Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version A voice of one calling: “In the wilderness prepare the way for the LORD; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. New Living Translation Listen! It’s the voice of someone shouting, “Clear the way through the wilderness for the LORD! Make a straight highway through the wasteland for our God! English Standard Version A voice cries: “In the wilderness prepare the way of the LORD; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Berean Standard Bible A voice of one calling: “Prepare the way for the LORD in the wilderness; make a straight highway for our God in the desert. King James Bible The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. New King James Version The voice of one crying in the wilderness: “Prepare the way of the LORD; Make straight in the desert A highway for our God. New American Standard Bible The voice of one calling out, “Clear the way for the LORD in the wilderness; Make straight in the desert a highway for our God. NASB 1995 A voice is calling, “Clear the way for the LORD in the wilderness; Make smooth in the desert a highway for our God. NASB 1977 A voice is calling, “Clear the way for the LORD in the wilderness; Make smooth in the desert a highway for our God. Legacy Standard Bible A voice is calling, “Prepare the way for Yahweh in the wilderness; Make smooth in the desert a highway for our God. Amplified Bible A 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. Christian Standard Bible A voice of one crying out: Prepare the way of the LORD in the wilderness; make a straight highway for our God in the desert. Holman Christian Standard Bible A voice of one crying out: Prepare the way of the LORD in the wilderness; make a straight highway for our God in the desert. American Standard Version The voice of one that crieth, Prepare ye in the wilderness the way of Jehovah; make level in the desert a highway for our God. Contemporary English Version Someone is shouting: "Clear a path in the desert! Make a straight road for the LORD our God. English Revised Version The voice of one that crieth, Prepare ye in the wilderness the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. GOD'S WORD® Translation A voice cries out in the desert: "Clear a way for the LORD. Make a straight highway in the wilderness for our God. Good News Translation A voice cries out, "Prepare in the wilderness a road for the LORD! Clear the way in the desert for our God! International Standard Version A voice cries out: 'In the wilderness prepare the way for the LORD; and in the desert a straight highway for our God.' Majority Standard Bible A voice of one calling: ?Prepare the way for the LORD in the wilderness; make a straight highway for our God in the desert. NET Bible A voice cries out, "In the wilderness clear a way for the LORD; construct in the desert a road for our God. New Heart English Bible The voice of one who calls out in the wilderness, "Prepare the way of the LORD. Make his roads straight. Webster's Bible Translation The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. World English Bible The voice of one who calls out, “Prepare the way of Yahweh in the wilderness! Make a level highway in the desert for our God. Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionA voice is crying in a wilderness: “Prepare the way of YHWH, "" Make straight in a desert a highway for our God. Young's Literal Translation A voice is crying -- in a wilderness -- Prepare ye the way of Jehovah, Make straight in a desert a highway to our God. Smith's Literal Translation The voice of him calling in the desert, Prepare ye the way of Jehovah, make straight in the sterile region a highway for our God. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleThe voice of one crying in the desert: Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the wilderness the paths of our God. Catholic Public Domain Version The voice of one crying out in the desert: “Prepare the way of the Lord! Make straight the paths of our God, in a solitary place. New American Bible A voice proclaims: In the wilderness prepare the way of the LORD! Make straight in the wasteland a highway for our God! New Revised Standard Version A voice cries out: “In the wilderness prepare the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleThe voice of him that cries in the wilderness, Prepare the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Peshitta Holy Bible Translated The voice that cried out in the wilderness: “Return to the road for LORD JEHOVAH and straighten in the plain the street for our God OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917Hark! one calleth: 'Clear ye in the wilderness the way of the LORD, Make plain in the desert A highway for our God. Brenton Septuagint Translation The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight the paths of our God. Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context Prepare the Way for the LORD…2“Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her forced labor has been completed; her iniquity has been pardoned. For she has received from the hand of the LORD double for all her sins.” 3A voice of one calling: “Prepare the way for the LORD in the wilderness; make a straight highway for our God in the desert. 4Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill made low; the uneven ground will become smooth, and the rugged land a plain.… Cross References Matthew 3:3 This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah: “A voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for Him.’” Mark 1:2-3 As it is written in Isaiah the prophet: “Behold, I will send My messenger ahead of You, who will prepare Your way.” / “A voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for Him.’” Luke 3:4-6 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. / Every valley shall be filled in, and every mountain and hill made low. The crooked ways shall be made straight, and the rough ways smooth. / And all humanity will see God’s salvation.’” John 1:23 John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet: “I am a voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way for the Lord.’” Malachi 3:1 “Behold, I will send My messenger, who will prepare the way before Me. Then the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to His temple—the Messenger of the covenant, in whom you delight—see, He is coming,” says the LORD of Hosts. Malachi 4:5-6 Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and awesome Day of the LORD. / And he will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers. Otherwise, I will come and strike the land with a curse.” Matthew 11:10 This is the one about whom it is written: ‘Behold, I will send My messenger ahead of You, who will prepare Your way before You.’ Mark 1:4 John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. Luke 1:76 And you, child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for Him, John 3:28 You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the Christ, but am sent ahead of Him.’ Exodus 23:20 Behold, I am sending an angel before you to protect you along the way and to bring you to the place I have prepared. Psalm 68:4 Sing to God! Sing praises to His name. Exalt Him who rides on the clouds—His name is the LORD—and rejoice before Him. Psalm 78:52 He led out His people like sheep and guided them like a flock in the wilderness. Psalm 107:4 Some wandered in desert wastelands, finding no path to a city in which to dwell. Isaiah 57:14 And it will be said, “Build it up, build it up, prepare the way, take every obstacle out of the way of My people.” Treasury of Scripture The voice of him that cries in the wilderness, Prepare you the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. the voice Matthew 3:1-3 In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, … Mark 1:2-5 As it is written in the prophets, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee… Luke 3:2-6 Annas and Caiaphas being the high priests, the word of God came unto John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness… prepare Isaiah 35:8 And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein. Isaiah 57:14 And shall say, Cast ye up, cast ye up, prepare the way, take up the stumblingblock out of the way of my people. Isaiah 62:10,11 Go through, go through the gates; prepare ye the way of the people; cast up, cast up the highway; gather out the stones; lift up a standard for the people… make Isaiah 11:15,16 And the LORD shall utterly destroy the tongue of the Egyptian sea; and with his mighty wind shall he shake his hand over the river, and shall smite it in the seven streams, and make men go over dryshod… Isaiah 43:19 Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert. Isaiah 49:11 And I will make all my mountains a way, and my highways shall be exalted. Jump to Previous Calls Clear Cries Crieth Crying Desert Hark Highway Level Plain Prepare Ready Smooth Straight Voice Waste Way WildernessJump to Next Calls Clear Cries Crieth Crying Desert Hark Highway Level Plain Prepare Ready Smooth Straight Voice Waste Way WildernessIsaiah 40 1. The promulgation of the Gospel3. The preaching of John Baptist foretold 9. The preaching of the apostles foretold 12. The prophet, by the omnipotence of God 18. And his incomparableness 26. Comforts the people. A voice of one calling: This phrase introduces a prophetic voice, often understood as a herald or messenger. In the New Testament, this is identified with John the Baptist (Matthew 3:3; Mark 1:3; Luke 3:4; John 1:23), who prepares the way for Jesus Christ. The concept of a "voice" emphasizes the importance of proclamation and the divine message being delivered. Prepare the way for the LORD in the wilderness; make a straight highway for our God in the desert. Persons / Places / Events 1. The VoiceThis refers to a prophetic figure who calls for preparation for the coming of the LORD. In the New Testament, this is identified with John the Baptist, who prepares the way for Jesus Christ. 2. The LORD The central figure for whom the way is being prepared. In the context of Isaiah, this refers to Yahweh, the God of Israel, and in the New Testament, it is understood as Jesus Christ. 3. The Wilderness A symbolic place representing spiritual barrenness or desolation. It is where the preparation for the LORD's coming is to occur. 4. The Highway Symbolizes the removal of obstacles and the creation of a direct path for God's arrival, indicating readiness and repentance. 