Luke 3:16

Revised Standard Version

John answered them all, "I baptize you with water; but he who is mightier than I is coming, the thong of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie; he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
John answered them all, “I baptize you with water, but one who is more powerful than I am is coming. I am not worthy to untie the strap of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

King James Version (1611)
Iohn answered, saying vnto them all, I indeede baptize you with water, but one mightier then I commeth, the latchet of whose shooes I am not worthy to vnloose, he shall baptize you with the holy Ghost, and with fire.

King James Version
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:

English Standard Version
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 American Standard Bible
John responded to them all, saying, "As for me, I baptize you with water; but He is coming who is mightier than I, and I am not fit to untie the straps of His sandals; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

New Century Version
John answered everyone, "I baptize you with water, but there is one coming who is greater than I am. I am not good enough to untie his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

Amplified Bible
John answered them all by saying, "As for me, I baptize you [only] with water; but One who is mightier [more powerful, more noble] than I is coming, and I am not fit to untie the strap of His sandals [even as His slave]. He will baptize you [who truly repent] with the Holy Spirit and [you who remain unrepentant] with fire.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
John answered and said to them all, "As for me, I baptize you with water; but One is coming who is mightier than I, and I am not fit to untie the thong of His sandals; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

Legacy Standard Bible
John answered, saying to them all, "As for me, I baptize you with water, but One is coming who is mightier than I, and I am not fit to untie the strap of His sandals; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

Berean Standard Bible
John answered all of them: "I baptize you with water, but One 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 with fire.

Contemporary English Version
John said, "I am just baptizing with water. But someone more powerful is going to come, and I am not good enough even to untie his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.

Complete Jewish Bible
so Yochanan answered them all, "I am immersing you in water, but he who is coming is more powerful than I — I'm not worthy to untie his sandals! He will immerse you in the Ruach HaKodesh and in fire.

Darby Translation
John answered all, saying, *I* indeed baptise you with water, but the mightier than I is coming, the thong of whose sandals I am not fit to unloose; *he* shall baptise you with [the] Holy Spirit and fire;

Easy-to-Read Version
John's answer to this was, "I baptize you in water, but there is someone coming later who is able to do more than I can. I am not good enough to be the slave who unties his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.

Geneva Bible (1587)
Iohn answered, and saide to them all, In deede I baptize you with water, but one stronger then I, commeth, whose shoes latchet I am not worthy to vnloose: hee will baptize you with the holy Ghost, and with fire.

George Lamsa Translation
John answered and said to them, Behold, I baptize you with water; but one is coming after me, who is greater than I, the strings of whose shoes I am not worthy to untie; he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire;

Good News Translation
So John said to all of them, "I baptize you with water, but someone is coming who is much greater than I am. I am not good enough even to untie his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

Lexham English Bible
John answered them all, saying, "I baptize you with water, but the one who is more powerful than I am is coming, of whom I am not worthy to untie the strap of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

Literal Translation
John answered all, saying, I indeed baptize you with water; but He stronger than I comes, of whom I am not fit to loosen the thong of His sandals. He will baptize you in the Holy Spirit and fire,

American Standard Version
John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but there cometh he that is mightier than I, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: he shall baptize you in the Holy Spirit and in fire:

Bible in Basic English
John made answer, saying to them all, Truly, I give you baptism with water, but one is coming who is greater than I, whose shoes I am not good enough to undo: he will give you baptism with the Holy Spirit, and with fire:

Hebrew Names Version
Yochanan answered them all, "I indeed immerse you with water, but he comes who is mightier than I, the latchet of whose sandals I am not worthy to loosen. He will immerse you in the Ruach HaKodesh and fire,

International Standard Version
John replied to all of them, "I am baptizing you within">[fn] water, but the one who is stronger than I am is coming, and I am not worthy to untie his sandal straps. It is he who will baptize you within">[fn] the Holy Spirit and fire.Matthew 3:11;">[xr]

Etheridge Translation
Juchanon answered and said to them, Behold, I baptize you with waters, but there cometh after me He who is mightier than I; He, the latchet of whose sandals I am not worthy to unloose; He shall baptize you with the Spirit of Holiness and with fire:

Murdock Translation
John answered and said to them: Behold, I baptize you with water; but after me cometh one mightier than I, the strings of whose shoes I am not worthy to untie; he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Iohn aunswered, and said vnto them all, In deede I baptize you with water: but one stronger then I commeth, whose shoes latched I am not worthy to vnlose, he shall baptize you with the holy ghost, and with fire.

English Revised Version
John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but there cometh he that is mightier than I, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire:

World English Bible
John answered them all, "I indeed baptize you with water, but he comes who is mightier than I, the latchet of whose sandals I am not worthy to loosen. He will baptize you in the Holy Spirit and fire,

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
whether he were not the Christ, John answered saying to 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:

Weymouth's New Testament
he answered the question by saying to them all, "As for me, I am baptizing you with water, but One mightier than I is coming, whose very sandal-strap I am not worthy to unfasten: He will baptize you in the Holy Spirit and with fire.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Joon answeride, and seide to alle men, Y baptize you in watir; but a stronger than Y schal come aftir me, of whom Y am not worthi to vnbynde the lace of his schoon; he schal baptize you in the Hooli Goost and fier.

Update Bible Version
John answered, saying to them all, I indeed baptize you in water; but there comes he that is mightier than I, the lace of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: he shall baptize you in the Holy Spirit and [in] fire:

Webster's Bible Translation
John answered, saying to [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 will baptize you with the Holy Spirit, and with fire:

New English Translation
John answered them all, "I baptize you with water, but one more powerful than I am is coming—I am not worthy to untie the strap of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

New King James Version
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.

New Living Translation
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.

New Life Bible
But John said to all of them, "I baptize you with water. There is One coming Who is greater than I. I am not good enough to get down and help Him take off His shoes. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.

New Revised Standard
John answered all of them by saying, "I baptize you with water; but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
John answered, saying unto all - I, indeed, in water, am immersing you, but he that is mightier than I, cometh, the thong of whose sandals I am not worthy to unloose, - he, will immerse you m Holy Spirit and fire:

Douay-Rheims Bible
John answered, saying unto all: I indeed baptize you with water: but there shall come one mightier than I, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to loose. He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire;

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
Ihon answered and sayde to them all: I baptyse you wt water but a stronger then I cometh after me whose shue latchet I am not worthy to vnlouse: he will baptise you with the holy goost and with fyre:

Young's Literal Translation
John answered, saying to all, `I indeed with water do baptise you, but he cometh who is mightier than I, of whom I am not worthy to loose the latchet of his sandals -- he shall baptise you with the Holy Spirit and with fire;

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Ihon answered, and sayde vnto the all: I baptyse you with water, but after me there cometh one stronger the I, whose shue lachet I am not worthy to lowse: he shal baptyse you with the holy goost and with fyre.

Mace New Testament (1729)
he address'd himself to them all, saying, I indeed baptize you with water; but there is one coming, who is superiour to me, whose shoes I am unworthy to untie: he shall baptize you with the holy spirit, under the appearance of fire.

THE MESSAGE
But John intervened: "I'm baptizing you here in the river. The main character in this drama, to whom I'm a mere stagehand, will ignite the kingdom life, a fire, the Holy Spirit within you, changing you from the inside out. He's going to clean house—make a clean sweep of your lives. He'll place everything true in its proper place before God; everything false he'll put out with the trash to be burned."

Simplified Cowboy Version
John heard them and cut it off quick. "All I'm doing is dunkin' y'all in water. There's a cowboy comin' who I ain't fit to adjust his stirrups. He's gonna dunk you in fire to purify you in the Holy Spirit.

Contextual Overview

¹⁵ As the people were in expectation, and all men questioned in their hearts concerning John, whether perhaps he were the Christ, ¹⁶ John answered them all, "I baptize you with water; but he who is mightier than I is coming, the thong of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie; he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. ¹⁷ His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor, and to gather the wheat into his granary, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire." ¹⁸ So, with many other exhortations, he preached good news to the people. ¹⁹ But Herod the tetrarch, who had been reproved by him for Hero'di-as, his brother's wife, and for all the evil things that Herod had done, ²⁰ added this to them all, that he shut up John in prison.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

I indeed: Matthew 3:11, Mark 1:7, Mark 1:8, John 1:26, John 1:33, Acts 1:5, Acts 11:16, Acts 13:24, Acts 13:25, Acts 19:4, Acts 19:5

he shall: Proverbs 1:23, Isaiah 32:15, Isaiah 44:3, Isaiah 44:4, Ezekiel 36:25, Joel 2:28, Joel 2:29, John 7:38, Acts 2:33, Acts 10:44, Acts 11:15, 1 Corinthians 12:13

and with: Isaiah 4:4, Zechariah 13:9, Malachi 3:2, Malachi 3:3, Acts 2:3, Acts 2:4, Acts 2:17, Acts 2:18

Reciprocal: Matthew 3:6 - were Luke 1:32 - shall be great Luke 7:28 - Among John 1:15 - bare John 1:27 - whose John 1:30 - General John 7:39 - this spake Hebrews 6:2 - the doctrine

Cross-References

Genesis 3:1
Now the serpent was more subtle than any other wild creature that the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, "Did God say, 'You shall not eat of any tree of the garden'?"

Genesis 3:6
So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate; and she also gave some to her husband, and he ate.

Genesis 3:7
Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves aprons.

Genesis 3:8
And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden.

Genesis 3:9
But the LORD God called to the man, and said to him, "Where are you?"

Genesis 3:10
And he said, "I heard the sound of thee in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself."

Genesis 3:11
He said, "Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten of the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?"

Genesis 3:12
The man said, "The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me fruit of the tree, and I ate."

Genesis 3:16
To the woman he said, "I will greatly multiply your pain in childbearing; in pain you shall bring forth children, yet your desire shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you."

Genesis 3:17
And to Adam he said, "Because you have listened to the voice of your wife, and have eaten of the tree of which I commanded you, 'You shall not eat of it,' cursed is the ground because of you; in toil you shall eat of it all the days of your life;

Gill's Notes on the Bible

John answered, saying unto them all,.... For some of them might not only so think in their hearts, but express with their mouths the apprehension they had of him; and might put the question to him, as the priests and Levites from Jerusalem afterwards did; or he might know the secret thoughts of their hearts by divine revelation; or be apprized by his disciples of the private sentiments of the people concerning him: and therefore, to put them out of doubt, and that he might not have an honour conferred on him, which did not belong to him, he addressed himself, in a very public manner, to the whole multitude, in the hearing of them all: though the word "all" is left out in the Syriac and Persic versions, but rightly retained in others, being in all copies, and having a considerable emphasis on it: and said the following words.

I indeed baptize you with water; Matthew adds "unto repentance"; upon the profession of repentance:

but one mightier than I cometh; that is, after me; as Matthew records it:

the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose; neither to bear his shoes after him, as Matthew says, nor to untie his shoe string, or unbuckle his shoe, both which were menial actions with the Jews: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire; as he did some of their nation, his own disciples, on the day of pentecost;

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Barnes' Notes on the Bible

See the notes at Matthew 3:11-12.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Luke 3:16-17. On these verses see Matthew 3:11-12, and Mark 1:7-8, and particularly Clarke's note on "John 3:5".