English Standard Version
Luke 3:4
4As 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.
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.
- 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.
- New Living Translation (NLT)Isaiah had spoken of John when he said, “He is a voice shouting in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord’s coming! Clear the road for him!
Context of Luke 3:4
2during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John the son of Zechariah in the wilderness. 3And he went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 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. 5Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be made low, and the crooked shall become straight, and the rough places shall become level ways, 6and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.'"
Read all of Luke 3Luke 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 cries: "In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
- Matthew 3:3For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah when he said, "The voice of one crying in the wilderness: 'Prepare the way of the Lord; make his paths straight.'"
- Mark 1:3the voice of one crying in the wilderness: 'Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight,'"
- John 1:23He said, "I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, 'Make straight the way of the Lord,' as the prophet Isaiah said."
- Luke 1:16And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God,
- Isaiah 57:14And it shall be said, "Build up, build up, prepare the way, remove every obstruction from my people's way."
- Isaiah 62:10Go through, go through the gates; prepare the way for the people; build up, build up the highway; clear it of stones; lift up a signal over the peoples.
- Malachi 4:6And he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the land with a decree of utter destruction."
- John 1:7He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him.
- John 3:28You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, 'I am not the Christ, but I have been sent before him.'
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
In the dictionaries
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
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
Commentaries