Bible Strands
Luke 22:31
Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you like wheat.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — Jesus speaks these words to Simon Peter and the gathered disciples during the Last Supper, immediately following His promise that they will eat, drink, and judge Israel in His kingdom. He addresses them as the immediate recipients of divine warning before His impending arrest.
The words — The supplied lexicon provides Εἶπεν (Eipen) meaning “said” and ἰδοὺ (idou) meaning “Behold,” which bracket the Lord’s declaration. These terms function as a direct, urgent framing of Jesus’ statement to Simon.
The thread — The narrative of Satan petitioning God appears in Job 1:6 and Zechariah 3:1, where he stands before the divine council to oppose or accuse. The same adversarial dynamic is later addressed in 1 Peter 5:8, which describes the devil as a prowling lion seeking to devour believers.
Why it lands — The text states that Satan has requested permission to sift the disciples like wheat, establishing the reality of their coming trial. It requires readers to acknowledge spiritual opposition while relying on Christ’s intercession and committing to strengthen fellow believers after restoration.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Greek words
King James Version
And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat:
Cross-references
- 1 Peter 5:8 Be sober-minded and alert. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.
- Zechariah 3:1 Then the angel showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, with Satan standing at his right hand to accuse him.
- Job 1:6 One day the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came with them.
- Job 2:1 On another day the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came with them to present himself before Him.
- Revelation 12:10 And I heard a loud voice in heaven saying: “Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of His Christ. For the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down—he who accuses them day and night before our God.
- Amos 9:9 “For surely I will give the command, and I will shake the house of Israel among all the nations as grain is sifted in a sieve; but not a pebble will reach the ground.
- Luke 10:41 “Martha, Martha,” the Lord replied, “you are worried and upset about many things.
- Acts 9:4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute Me?”