en_tn/luk/03/17.md

John continues teaching about the Christ.

## His winnowing fork... ##

This metaphor compares how the Christ will separate the righteous people from the unrighteous people to how a man separates wheat grain from chaff. It can be translated as a simile to make the connection more clear: "The Christ is like a man whose winnowing fork is in his hand."(See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]], [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-simile]])

## His winnowing fork is in his hand ##

This can be translated as "He is holding a winnowing fork because he is ready." (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]])

## 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. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]])

## his threshing floor ##

AT: "his ground" or "the ground where he separates the grain from the chaff" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]])

## to gather the wheat ##

This could also be translated as "Then he will gather the wheat." (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]])

## burn up the chaff ##

The chaff is not useful for anything, so people burn it up. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]])