“Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus doesn't just say Satan wants to sift them, but that Satan has actively "sought to obtain you" from God. This wasn't just a casual desire, but a specific request, like asking permission, that Jesus then counteracted with His own prayer.
“Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
Just moments before his arrest, Jesus addresses Peter directly, emphasizing his repeated name with sadness. He reveals that Satan has specifically requested permission to test all the disciples, intending to violently shake their faith until nothing but the chaff of their spiritual lives remains. This ominous warning comes in the midst of their own disputes about who is the greatest, highlighting their spiritual vulnerability right before the most intense trial they will face.
Ever feel like a spiritual battle is more intense than usual? Jesus reveals that sometimes, even our struggles with the enemy are permitted by God.
Jesus directly addresses Peter, using his name twice for emphasis, and reveals a startling truth: Satan asked to have the disciples.
What's the difference between God's 'sifting' and Satan's? It all comes down to the intended outcome.
Jesus uses the vivid image of sifting wheat to describe what Satan intended. But the purpose behind this divine and demonic action is vastly different:
Satan's Sifting:
God's Sifting:
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Jesus's prayer for Peter is key: "I have prayed that your faith may not fail." This highlights that even when God permits testing, His ultimate aim is the preservation and strengthening of our faith, not its destruction.
In the face of Satan's powerful request, Jesus doesn't stay silent. He actively prays for His followers.
The most crucial part of this exchange is Jesus's response to Satan's demand. While Satan 'asked' for permission to test, Jesus declares, 'I have prayed.'
Understand the original words
Simōn · Greek Proper Noun
A personal name, meaning 'hearing' or 'hearkening,' used here by Jesus to address the apostle Peter, emphasizing his identity before his fall.
Satanas · Greek Proper Noun
The supreme adversary of God and humanity, acting as the accuser and tempter who seeks to destroy the faith of God's people.
exētēsato · Greek Verb
To demand, claim, or ask for something, often with the implication of asserting a legal or moral right over someone.
siniasai · Greek Verb
A metaphorical process of testing or refining through trial and tribulation, separating the true substance of faith from the chaff of superficiality.
pistis · Greek Noun
Firm trust, reliance, and commitment to God, which is the foundational response of a believer to His revelation and promise.
epistrepsas · Greek Verb
The act of returning to God in repentance or re-establishing one's position of discipleship after a lapse or failure.
stērison · Greek Verb
To provide spiritual support, encouragement, or stability to fellow believers, especially after undergoing personal testing.
This moment occurs in the immediate lead-up to Jesus' arrest and Peter's denial, highlighting the intense spiritual battle for the disciples' loyalty and faith.
c. AD 30— this verse
Last Supper and Prediction of Betrayal
Jesus institutes the Lord's Supper with his disciples and predicts that one of them will betray him, while Peter will deny him three times.
c. AD 30
Jesus' Arrest in Gethsemane
Following the Last Supper, Jesus is arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane after Judas identifies him with a kiss.
c. AD 30
Peter's Denials
While Jesus is on trial, Peter is confronted multiple times and denies knowing him, fulfilling Jesus' prophecy.
c. AD 30
Crucifixion of Jesus
Jesus is crucified at Golgotha and dies, an event central to Christian faith and theology.
c. AD 30
Resurrection of Jesus
Three days after his crucifixion, Jesus is resurrected, appearing to his disciples and demonstrating victory over death.
c. AD 30-33
Post-Resurrection Appearances and Commissioning
Jesus appears to his disciples over forty days, strengthening their faith and commissioning them to spread the gospel.
This passage shows Satan asking permission from God to test Job, similar to how Satan requested to 'sift' Peter and the other disciples.
Zechariah 3:1-5This vision depicts Satan standing to accuse Joshua the high priest, and God rebuking him, mirroring the spiritual battle described in Luke 22:31.
Matthew 3:11-12Jesus, as the one with the 'winnowing fork,' will separate wheat from chaff, a concept related to the sifting described by Satan's desire to test the disciples' faith.
1 Peter 1:6-7Peter himself later writes about the 'fiery trial' of faith, acknowledging that such testing is meant to refine believers, much like the sifting process he faced.
Romans 8:31-39This passage emphasizes that no adversity, including the trials Satan may bring, can separate believers from God's love, providing a powerful reassurance against the threat of being 'sifted.'
pooleLuke 22:31: "And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat:"
Ver. 31,32. Our Lord directeth his speech to Peter, as one who (as it will by and by appear) had a greater confidence of himself than the rest expressed, and as one who he foresaw would fall more foully than the rest; though it appears, that in his speech he had a respect to them all, for the word you is in the plural number. The devil had a mind to disturb them all by his tempt…
vincentLuke 22:31: "And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat:"
Hath desired (ἐξῃτήσατο)Only here in New Testament. It sometimes means to obtain by asking, or to beg off. So Xenophon, "Anabasis," i., 1, 3. The mother of Cyrus, who is charged with an attempt to kill his brother, begged him off (ἐξαιτησαμένη). Rev., in margin, obtained you by asking. The result proved that Satan had obtained him for the time.Sift (σινιάσαι)Only here in N…
Jesus doesn't just say Satan wants to sift them, but that Satan has actively "sought to obtain you" from God. This wasn't just a casual desire, but a specific request, like asking permission, that Jesus then counteracted with His own prayer.
Just moments before his arrest, Jesus addresses Peter directly, emphasizing his repeated name with sadness. He reveals that Satan has specifically requested permission to test all the disciples, intending to violently shake their faith until nothing but the chaff of their spiritual lives remains. This ominous warning comes in the midst of their own disputes about who is the greatest, highlighting their spiritual vulnerability right before the most intense trial they will face.
Just moments before his arrest, Jesus addresses Peter directly, emphasizing his repeated name with sadness. He reveals that Satan has specifically requested permission to test all the disciples, intending to violently shake their faith until nothing but the chaff of their spiritual lives remains. This ominous warning comes in the midst of their own disputes about who is the greatest, highlighting their spiritual vulnerability right before the most intense trial they will face.
"“Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.”" — Jesus doesn't just say Satan wants to sift them, but that Satan has actively "sought to obtain you" from God. This wasn't just a casual desire, but a specific request, like asking permission, that…
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Last reviewed October 2026