MAT 3:12 Parallel Verse View

Note: This view shows ‘verses’ which are not natural language units and hence sometimes only part of a sentence will be visible—click on any Bible version abbreviation down the left-hand side to see the verse in more of its context. Normally the OET discourages the reading of individual ‘verses’, but this view is only designed as a tool for doing comparisons of different translations—the older translations are further down the page (so you can read up from the bottom to trace the English translation history). The OET segments on this page are still very early looks into the unfinished texts of the Open English Translation of the Bible—please double-check these texts in advance before using in public.

Text critical issues=small word differences Clarity of original=clear Importance to us=normal (All still tentative.)

OET (OET-RV) He’s already holding his fork so that he can clear his threshing floor—he’ll work through the pile throwing it into the air, where the breeze will carry the chaff away, and he’ll burn that with unquenchable fire, while the grains of wheat, which are heavier, will land in the pile to be brought into the barn.”

Key: khaki:verbs, light-green:nominative/subject, orange:accusative/object, pink:genitive/possessor, cyan:dative/indirect object.
Note: Automatic aligning of the OET-RV to the LV is done by some temporary software, hence the RV alignments are incomplete (and may occasionally be wrong).

ULT whose winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will thoroughly clear off his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the storehouse. But he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”

UST The Messiah is ready to do that, just like a farmer who has his winnowing fork ready to use. A farmer separates all the good grain from the useless chaff. He stores the grain safely in his barn, but he burns the chaff until it is all gone. Much like that farmer, the Messiah will preserve the people who obey God, and he will punish the people who disobey God.”

BLB whose winnowing fork is in His hand, and He will clear His threshing floor and will gather His wheat into the barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire."

AICNT His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear[fn] his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the storehouse, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”

3:12, clear: Or clean

OEB His winnowing-fan is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing-floor, and store his grain in the barn, but the chaff he will burn with a fire that cannot be put out.’

WEBBE His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will thoroughly cleanse his threshing floor. He will gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn up with unquenchable fire.”

WMBB (Same as above)

NET His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clean out his threshing floor and will gather his wheat into the storehouse, but the chaff he will burn up with inextinguishable fire.”

LSV whose fan [is] in His hand, and He will thoroughly cleanse His floor, and will gather His wheat into the storehouse, but He will burn the chaff with unquenchable fire.”

FBV He has his winnowing tool[fn] ready in his hand. He will clean up the threshing floor and gather the wheat into the storehouse, but he will burn the chaff with fire that can't be put out.”

3:12 Used after harvest to separate the grain from the chaff.

TCNT His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will thoroughly clean out his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn up with unquenchable fire.”

T4T He is like a farmer who wants to clear away the grain that is on the ground where it has been threshed {they have threshed it}. That farmer uses a huge fork to throw the grain into the air to separate the wheat from the chaff [MET], and then he cleans up the threshing area. Similarly, God will separate righteous people from the evil people like a farmer who gathers the wheat into his storage area, and then God will burn the people who are like chaff with a fire that will never be put out [MET].”

LEB His winnowing shovel is in his hand, and he will clean out his threshing floor and will gather his wheat into the storehouse, but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”

BBE In whose hand is the instrument with which he will make clean his grain; he will put the good grain in his store, but the waste will be burned up in the fire which will never be put out.

Moff His winnowing-fan is in his hand,
⇔ he will clean out his threshing-floor,
⇔ his wheat he will gather into the granary,
⇔ but the straw he will burn with fire unquenchable."

Wymth His winnowing-shovel is in His hand, and He will make a thorough clearance of His threshing-floor, gathering His wheat into the storehouse, but burning up the chaff in unquenchable fire."

ASV 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.

DRA Whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly cleanse his floor and gather his wheat into the barn; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.

YLT whose fan [is] in his hand, and he will thoroughly cleanse his floor, and will gather his wheat to the storehouse, but the chaff he will burn with fire unquenchable.'

Drby whose winnowing fan [is] in his hand, and he shall thoroughly purge his threshing-floor, and shall gather his wheat into the garner, but the chaff he will burn with fire unquenchable.

RV whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly cleanse his threshing-floor; and he will gather his wheat into the garner, but the chaff he will burn up 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. )

SLT Whose winnowing fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly cleanse his threshing floor, and gather his wheat into the store; but he will burn down the chaff in inextinguishable fire.

Wbstr Whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly cleanse his floor, and gather his wheat into the granary; but he will burn the chaff with unquenchable fire.

KJB-1769 Whose 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.
(Whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire. )

KJB-1611 Whose fanne is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floore, and gather his wheat into the garner: but wil burne vp the chaffe with vnquenchable fire.
(Whose fanne is in his hand, and he will thoroughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner: but will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.)

Bshps Whose fanne is in his hande, and he wyll purge his floore, and gather his wheate into his garner: but wyl burne vp the chaffe with vnquencheable fire.
(Whose fanne is in his hand, and he will purge his floor, and gather his wheat into his garner: but will burn up the chaff with unquencheable fire.)

Gnva Which hath his fanne in his hand, and wil make cleane his floore, and gather his wheate into his garner, but will burne vp the chaffe with vnquenchable fire.
(Which hath/has his fanne in his hand, and will make clean his floor, and gather his wheat into his garner, but will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire. )

Cvdl which hath also his fan in his hond, and will pourge his floore, and gadre the wheet into his garner, & will burne ye chaffe with vnquencheable fyre.
(which hath/has also his fan in his hand, and will pourge his floor, and gather the wheet into his garner, and will burn ye/you_all chaff with unquencheable fire.)

TNT which hath also his fan in his hond and will pourge his floure and gadre the wheet into his garner and will burne the chaffe with vnquecheable fyre.
(which hath/has also his fan in his hand and will pourge his flour and gather the wheet into his garner and will burn the chaff with unquecheable fire. )

Wycl Whos wynewing cloth is in his hoond, and he shal fulli clense his corn flore, and shal gadere his whete in to his berne; but the chaffe he shal brenne with fier that mai not be quenchid.
(Whos wynewing cloth is in his hand, and he shall fully cleanse his corn flore, and shall gather his wheat in to his berne; but the chaff he shall burn with fire that may not be quenched.)

Luth Und er hat seine Worfschaufel in der Hand; er wird seine Tenne fegen und den Weizen in seine Scheune sammeln; aber die Spreu wird er verbrennen mit ewigem Feuer
(And he has his Worfschaufel in the/of_the hand; he becomes his Tenne sweep and the wheat in his Scheune collect; but the chaff becomes he burn with eternal fire(n))

ClVg Cujus ventilabrum in manu sua: et permundabit aream suam: et congregabit triticum suum in horreum, paleas autem comburet igni inextinguibili.[fn]
(Cuyus ventilabrum in/into/on by_hand his_own: and permundabit area his_own: and will_gather wheat his_own in/into/on horreum, straw however comburet fire inextinguibili. )

3.12 Cujus ventilabrum. Ventilabrum in manu est examen judicii quo discernuntur leves et vacui a fructu boni operis. In manu, quia Pater non judicat quemquam, sed omne judicium dedit Filio. Permundabit, id est, quotidie a variis tentationibus mundat. Vel, Permundabit, dum ob manifesta peccata perversus de Ecclesia ejicitur, vel post mortem damnatur. Paleas autem. Paleæ de origine unde et triticum oriuntur, id est de semine, zizania vero de diversa. Paleæ ergo sunt qui fidei sacramentis imbuuntur, sed solidi non sunt: zizania vero qui et opere et professione secernuntur ab electis. De his dicitur: Qui non credit, jam judicatus est, et ideo non fit hic mentio de illis. Inexstinguibili. Quia non exstinguetur neque exstinguet cruciatos, sed æternaliter puniet. Dicitur autem ad differentiam illius de quo dicitur: Igne nos examinasti Psal. 65., etc.

3.12 Cuyus ventilabrum. Ventilabrum in/into/on by_hand it_is examen judgement where discernuntur leves and vacui from fruit good work. In by_hand, because Pater not/no judges anyone, but everything judgement he_gave Filio. Permundabit, that it_is, daily from various temptations cleans. Or, Permundabit, while because obvious sins perversus from/about Assembly/Church eyicitur, or after death damnatur. Paleas however. Paleæ from/about origine from_where/who and wheat oriuntur, that it_is from/about with_seed, zizania indeed/however from/about different. Paleæ therefore are who/which of_faith sacraments imbuuntur, but solidi not/no are: zizania indeed/however who/which and by_work and professione secernuntur away chosen_(ones). From/About his it_is_said: Who not/no he_believes, already judgesus it_is, and therefore/for_that_reason not/no fit this/here mentio from/about to_them. Inexstinguibili. Because not/no exstinguetur nor exstinguet cruciatos, but eternally puniet. Sayitur however to differentiam of_that from/about where it_is_said: Igne us examinasti Psal. 65., etc.

UGNT οὗ τὸ πτύον ἐν τῇ χειρὶ αὐτοῦ; καὶ διακαθαριεῖ τὴν ἅλωνα αὐτοῦ, καὶ συνάξει τὸν σῖτον αὐτοῦ εἰς τὴν ἀποθήκην; τὸ δὲ ἄχυρον κατακαύσει πυρὶ ἀσβέστῳ.
(hou to ptuon en taʸ ⱪeiri autou; kai diakathariei taʸn halōna autou, kai sunaxei ton siton autou eis taʸn apothaʸkaʸn; to de aⱪuron katakausei puri asbestōi.)

SBL-GNT οὗ τὸ πτύον ἐν τῇ χειρὶ αὐτοῦ, καὶ διακαθαριεῖ τὴν ἅλωνα αὐτοῦ καὶ συνάξει τὸν σῖτον αὐτοῦ εἰς τὴν ⸀ἀποθήκην, τὸ δὲ ἄχυρον κατακαύσει πυρὶ ἀσβέστῳ.
(hou to ptuon en taʸ ⱪeiri autou, kai diakathariei taʸn halōna autou kai sunaxei ton siton autou eis taʸn ⸀apothaʸkaʸn, to de aⱪuron katakausei puri asbestōi.)

RP-GNT Οὗ τὸ πτύον ἐν τῇ χειρὶ αὐτοῦ, καὶ διακαθαριεῖ τὴν ἅλωνα αὐτοῦ, καὶ συνάξει τὸν σῖτον αὐτοῦ εἰς τὴν ἀποθήκην, τὸ δὲ ἄχυρον κατακαύσει πυρὶ ἀσβέστῳ.
(Hou to ptuon en taʸ ⱪeiri autou, kai diakathariei taʸn halōna autou, kai sunaxei ton siton autou eis taʸn apothaʸkaʸn, to de aⱪuron katakausei puri asbestōi.)

TC-GNT Οὗ τὸ πτύον ἐν τῇ χειρὶ αὐτοῦ, καὶ διακαθαριεῖ τὴν ἅλωνα αὐτοῦ, καὶ συνάξει τὸν σῖτον αὐτοῦ εἰς τὴν ἀποθήκην, τὸ δὲ ἄχυρον κατακαύσει πυρὶ ἀσβέστῳ.
(Hou to ptuon en taʸ ⱪeiri autou, kai diakathariei taʸn halōna autou, kai sunaxei ton siton autou eis taʸn apothaʸkaʸn, to de aⱪuron katakausei puri asbestōi. )

Key for above GNTs: yellow:punctuation differs (from our SR-GNT base).

SOTN SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 3:1–12: John the Baptist taught people to repent and obey God

The story starting at 3:1 occurred about twenty-eight years after 2:23. Matthew did not tell what happened during those twenty-eight years. But he restarted the story at this time in Jesus’ life because Jesus was ready to begin the work that God gave him to do. He began at the time God chose for him.

John the Baptist was the last prophet before Jesus. The story of how John was born is in Luke chapter 1. He was the prophet whom God said would come (3:3). John wore the kind of clothes prophets often wore (3:4). He baptized people who repented. John preached that Jesus would be greater than he was (3:11).

Here are some other possible headings for this section:

The work of John the Baptist/Baptizer

The work of John who baptized people

John the Baptizer preached repentance and submission to God’s rule

John the Baptizer prepared people to receive the Lord

There are parallel passages for this section in Mark 1:1, Luke 3:1–18 and John 1:19–28.

Paragraph 3:11–12

In 3:7–10, John had been speaking to the Pharisees and Sadducees. In this paragraph, he was apparently speaking to the entire crowd. He was baptizing only those who had changed their behavior from bad to good.

3:12

Verse 3:12 is an extended metaphor. In this metaphor, John the Baptist compared the actions of Jesus the Messiah to the actions of a farmer at harvest time.

Here are some ways that the Messiah and a farmer are similar:

They are both ready to perform their tasks.
Their task is to separate what is good/useful from that which is not good/useful. Their task is then to store or destroy them accordingly.

In that culture, after a farmer harvested grain, he “threshed” it by rolling something heavy over the grain. This caused the seeds to separate from the stalk and the husks. He did this on an area of ground called the “threshing floor.”

Then the farmer “winnowed” the grain by using a large fork to throw the mixture of straw, seeds, and husks into the air. The wind would blow away the lightweight straw and husks so that only the grain seed was left. The farmer would then put the grain seed into bags. Finally, he would gather the straw and husks to burn them as fuel in the ovens where the women baked bread.

John used the images of a farmer threshing and winnowing grain to figuratively describe that the Messiah will separate those who repented from those who refused to repent. He used the image of a farmer storing grain to figuratively describe that the Messiah will receive those who repent into his kingdom. He used the image of a farmer burning chaff to figuratively describe that the Messiah will destroy those who do not repent.

In some languages, a literal translation of this metaphor may be difficult to understand.

Here are some other ways to translate the metaphor:

Change the metaphor to a simile. For example:
^12aHe is like a farmer who already has his winnowing fork in his hand.
Add a footnote to explain the metaphor. Here is a sample footnote:
Verse 3:12 compares Jesus to a farmer. A farmer separates the grain from the chaff. He stores the grain and burns the chaff. When Jesus comes, he will separate the people who have truly repented from those who have not repented. He will receive all those who have repented into his kingdom, but he will destroy those who have not repented.

3:12a

His winnowing fork is in His hand

He is ready with his winnowing fork in his hand,
He is like a farmer who is already holding his tool for separating grain from the husks and straw.
He is ready to separate people who have repented from the others, like a farmer who separates the seed from the husks and straw.

His winnowing fork is in His hand: This phrase begins the extended metaphor which compares the Messiah to a farmer. It means “he is holding a winnowing fork.” It indicates that the Messiah is ready to act.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

He has picked up his winnowing fork and is ready

He is like a farmer who is already holding his winnowing fork.

winnowing fork: The Greek word that the BSB translates as winnowing fork refers to a big shovel-like tool that looked something like a fork. People used it to throw the mixture of seeds, chaff, and straw into the air so that the wind would separate the good grain from the useless chaff.

The winnowing fork represents the Messiah’s ability and authority to separate those who repented from those who refused to repent.

Here are some other ways to translate the term winnowing fork:

Use a descriptive phrase. For example:
The tool for separating the seed/grain from the chaff is in his hand.
Describe the function. For example:
He will come ready to clean the grain (NCV)
He is ready to separate the good grain from the chaff.

man holding a winnowing fork

3:12b

to clear His threshing floor

and he will thoroughly clean/clear his threshing floor
He will thresh and winnow the grain, then he will clear away the area where the grain was threshed.
After he does that, he will clear away the grain and the chaff.

to clear His threshing floor: There are two ways to interpret the Greek phrase that the BSB translates as to clear His threshing floor:

It means to clear/clean the threshing floor. This refers to what is done after the grain has been threshed. For example:
he will clean out his threshing floor (NET) (BSB, NIV, RSV, REB, KJV, NASB, NJB, NET, GW, NLT, ESV)
It means to thresh out all the grain. For example:
he is ready to separate the wheat from the husks. (CEV) (GNT, CEV, NCV)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1). The farmer would clear or clean his threshing floor by putting the good grain in the barn and burning the chaff. However, since the farmer first threshed the grain before clearing the threshing floor, some languages may need to include both steps. So you may need to include parts of both interpretations.

threshing floor: A threshing floor is a flat area outdoors where the farmer “threshes” the grain. He “threshes” it by rolling something heavy over the grain. This causes the seeds to separate from the stalk and the husks. The threshing floor is also the area where the grain is winnowed.

