Luke 3:16-17
What is written? (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. His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”
What does it say?
John (the Baptist) responded to them that effectively he was not the Christ since he simply baptized with water. There was one far greater and mightier than him coming, whose sandal strap John was unworthy to untie. He would baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire. He is ready and able to clear His threshing floor — gathering the wheat into His barn and the chaff to burn in unquenchable fire.
What is its immediate context?
The early days of John’s ministry were spent preparing the way for his cousin, Jesus. The people were questioning him as to whether he might be the Christ (vs 15). This is just before he baptizes Jesus when John hears God testifying that the One he has baptized is the Messiah (vss 21-22).
Parallel accounts appear in Matthew 3:11-12, Mark 1:7-8, and John 1:32-34.
How Luke 3:16-17 is applied across Bible answers
What is the promise of the Holy Spirit?
John the Baptist testifies that one is coming with the power to judge, bringing the Holy Spirit upon those saved (e.g. "the wheat") or fire upon those condemned (e.g. "the chaff").
In this context, John is speaking to and about all disciples and specifically emphasizing the power of judgment (e.g. contrasting salvation and destruction) that Jesus will have. He has already warned in verse 9 that anyone "that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire." Therefore, the "baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire" is most likely a restatement of this same contrast, whereas everyone will face either immersion in the Holy Spirit (salvation) or fire (destruction).
