John 1:23

John 1:23 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias.
• New International Version (NIV)John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, “I am the voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way for the Lord.’ ”
• English Standard Version (ESV)He said, "I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, 'Make straight the way of the Lord,' as the prophet Isaiah said."
• New King James Version (NKJV)He said: “I am ‘The voice of one crying in the wilderness: “Make straight the way of the Lord,” ’ as the prophet Isaiah said.”

Context of John 1:23

21So they asked him, ‘So who are you? Are you Elijah?’ John said, ‘No, I am not.’ They asked, ‘Are you the Prophet?’ John answered, ‘No.’ 22Then they said, ‘Tell us who you are. We must say something to the people who sent us. What do you say about yourself?’ He said, ‘I am the voice of somebody shouting in the wilderness: “The Lord will come soon. Make a straight path for him to follow.” That is what the prophet Isaiah said a long time ago.’ 24The men who came to ask these questions were Pharisees. 25They said to John, ‘You say that you are not the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet. So why do you baptize people?’

John 1:23 word by word

ἔφη· ἐγὼ φωνὴ βοῶντος ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ· εὐθύνατε τὴν ὁδὸν κυρίου· καθὼς εἶπεν Ἠσαΐας ὁ προφήτης.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• He saidφημίphēmi · to assertG5346
• Iἐγώegō · I/weG1473
• the voiceφωνήphōnē · voice/sound: voiceG5456
• of one cryingβοάωboaō · to cry outG994
• inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• the wildernessἔρημοςerēmos · desertedG2048
• Make straightεὐθύνωeuthunō · to straightenG2116
• the wayὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• the wayὁδόςhodos · roadG3598
• of the Lordκύριοςkurios · lord: GodG2962
• asκαθώςkathōs · as/just asG2531
• saidλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• the prophetπροφήτηςprophētēs · prophetG4396
• EsaiasἩσαΐαςHēsaias · IsaiahG2268

Cross-references for John 1:23

• John 3:28You yourselves will remember that I said, “I am not the Messiah, but God sent me to prepare things for the Messiah.”
• Matthew 3:3God's prophet Isaiah spoke about this man John long ago. He said: ‘Somebody's voice is shouting in the wilderness, “The Lord will come soon, so prepare a way for him to follow. Make the paths straight for him.” ’
• Mark 1:3His voice will shout in the wilderness: “The Lord will come soon, so prepare a way for him. Make the paths straight for him.” ’
• Luke 1:16He will teach many people in Israel. Then they will turn their lives back to the Lord their God and they will obey God again.
• Luke 3:4The prophet Isaiah wrote this message from God in his book: ‘Somebody's voice is shouting in the wilderness, “The Lord will come soon, so prepare a way for him to follow. Make the paths straight for him.
• Isaiah 40:3Somebody's voice is shouting, ‘Prepare a way in the wilderness for the Lord. Make a straight road in the desert for our God.

Commentaries on John 1:23

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 23I am the voice of one crying - See the notes on Matthew 3:3; Mark 1:4, Mark 1:5.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 23I am the voice … - See the notes at Matthew 3:3.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 19-28Verses 19-28 John disowns himself to be the Christ, who was now expected and waited for. He came in the spirit and power of Elias, but he was not the person of Elias. John was not that Prophet whom Moses said the Lord would raise up to them of their brethren, like unto him. He was not such a prophet as they expected, who would rescue them from the Romans. He gave such an account of himself, as might excite and awaken them to hearken to him. He baptized…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 22-23Who are you?: John the Baptist wanted others to know him as a voice of one calling in the wilderness (see Isaiah 40:3).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 19-3619. record--testimony. the Jews--that is, the heads of the nation, the members of the Sanhedrim. In this peculiar sense our Evangelist seems always to use the term.Read the comment

Topics related to John 1:23

• Elijah
• Jesus, the Christ
• John
• Quotations and Allusions

In the dictionaries

• Behold
• Believe
• Blood
• Dwell
• Flesh
• Guile
• Light
• Prefer
• Receive
• True

Commentaries on John 1

• 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