Here are some other ways to translate the phrase threshing floor:

place on the ground for separating grain from the chaff

area where the seed is beaten/removed from the chaff

3:12c

and to gather His wheat into the barn;

by putting his grain in the storehouse,
He will put his grain in a granary.

to gather His wheat into the barn: The farmer put the good seed or grain in a safe place where he kept his grain. This represents the Messiah saving people who believe in him.

wheat: The word wheat refers to a certain type of grain plant and to the grain that the plant produces. Wheat plants have a stalk. On top of the stalk there are clusters of seeds, which are the wheat grains.

head of a wheat plant

Here are some other ways to translate this word:

Use a more general term. For example:
grain (NCV)
Use a different type of grain that is grown in your area and is similar to wheat. For example:
rice
millet

barn: The Greek word that the BSB translates as barn refers to a storage area for grain. Here are some other ways to translate this word:

granary (RSV)

storehouse (NET)

3:12d

but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”

and by burning the chaff in a fire that cannot be put out.”
But he will burn the chaff in a fire that never goes out.”

but: There is a contrast between 3:12b–c and 3:12d. The contrast is between what will happen to the wheat (3:12c), which will be saved, and the chaff (3:12d), which will be burned. Many English versions indicate this contrast by translating the Greek conjunction here with the English conjunction “But.”

He will burn up the chaff: The chaff was the husk and the stalk (or straw). People burned all of this because it was not good to eat. This represents the Messiah punishing those who refused to repent.

unquenchable fire: The Greek phrase that the BSB translates as unquenchable fire refers to a fire that people cannot put out. It is also a fire that never stops burning.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

a fire that never goes out (GNT)

never ending fire (NLT)

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / exmetaphor

οὗ τὸ πτύον ἐν τῇ χειρὶ αὐτοῦ; καὶ διακαθαριεῖ τὴν ἅλωνα αὐτοῦ, καὶ συνάξει τὸν σῖτον αὐτοῦ εἰς τὴν ἀποθήκην; τὸ δὲ ἄχυρον κατακαύσει πυρὶ ἀσβέστῳ

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Οὗ τό πτύον ἐν τῇ χειρί αὐτοῦ καί διακαθαριεῖ τήν ἅλωνα αὐτοῦ καί συνάξει τόν σῖτον αὐτοῦ εἰς τήν ἀποθήκην τό δέ ἄχυρον κατακαύσει πυρί ἀσβέστῳ)

In this verse, John describes the one who comes after him as a farmer who separates the useful grains of wheat from the other parts of the wheat plant by using a winnowing fork to clear of his threshing floor. Just as that farmer separates the grain from the chaff, so the one who comes after John will separate those who obey from those who do not. Just as that farmer saves the grain and burns up the chaff, so the one who comes after John will save those who obey and punish those who do not. If possible, preserve this metaphor. If necessary, you could use simile form or state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [who is like a farmer with a winnowing fork in his hand. He will separate those who obey God from those who do not, just as a farmer thoroughly clears off his fleshing floor. He will save those who obey and punish those who disobey, just as a farmer gathers his wheat into the storehouse and burns up the chaff with unquenchable fire] or [who is ready to act, and he will separate those who obey God from those who disobey God. He will save those who obey and completely punish those who disobey]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / idiom

οὗ τὸ πτύον ἐν τῇ χειρὶ αὐτοῦ

Here, the phrase in his hand indicates that a person is ready to use whatever is in his or her hand. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a comparable expression or state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [who has picked up his winnowing fork] or [who is ready to use his winnowing fork]

Note 3 topic: translate-unknown

τὸ πτύον

A winnowing fork is a tool for tossing wheat into the air to separate the wheat grain from the chaff. The heavier grain falls back down, and the wind blows away the unwanted chaff. This tool is similar to a pitchfork. If you have a similar tool in your culture, you can use the word for it here. Otherwise, you can use a phrase that would express the meaning. Alternate translation: [tool for winnowing grain] or [tool for tossing seeds]

Note 4 topic: translate-unknown

τὴν ἅλωνα αὐτοῦ

The threshing floor was the place where harvested wheat was processed to separate the grain from the chaff. To clear off the floor is to finish threshing and winnowing all the grain. If it would be helpful in your language, you could refer to where threshing happens in your culture, or you could use a descriptive phrase. Alternate translation: [the place where he separates the grain from the chaff]