MATTHEW 3:12

“Separating the wheat from the chaff”

KING JAMES VERSION (KJV)

TRANSLATION, MEANING, CONTEXT

Although the quote “Separating the wheat from the chaff” does not appear verbatim in this verse, it is derived from two clauses in it.

To get what Matthew 3:12 means in detail, scroll down or follow these links for the original scriptural meaning , biblical context and relative popularity.

“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.”

High popularity: 480 searches a month
Popularity relative to other verses in Matthew chapter 3 using average monthly Google searches.

Matthew 3:12 Translation & Meaning

What does this verse really mean? Use this table to get a word-for-word translation of the original Greek Scripture. This shows the English words related to the source biblical texts along with brief definitions. Follow the buttons in the right-hand column for detailed definitions and verses that use the same root words. Use this reference information to gain deeper insight into the Bible and enrich your understanding. Information based on Strong's Exhaustive Concordance[1].

KJV Verse Original Greek Meaning/ Definition
This is a simplified translation of the original Greek word. Follow the buttons on the right to get more detail.
More 
Use the buttons below to get details on the Greek word and view related Bible verses that use the same root word.
Whose οὗ The relatively (sometimes demonstrative) pronoun, who, which, what, that Whose
fan πτύον A winnowing-fork (as scattering like spittle) fan
is (No Greek definition. English implied.)
in ἐν "in," at, (up-)on, by, etc in
his αὐτοῦ The reflexive pronoun self, used (alone or in the comparative G1438) of the third person, and (with the proper personal pronoun) of the other persons his
hand, χειρὶ The hand (literally or figuratively (power); especially (by Hebraism) a means or instrument) hand
and καὶ And, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words and
he will throughly purge διακαθαριεῖ To cleanse perfectly, i.e., (specially) winnow throughly purge
his αὐτοῦ The reflexive pronoun self, used (alone or in the comparative G1438) of the third person, and (with the proper personal pronoun) of the other persons his
floor, ἅλωνα A threshing-floor (as rolled hard), i.e., (figuratively) the grain (and chaff, as just threshed) floor
and καὶ And, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words and
gather συνάξει To lead together, i.e., collect or convene; specially, to entertain (hospitably) gather
his αὐτοῦ The reflexive pronoun self, used (alone or in the comparative G1438) of the third person, and (with the proper personal pronoun) of the other persons his
wheat σῖτον Grain, especially wheat wheat
into εἰς To or into (indicating the point reached or entered), of place, time, or (figuratively) purpose (result, etc.); also in adverbial phrases into
the τὴν The (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom) the
garner; ἀποθήκην A repository, i.e., granary garner
but δὲ But, and, etc but
he will burn up κατακαύσει To burn down (to the ground), i.e., consume wholly burn up
the τὸ The (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom) the
chaff ἄχυρον Chaff (as diffusive) chaff
with unquenchable ἀσβέστῳ Not extinguished, i.e., (by implication) perpetual unquenchable
fire. πυρὶ "fire" (literally or figuratively, specially, lightning) fire

Verse Context

See Matthew 3:12 with its adjacent verses in bold below. Follow either of the two large buttons below to see these verses in their broader context of the King James Bible or a Bible concordance.

Very High
Verse Search Popularity Levels What do people search for?

Use the scale on the left to tell how often the verses below are googled compared to each other.

High
Medium
Low
Very Low
  • 10  And 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.

  • 11  I 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:

  • 12  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.

  • 13  Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him.

  • 14  But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?




Sources:

The King James Bible (1611) and Strong's Concordance (1890) with Hebrew and Greek dictionaries are sourced from the BibleForgeDB database (https://github.com/bibleforge) within the BibleForge project (http://bibleforge.com). Popularity rankings are based on search volume data from the Google AdWords Keyword Planner tool.


Share This Page:


Popular Bible Topics What does the Bible say about...?

Most Searched Bible Verses
Translations, Meanings, Complete Red Letter Bible
Words of God in dark red
Words of Jesus in light red