Prepare the Way for the LORD
Isaiah 40:3
In 11 translations
- BSB
- A voice of one calling: “Prepare the way for the LORD in the wilderness; make a straight highway for our God in the desert.Or A voice of one calling in the wilderness: “Prepare the way for the LORDLXX make straight the paths of our God; cited in Matthew 3:3, Mark 1:3, Luke 3:4, and John 1:23
- KJV
- ¶ 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.
- WEB
- 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.
- ASV
- 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.
- LSV
- A voice is crying in a wilderness: “Prepare the way of YHWH, || Make straight in a desert a highway for our God.
- YLT
- A voice is crying — in a wilderness — Prepare ye the way of Jehovah, Make straight in a desert a highway to our God.
- DBY
- The voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare ye the way of Jehovah, make straight in the desert a highway for our God!Elohim
- DRC
- The voice of one crying in the desert: Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the wilderness the paths of our God.
- GNV
- A voyce cryeth in the wildernesse, Prepare ye the way of the Lord: make streight in the desert a path for our God.
- JPS
- Hark! one calleth: 'Clear ye in the wilderness the way of the LORD, make plain in the desert a highway for our God.
- LXXE
- The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight the paths of our God.
Word by word Hebrew · tap a word
Words in brackets are English the glossers added; the Hebrew has no word for them, and they can carry a choice of tense or meaning.
Original-language editions
- WLC
- ק֣וֹל קוֹרֵ֔א בַּמִּדְבָּ֕ר פַּנּ֖וּ דֶּ֣רֶךְ יְהוָ֑ה יַשְּׁרוּ֙ בָּעֲרָבָ֔ה מְסִלָּ֖ה לֵאלֹהֵֽינוּ׃
- LXX-Br
- Φωνὴ βοῶντος ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ, ἑτοιμάσατε τὴν ὁδὸν Κυρίου, εὐθείας ποιεῖτε τὰς τρίβους τοῦ Θεοῦ ἡμῶν.
Who and where
◆ Prophecies of Isaiah
People, places and events the Theographic dataset links to this verse.
How traditions read it
Read as a prophecy of Jesus in Christian tradition · Jesus Christ
Quoted in the New Testament at Matthew 3:3, Mark 1:3, Luke 3:4, John 1:23.
The Theographic dataset makes this link following Christian interpretation. Jewish interpretation reads these verses differently, usually of a figure in the writer's own time or of a messiah still to come, and many Christian scholars also read a meaning for the writer's own day.
In the reference works topics that cite this verse
HighwaysHighwayHeraldStraightProclamationIsaiah, The Book ofJohn the BaptistCauseway; CauseyChampaignReadings, Select
From public-domain Bible dictionaries and topical indexes (1884–1915).
Cross-references most cited first
- 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…
- Mark 1:2–5As 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…
- John 1:23John 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.’”
- Matthew 3:1–3In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.” This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah: “A voice of one calling in the…
- Luke 1:16–17Many of the sons of Israel he will turn back to the Lord their God. And he will go on before the Lord in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the…
- Luke 1:76–77And 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, to give to His people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins,
- Malachi 4:5–6Behold, 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.…
- Isaiah 57:14And it will be said, “Build it up, build it up, prepare the way, take every obstacle out of the way of My people.”
- Isaiah 43:19Behold, I am about to do something new; even now it is coming. Do you not see it? Indeed, I will make a way in the wilderness and streams in the desert.
- Isaiah 62:10–11Go out, go out through the gates; prepare the way for the people! Build it up, build up the highway; clear away the stones; raise a banner for the nations! Behold, the LORD has proclaimed to the ends of the earth, “Say…
- Isaiah 35:8And there will be a highway called the Way of Holiness. The unclean will not travel it— only those who walk in the Way— and fools will not stray onto it.
- Luke 3:2–6during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness. He went into all the region around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of…
- Isaiah 49:11I will turn all My mountains into roads, and My highways will be raised up.
- Isaiah 11:15–16The LORD will devote to destruction the gulf of the Sea of Egypt; with a scorching wind He will sweep His hand over the Euphrates. He will split it into seven streams for men to cross with dry sandals. There will be a…
- Psalms 68:4Sing to God! Sing praises to His name. Exalt Him who rides on the clouds — His name is the LORD— and rejoice before Him.
From the OpenBible.info cross-reference set (votes from readers; not every link is a quotation or allusion).