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

2It was at the time when Annas and Caiaphas were chief priests that God spoke to John, son of Zechariah, in the desert. 3John traveled throughout the region around the Jordan River. He told people about a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. As the prophet Isaiah wrote in his book, “A voice cries out in the desert: ‘Prepare the way for the Lord! Make his paths straight! 5Every valley will be filled. Every mountain and hill will be leveled. The crooked ways will be made straight. The rough roads will be made smooth. 6All people will see the salvation that God gives.’ ”

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 cries out in the desert: “Clear a way for the Lord. Make a straight highway in the wilderness for our God.
• 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!’ ”
• John 1:23John said, “I’m a voice crying out in the desert, ‘Make the way for the Lord straight,’ as the prophet Isaiah said.”
• Luke 1:16He will bring many people in Israel back to the Lord their God.
• Isaiah 57:14It will be said: “Build a road! Build a road! Prepare the way! Remove every obstacle in the way of my people!”
• Isaiah 62:10Go through! Go through the gates! Prepare a way for the people! Build up! Build up the highway! Clear away the stones! Raise a flag for the people!
• Malachi 4:6He will change parents’ attitudes toward their children and children’s attitudes toward their parents. If not, I will come and reclaim my land by destroying you.”
• John 1:7John came to declare the truth about the light so that everyone would become believers through his message.
• John 3:28You are witnesses that I said, ‘I’m not the Messiah, but I’ve been sent ahead of 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

• 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