5. The Desert Represents a place of testing and purification, where God's people are called to prepare for His coming. Teaching Points Preparation for the LordJust as the Israelites were called to prepare for God's coming, Christians today are called to prepare their hearts for Christ's return. This involves repentance, spiritual renewal, and removing obstacles that hinder our relationship with God. Role of the Messenger John the Baptist's role as the forerunner of Christ serves as a model for believers to be messengers of the Gospel, preparing others to receive Christ. Spiritual Wilderness The wilderness represents times of spiritual dryness or challenge. Believers are encouraged to seek God earnestly during these times, trusting that He is preparing them for greater things. Straight Paths Making straight paths involves aligning our lives with God's will, removing sin, and living in obedience to His Word. Anticipation of Christ's Return Just as the people of Isaiah's time anticipated the coming of the LORD, Christians are called to live in anticipation of Christ's second coming, maintaining a posture of readiness and hope.(3) The voice of him that crieth . . .--The laws of Hebrew parallelism require a different punctuation: A voice of one crying, In the wilderness, prepare ye . . . The passage is memorable as having been deliberately taken by the Baptist as defining his own mission (John 1:23). As here the herald is not named, so he was content to efface himself--to be a voice or nothing. The image is drawn from the march of Eastern kings, who often boast, as in the Assyrian inscriptions of Sennacherib and Assurbanipal (Records of the Past, i. 95, vii. 64), of the roads they have made in trackless deserts. The wilderness is that which lay between the Euphrates and Judah, the journey of the exiles through it reminding the prophet of the older wanderings in the wilderness of Sin (Psalm 68:7; Judges 5:4). The words are an echo of the earlier thought of Isaiah 35:8. We are left to conjecture to whom the command is addressed: tribes of the desert, angelic ministers, kings and rulers--the very vagueness giving a grand universality. So, again, we are not told whether the "way of Jehovah" is that on which He comes to meet His people, or on which He goes before and guides them. The analogy of the marches of the Exodus makes the latter view the more probable.Verse 3. - The voice of him that crieth; rather, the voice of one that crieth. A voice sounds in the prophet's ear, crying to repentance. For God to come down on earth, for his glory to be revealed in any signal way, by the restoration of a nation, or the revelation of himself in Christ, or the final establishment of his kingdom, the "way" must be first "prepared" for him. The hearts of the disobedient must be turned to the wisdom of the just. In the wilderness; either, "the wilderness of this world" (Kay), or "the wilderness separating Babylonia from Palestine" (Delitzsch), in a part of which John the Baptist afterwards preached. Prepare ye the way of the Lord. The "way of the Lord" is "the way of holiness" (Isaiah 35:8). There is one only mode of "preparing" it - the mode adopted by John Baptist (Matthew 3:2-12), the mode pointed out by the angel who announced him (Luke 1:17), the mode insisted on in the Collect for the Third Sunday in Advent. The voice enjoins on the prophets of the captive nation to prepare the hearts of the people for the coming manifestation of God. Parallel Commentaries ... Hebrew A voiceק֣וֹל (qō·wl) Noun - masculine singular Strong's 6963: A voice, sound of one calling: קוֹרֵ֔א (qō·w·rê) Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular Strong's 7121: To call, proclaim, read “Prepare פַּנּ֖וּ (pan·nū) Verb - Piel - Imperative - masculine plural Strong's 6437: To turn, to face, appear, look the way דֶּ֣רֶךְ (de·reḵ) Noun - common singular construct Strong's 1870: A road, a course of life, mode of action for the LORD יְהוָ֑ה (Yah·weh) Noun - proper - masculine singular Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel in the wilderness; בַּמִּדְבָּ֕ר (bam·miḏ·bār) Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular Strong's 4057: A pasture, a desert, speech make a straight יַשְּׁרוּ֙ (yaš·šə·rū) Verb - Piel - Imperative - masculine plural Strong's 3474: To be straight, even, to be, right, pleasant, prosperous highway מְסִלָּ֖ה (mə·sil·lāh) Noun - feminine singular Strong's 4546: A thoroughfare, a viaduct, a staircase for our God לֵאלֹהֵֽינוּ׃ (lê·lō·hê·nū) Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common plural Strong's 430: gods -- the supreme God, magistrates, a superlative in the desert. בָּעֲרָבָ֔ה (bā·‘ă·rā·ḇāh) Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine singular Strong's 6160: Arabah -- a steppe or desert plain, also a desert valley running south from the Sea of Galilee Links Isaiah 40:3 NIVIsaiah 40:3 NLT Isaiah 40:3 ESV Isaiah 40:3 NASB Isaiah 40:3 KJV Isaiah 40:3 BibleApps.com Isaiah 40:3 Biblia Paralela Isaiah 40:3 Chinese Bible Isaiah 40:3 French Bible Isaiah 40:3 Catholic Bible OT Prophets: Isaiah 40:3 The voice of one who calls out (Isa Isi Is) |
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