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

21They asked him, “Well, are you Elijah?” John answered, “No, I’m not.” Then they asked, “Are you the prophet?” John replied, “No.” 22So they asked him, “Who are you? Tell us so that we can take an answer back to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?” John said, “I’m a voice crying out in the desert, ‘Make the way for the Lord straight,’ as the prophet Isaiah said.” 24Some of those who had been sent were Pharisees. 25They asked John, “Why do you baptize if you’re not the Messiah or Elijah or the prophet?”

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 are witnesses that I said, ‘I’m not the Messiah, but I’ve been sent ahead of him.’
• Matthew 3:3Isaiah the prophet spoke about this man when he said, “A voice cries out in the desert: ‘Prepare the way for the Lord! Make his paths straight!’ ”
• Mark 1:3“A voice cries out in the desert: ‘Prepare the way for the Lord! Make his paths straight!’ ”
• Luke 1:16He will bring many people in Israel back to the Lord their God.
• Luke 3:4As the prophet Isaiah wrote in his book, “A voice cries out in the desert: ‘Prepare the way for the Lord! Make his paths straight!
• Isaiah 40:3A voice cries out in the desert: “Clear a way for the Lord. Make a straight highway in the wilderness 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