And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat:
Parallel translations
- WEB The Lord said, “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan asked to have you, that he might sift you as wheat,
- BSB Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift each of you like wheat.
- NKJV And the Lord said, “Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat.
- NASB “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has demanded to sift you men like wheat;
- NLT “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift each of you like wheat.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Jesus warns Simon that Satan has demanded to sift all the disciples like wheat. It exposes the real spiritual danger they face.
Overview
Jesus reveals that Satan seeks to test and scatter the disciples, with Peter especially in view. The image of sifting wheat depicts a violent trial meant to destroy faith. Yet the warning comes with the assurance of Jesus' watchful care, framing the coming failure within God's purpose to strengthen His own.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 8
- 1 Pet 5:8Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
- Zech 3:1And he shewed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him.
- Job 1:6–12Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them.
- Job 2:1–6Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them to present himself before the LORD.
- Rev 12:10And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.
- Amos 9:9For, lo, I will command, and I will sift the house of Israel among all nations, like as corn is sifted in a sieve, yet shall not the least grain fall upon the earth.
- Luke 10:41And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things:
- Acts 9:4And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.
Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.
Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.
Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.
The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
Luke shows Jesus the Savior for all — outsiders, the poor, the nations — the one who, on the Emmaus road, opened all the Scriptures to show they were about himself.
How Luke 22:31 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.