Luke 22 31

Luke 22:31 kjv

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

Luke 22:31 nkjv

And the Lord said, "Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat.

Luke 22:31 niv

"Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat.

Luke 22:31 esv

"Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat,

Luke 22:31 nlt

"Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift each of you like wheat.

Luke 22 verses

Luke 22 31 Meaning

Luke 22:31 is a solemn warning from Jesus to Peter (and by implication, all His disciples) on the eve of His crucifixion. Jesus reveals a profound spiritual truth: Satan, the adversary, has actively sought and received permission from God to subject them to an intense, thorough trial, likened to sifting wheat. The enemy's intent is to violently shake their faith, expose weaknesses, and cause them to fall, separating the true believers from any perceived dross. This divine revelation underscores the spiritual warfare believers are always engaged in and Jesus' proactive awareness and intercession for His own.

Luke 22 31 Context

Luke 22:31 occurs in the Upper Room, immediately following Jesus instituting the Last Supper and the disciples' shameful argument about who among them was the greatest (Luke 22:24-27). This argument reveals a lack of spiritual maturity and an earthly understanding of kingdom principles, highlighting their vulnerability. Jesus addresses this by defining true leadership as service. Right after this teaching, Jesus turns specifically to Simon Peter, warning him of an impending spiritual assault. This dialogue is intimately linked to Peter's subsequent denial of Jesus (Luke 22:54-62) and his eventual restoration, signifying Jesus' profound foreknowledge and sovereign care over His disciples even amid their weaknesses and Satan's malice. The immediate preceding events expose the disciples' human frailties, making Jesus' prophetic warning all the more striking as a revelation of cosmic spiritual conflict intersecting with their personal lives.

Luke 22 31 Word analysis

• Simon, Simon: Simōn Simōn (Greek: Σίμων Σίμων). The repetition of the name is an emphatic and deeply personal address, signaling extreme seriousness and urgency. It draws attention directly to Peter, invoking his given (old) identity rather than his conferred (new) name "Peter" (Rock), perhaps implying a temporary return to his vulnerable, pre-converted self or highlighting his natural man rather than his spirit-filled potential. It emphasizes the weight of the coming trial upon him.
• indeed: idou (Greek: ἰδοὺ). An interjection often translated as "behold," "look," or "indeed." It functions to arrest attention, drawing focus to a profound, surprising, or crucial revelation that is about to follow. It underscores the divine importance of the message.
• Satan: Satanas (Greek: Σατανᾶς). Derived from Hebrew śāṭān, meaning "adversary" or "accuser." It denotes the chief demonic entity, the sworn enemy of God and His people, actively working to tempt, deceive, accuse, and destroy. This identifies the ultimate source of the spiritual attack.
• has asked permission: exētaisato (Greek: ἐξῃτήσατο). This verb is strong and specific, often meaning "to demand," "to request with insistence," or "to obtain by asking." It has legal or judicial connotations, implying that Satan presented a formal request or claim, perhaps even appearing before God (as seen in Job). It's not a mere suggestion but an assertive demand to put them to the test. This also implicitly affirms that Satan's power is limited and subject to divine permission.
• to sift: syniasai (Greek: σινιάσαι). Literally, "to shake with a sieve," used metaphorically for a thorough, violent, and severe testing or agitation. Just as a sieve vigorously shakes wheat to separate the kernels from the chaff and impurities, Satan intends to subject the disciples to a powerful, disturbing ordeal that will reveal their true spiritual state and try to separate them from Christ or expose their weakness.
• you: humas (Greek: ὑμᾶς). This is plural. Crucially, while Jesus specifically addresses Simon (se, singular in verse 32), Satan asked permission to sift all of you (the disciples). This indicates that the severe testing was not just for Peter but for the entire group, exposing weaknesses among them all, although Peter's forthcoming trial and fall would be particularly prominent and painful.
• as wheat: hōs siton (Greek: ὡς σῖτον). This specifies the method and intensity of the sifting. Wheat, after threshing, needs to be sifted to remove impurities, straw, and chaff. Satan desires to shake them up so thoroughly that their faith or commitment would prove to be mere chaff, blowing away, or reveal such weaknesses that they would be rendered useless for God's purpose.

Luke 22 31 Bonus section

• The timing of this revelation is significant, occurring at the height of Jesus' Passion, as His disciples are about to face the ultimate test of their faith and loyalty.
• The distinction between "Simon" (his natural self, susceptible to failure) and the rock-solid "Peter" (his Spirit-transformed self, which would later strengthen his brothers) is subtly introduced by Jesus' choice of name.
• While Satan intends the sifting for evil (destruction, humiliation), God's permission for the trial ultimately serves His redemptive purposes, often leading to purification, strengthened faith, and spiritual maturity, as it did for Peter (see Lk 22:32).
• This verse stands as a powerful reminder for believers about the unseen reality of spiritual warfare and the ever-present intercession of Christ for His people, even when they are most vulnerable. It also subtly addresses any polemics against the idea that God permits evil or that suffering has no ultimate purpose.

Luke 22 31 Commentary

Luke 22:31 provides a profound glimpse into the spiritual battle that underlies physical realities, revealing that earthly struggles often have spiritual origins. Jesus' "Simon, Simon" emphasizes the grave, personal nature of this revelation to Peter. It is a moment where the veil separating the physical from the spiritual is briefly lifted, showing the adversarial role of Satan. The critical verb exētaisato highlights that Satan does not act autonomously; his destructive desires are utterly constrained by God's sovereign will and permission, as famously exemplified in the book of Job. Satan's purpose in "sifting" the disciples is malicious: to utterly destabilize their faith, expose their frailties, and ultimately lead them to apostasy or spiritual destruction. The use of "you" (plural) reveals this test extends to all the disciples, indicating a widespread spiritual vulnerability among them at this critical hour. Peter's denial is a vivid demonstration of this sifting working itself out, yet Jesus' subsequent prayer for him (Lk 22:32) immediately assures us that Satan's ultimate destructive aim will be thwarted. This verse therefore warns us of the adversary's intent and capacity for profound testing, but implicitly reassures us that all such trials are permitted by God and known by Christ, who intercedes for His own.