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John the Baptist continues to preach.
Already the ax has been placed against the root of the trees. So every tree that does not produce good fruit is chopped down and thrown into the fire.
Already the ax has been placed against the root of the trees. So every tree that does not produce good fruit is chopped down and thrown into the fire. - This is a metaphor meaning "God is ready to punish you if you do not turn away from your sinful behavior like a man who lays his ax at the foot of a tree he is ready to cut down." (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor)
I baptize you
John is baptizing repentant people.
But he who comes after me
Jesus is the person who comes after John.
He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire
This is a metaphor meaning "God will put his Holy Spirit within you and take you through fire to judge and cleanse those who would enter the Kingdom of God." (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor)
He will baptize you
Jesus will baptize you.
His winnowing fork is in his hand to thoroughly clear off his threshing floor
This metaphor compares the way Christ will separate the righteous people from the unrighteous people to the way a man separates wheat grain from chaff. It can be translated as a simile to make the connection clearer: “Christ is like a man whose winnowing fork is in his hand.” (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-simile)
His winnowing fork is in his hand
Alternative translation: “Christ is holding a winnowing fork because he is ready.”
winnowing fork
This is a tool for tossing wheat up into the air to separate the wheat grain from the chaff. The heavier grain falls back down and the unwanted chaff is blown away by the wind. It is similar to a pitchfork.
his threshing floor
This is a place where people separate the grain from the chaff. Alternative translations: “his ground” or “the ground where he separates the grain from the chaff.”
gather his wheat into the storehouse...burn up the chaff with fire that can never be put out
gather his wheat into the storehouse...burn up the chaff with fire that can never be put out - This is a metaphor showing how God will separate righteous people from evil people. The righteous will go to heaven like wheat into a farmer's storehouse, and God will burn the people who are like chaff with a fire that will never be put out. (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor)