Lukas 3:9

3:9 Even now the ax is laid at the root of the trees, ¹  and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be ²  cut down and thrown into the fire.”

Lukas 22:56

22:56 Then a slave girl, ³  seeing him as he sat in the firelight, stared at him and said, “This man was with him too!”

[3:9]  ¹ sn Even now the ax is laid at the root of the trees. The imagery of an “ax already laid at the root of the trees” is vivid, connoting sudden and catastrophic judgment for the unrepentant and unfruitful. The image of “fire” serves to further heighten the intensity of the judgment referred to. It is John’s way of summoning all people to return to God with all their heart and avoid his unquenchable wrath soon to be poured out. John’s language and imagery is probably ultimately drawn from the OT where Israel is referred to as a fruitless vine (Hos 10:1-2; Jer 2:21-22) and the image of an “ax” is used to indicate God’s judgment (Ps 74:5-6; Jer 46:22).

[3:9]  ² tn Grk “is”; the present tense (ἐκκόπτεται, ekkoptetai) has futuristic force here.

[22:56]  ³ tn The Greek term here is παιδίσκη (paidiskh), referring to a slave girl or slave woman.