his ax on the ground next to the trees because he is ready to cut them down. This metaphor indicates that God is ready to punish people, just as a man brings his ax over to a tree is ready to cut it down.
In some languages the meaning of this metaphor may not be clear. If this is true in your language, it may be necessary to indicate the meaning more explicitly. For example:
Even now the ax of God’s judgment is poised, ready to sever the roots of the trees. (NLT)
God is about to punish people who do not repent. He is like a man who is aiming his ax at the root of a tree, ready to cut it down.
ready: The Greek phrase that the BSB translates as ready emphasizes that the danger is immediate/imminent. The ax is right there, ready to strike. The tree is about to be cut down.
the root: Here the phrase the root refers to the part of the tree that is just above the ground. In this context, it does not mean the part that is below the ground. A person could cut the tree there and make the whole tree fall. In some languages this may be translated as something like:
the base of the tree/trunk
the trees: John did not name a specific type of tree. The context indicates that he was referring to fruit trees, such as fig trees.
and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down
and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut/chopped down,
If you do not do what is right/good, you will be like a tree that does not produce good fruit. Such trees will all be cut down
to chop down every tree that does not have the fruit of good deeds
and thrown into the fire.”
and it will be thrown into the fire.”
and thrown into fire to burn.”
and throw it into a fire to burn.”
and In Greek, this part of the verse is connected to 3:9a with a conjunction that is sometimes translated as “therefore,” as in the ESV. Many English versions, including the BSB, translate it as and. Other versions start a new sentence here. For example:
Any tree that doesn’t produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into a fire. (GW)
Connect 3:9b–c to 3:9a in a way that is natural in your language.
every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire: The Greek verbs that the BSB translates as will be cut down and thrown are passive. In some languages it may be more natural to use an active clause here and supply a general subject such as “man” or “woodcutter.” For example:
the man/woodcutter will cut down every tree that does not produce good fruit and throw it into the fire
In this part of the verse John continued to use the metaphor about the fruit trees from 3:9a. The trees represent people. Fruit trees that do not produce good fruit represent people who do not do and say what is good. The man/woodcutter represents God ready to punish those people. In some languages it may be necessary to make the meaning of the metaphor more explicit here, as in 3:9a. For example:
If anyone is like a tree that does not produce good fruit, God will punish that person. That person will be like a tree that is cut down and burned up.
If you do not repent and do what is good, you will be punished/destroyed like a useless/fruitless tree is cut down and thrown it into a fire.
In some translations, it may be helpful to explain the meaning of the metaphor more fully in a footnote. For example:
God is ready to condemn and severely punish all people who do not repent and do good things that show that they have repented. If the descendants of Abraham do not repent, God will punish them also.
Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive
ἤδη & ἡ ἀξίνη πρὸς τὴν ῥίζαν τῶν δένδρων κεῖται
already & the axe (Some words not found in SR-GNT: ἤδη Δέ καί ἡ ἀξίνη πρός τήν ῥίζαν τῶν δένδρων κεῖται παν οὖν δένδρον μή ποιοῦν καρπόν καλόν ἐκκόπτεται καί εἰς πῦρ βάλλεται)
If it would be helpful in your language, you could express this with an active form. Alternate translation: [the person who is going to cut down the tree has already placed his ax against the roots]
Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor
ἤδη & ἡ ἀξίνη πρὸς τὴν ῥίζαν τῶν δένδρων κεῖται
already & the axe (Some words not found in SR-GNT: ἤδη Δέ καί ἡ ἀξίνη πρός τήν ῥίζαν τῶν δένδρων κεῖται παν οὖν δένδρον μή ποιοῦν καρπόν καλόν ἐκκόπτεται καί εἰς πῦρ βάλλεται)
This is a figurative way of saying that punishment is just about to begin. Alternate translation: [God is even now getting his punishment ready]
Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive
πᾶν & δένδρον μὴ ποιοῦν καρπὸν καλὸν, ἐκκόπτεται καὶ εἰς πῦρ βάλλεται
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: ἤδη Δέ καί ἡ ἀξίνη πρός τήν ῥίζαν τῶν δένδρων κεῖται παν οὖν δένδρον μή ποιοῦν καρπόν καλόν ἐκκόπτεται καί εἰς πῦρ βάλλεται)
If it would be helpful in your language, you could express this with active forms. Alternate translation: [this person will chop down every tree not producing good fruit and throw it into the fire]
Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor
πᾶν & δένδρον μὴ ποιοῦν καρπὸν καλὸν, ἐκκόπτεται καὶ εἰς πῦρ βάλλεται
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: ἤδη Δέ καί ἡ ἀξίνη πρός τήν ῥίζαν τῶν δένδρων κεῖται παν οὖν δένδρον μή ποιοῦν καρπόν καλόν ἐκκόπτεται καί εἰς πῦρ βάλλεται)
This is a figurative way of describing punishment. Alternate translation: [God will certainly punish every person who does not do what is right]
OET (OET-LV) And already also the axe is_lying to the root of_the trees, therefore every tree not producing good fruit, is_being_cut_off and is_being_thrown into the_fire.
OET (OET-RV) The axe is already sitting at the base of the trees, so that every tree that doesn’t produce good fruit will be chopped down and thrown into the fire.”
Note: The OET-RV is still only a first draft, and so far only a few words have been (mostly automatically) matched to the Hebrew or Greek words that they’re translated from.
Acknowledgements: The SR Greek text, lemmas, morphology, and VLT gloss are all thanks to the CNTR.
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