Luke 3:4

Luke 3:4 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)As it is written in the book of the words of Esaias the prophet, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.
• New International Version (NIV)As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet: “A voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.
• English Standard Version (ESV)As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, "The voice of one crying in the wilderness: 'Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.
• New King James Version (NKJV)as it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, saying: “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord; Make His paths straight.

Context of Luke 3:4

2in the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas [his son-in-law], the word of God came to John, the son of Zacharias, in the wilderness. 3And he went into all the country around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sin; as it is written and forever remains written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, “The voice of one shouting in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, Make His paths straight. 5Every ravine shall be filled up, And every mountain and hill shall be leveled; And the crooked [places] shall be made straight, And the rough roads smooth; 6and all mankind shall see the salvation of God.’ ”

Luke 3:4 word by word

ὡς γέγραπται ἐν βίβλῳ λόγων Ἠσαΐου τοῦ προφήτου φωνὴ βοῶντος ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ ἑτοιμάσατε τὴν ὁδὸν κυρίου, εὐθείας ποιεῖτε τὰς τρίβους αὐτοῦ.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Asὡςhōs · as/whenG5613
• it is writtenγράφωgraphō · to writeG1125
• inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• the bookβίβλοςbiblos · bookG976
• of the wordsλόγοςlogos · wordG3056
• of EsaiasἩσαΐαςHēsaias · IsaiahG2268
• the prophetπροφήτηςprophētēs · prophetG4396
• sayingλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• The voiceφωνήphōnē · voice/sound: voiceG5456
• of one cryingβοάωboaō · to cry outG994
• the wildernessἔρημοςerēmos · desertedG2048
• Prepare yeἑτοιμάζωhetoimazō · to make readyG2090
• the wayὁδόςhodos · roadG3598
• of the Lordκύριοςkurios · lord: GodG2962
• makeποιέωpoieō · to do/make: doG4160
• hisαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• pathsτρίβοςtribos · pathG5147
• straightεὐθύςeuthus · StraightG2117

Cross-references for Luke 3:4

• Isaiah 40:3A voice of one is calling out, “Clear the way for the Lord in the wilderness [remove the obstacles]; Make straight and smooth in the desert a highway for our God.
• Matthew 3:3This is the one who was mentioned by the prophet Isaiah when he said, “The voice of one shouting in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the road for the Lord, Make His highways straight (level, direct)!’ ”
• Mark 1:3A voice of one shouting in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, Make His paths straight!’ ”
• John 1:23He said, “I am the voice of one shouting in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as the prophet Isaiah said.”
• Luke 1:16He will turn many of the sons of Israel back [from sin] to [love and serve] the Lord their God.
• Isaiah 57:14And it will be said, “Build up, build up, clear the way. Remove the stumbling block out of the way [of the spiritual return] of My people.”
• Isaiah 62:10Go through, go through the gates, Clear the way for the people; Build up, build up the highway, Remove the stones, lift up a banner over the peoples.
• Malachi 4:6He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers [a reconciliation produced by repentance], so that I will not come and strike the land with a curse [of complete destruction].”
• John 1:7This man came as a witness, to testify about the Light, so that all might believe [in Christ, the Light] through him.
• John 3:28You yourselves are my witnesses that I stated, ‘I am not the Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed),’ but, ‘I have [only] been sent ahead of Him [as His appointed forerunner and messenger to announce and proclaim His coming].’

Commentaries on Luke 3:4

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4Prepare ye the way - It was customary for the Hindoo kings, when on journeys, to send a certain class of the people two or three days before them, to command the inhabitants to clear the ways. A very necessary precaution where there are no public roads. - Ward.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3-9Verses 3-9 On the baptism of John - see the notes at Matthew 3.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 4-6The quotation is from the ancient Greek version of Isaiah 40:3–5. It describes God bringing the Jews back from exile in Babylon. After they returned (Ezra 1–2). John shouted in the wilderness to prepare God’s people for the Lord’s coming. God’s salvation is portrayed as a new exodus, bringing deliverance like the first exodus from Egypt. make straight paths for Him … the rough ways smooth: This image reflects the Middle Eastern custom of preparing a road…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-20(See on Mt 3:1-12; Mr 6:17, &c.). 1-2. Here the curtain of the New Testament is, as it were, drawn up, and the greatest of all epochs of the Church commences. Even our Lord's own age (Lu 3:23) is determined by it [Bengel]. No such elaborate chronological precision is to be found elsewhere in the New Testament, and it comes fitly from him who claims it as the peculiar recommendation of his Gospel, that he had "accurately traced down all things from the…Read the comment

Topics related to Luke 3:4

• Jesus Continued
• John
• Prophecy
• Quotations and Allusions

In the dictionaries

• Demand
• Isaiah, The Book of
• Mary
• Reprove
• Unquenchable
• Violence
• Wages
• Antediluvian Patriarchs
• Jesus Christ
• Luke, the Gospel of

Commentaries on Luke 3

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Catena Aurea
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• John Lightfoot Commentary
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings