Luke 22 · Verse 31

Luke 22:31

And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat:
Luke 22:31, King James Version

Luke 22:31 in other translations

BSBSimon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift each of you like wheat.
WEBThe Lord said, “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan asked to have all of you, that he might sift you as wheat,
ASVSimon, Simon, behold, Satan asked to have you, that he might sift you as wheat:
YLTAnd the Lord said, ‘Simon, Simon, lo, the Adversary did ask you for himself to sift as the wheat,
DARBYAnd the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has demanded to have you, to sift you as wheat;
BBESimon, Simon, Satan has made a request to have you, so that he may put you to the test as grain is tested:
WebsterAnd the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat:

What does Luke 22:31 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Luke 22:31-34
31-34. Simon, Simon--(See on Lu 10:41). desired to have--rather, "hath obtained you," properly "asked and obtained"; alluding to Job (Job 1:6-12; 2:1-6), whom he solicited and obtained that he might sift him as wheat, insinuating as "the accuser of the brethren" (Re 12:10), that he would find chaff enough in his religion, if indeed there was any wheat at all. you--not Peter only, but them all.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes
Verse 31. Simon. Peter. Jesus, foreseeing the danger of Peter, and knowing that he was about to deny him, took occasion to forewarn him and put him on his guard, and also to furnish him with a solace when he should be brought to repentance.

Satan hath desired. Satan is the prince of evil. One of his works is to try the faith of believers--to place temptations and trials in their way, that they may be tested. Thus God gave Job into his hands, that it might be seen whether he would be found faithful, or would apostatize. Job 1:7, also Job 1:8-12. So Satan desired to have Peter in his hands, that he might also try him.

May sift you as wheat. Grain was agitated or shaken in a kind of fan or sieve. The grain remained in the fan, and the chaff and dust were thrown off. So Christ says that Satan desired to try Peter; to place trials and temptations before him; to agitate him; to see whether anything of faith would remain, or whether all would not be found to be chaff--mere natural ardour and false professions.

(t) "Satan" 1Pet 5:8

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 31 Simon, Simon - When a name is thus repeated in the sacred writings, it appears to be always intended as an expression of love, manifested by a warning voice. As if he had said, While thou and the others are contending for supremacy, Satan is endeavoring to destroy you all: but I have prayed for thee, as being in most danger. Satan hath desired - you - That is, all the apostles, but particularly the three contenders: the plural pronoun, ὑμας, sufficiently proves that these words were not addressed to Peter alone. Satan had already got one, Judas; he had nearly got another, Peter; and he wished to have all. But we see by this that the devil cannot even tempt a man unless he receive permission. He desires to do all evil; he is permitted only to do some.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Luke 22:21-38

How unbecoming is the worldly ambition of being the greatest, to the character of a follower of Jesus, who took upon him the form of a servant, and humbled himself to the death of the cross! In the way to eternal happiness, we must expect to be assaulted and sifted by Satan. If he cannot destroy, he will try to disgrace or distress us. Nothing more certainly forebodes a fall, in a professed follower of Christ, than…

Read the full comment on Luke 22:21-38 →

Luke 22:31 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

ΕἶπενEipensaidG2036
δὲdenowG1161
ὁho<the>G3588
κύριος·kuriosLord:G2962
ΣίμωνSimōnSimonG4613
Σίμων,SimōnSimon,G4613
ἰδοὺidouBeholdG2400
ὁho<the>G3588
σατανᾶςsatanasSatanG4567
ἐξῃτήσατοexētēsatodemanded to haveG1809
ὑμᾶςhumasall of youG4771
τοῦtou<the>G3588
σινιάσαιsiniasaito siftG4617
ὡςhōslikeG5613
τὸνton<the>G3588
σῖτον.sitonwheat.G4621

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Luke 22:31

  • 1 Peter 5:8

    Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

  • Zechariah 3:1

    And 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 1:6-12

    Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan came also among them. And the Lord said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the Lord, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it. And the Lord said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? Then Satan answered the Lord, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought? …

  • Revelation 12:10

    And 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.

  • Job 2:1-6

    Again 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. And the Lord said unto Satan, From whence comest thou? And Satan answered the Lord, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it. And the Lord said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? and still he holdeth fast his integrity, although thou movedst me against him, to destroy him without cause. And Satan answered the Lord, and said, Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life. …

  • Amos 9:9

    For, 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 10:41

    And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things:

  • Acts 9:4

    And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Simon.
10:41; Ac 9:4
Satan.
Job 1:8-11; 2:3-6; Zec 3:1; 1Pe 5:8; Re 12:10
sift.
Am 9:9

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Luke 22:30

    That ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

  • Luke 22:31

    And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat:

  • Luke 22:32

    But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.

Read all of Luke 22

Luke 22:31 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Dijo también el Señor: Simón, Simón, he aquí Satanás os ha pedido para zarandaros como á trigo;
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et le Seigneur dit: Simon, Simon, voici, Satan a demandé à vous avoir pour vous cribler comme le blé;
German
Elberfelder 1871		Der Herr aber sprach: Simon, Simon! siehe, der Satan hat euer begehrt, euch zu sichten wie den Weizen.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Ait autem Dominus: Simon, Simon, ecce Satanas expetivit vos ut cribraret sicut triticum: