Lectionary Calendar
Wednesday, July 9th, 2025
the Week of Proper 9 / Ordinary 14
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Read the Bible

New Life Version

Luke 3:4

The early preacher Isaiah wrote these words: "His voice calls out in the desert. ‘Make the way ready for the Lord. Make the road straight for Him!

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Jesus Continued;   John;   Prophecy;   Quotations and Allusions;   Scofield Reference Index - Repentance;   Thompson Chain Reference - Awakenings and Religious Reforms;   Awakenings, Religious;   The Topic Concordance - Crookedness;   John the Baptist;   Salvation;   Seeing;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Genealogy;   Mary;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Baptism;   John the baptist;   Luke, gospel of;   Prophecy, prophet;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - God;   John the Baptist;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Isaiah, the Book of;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Gospels;   Luke, the Gospel According to;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Desert;   Luke, Gospel of;   Ordinances;   Wilderness;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - John the Baptist;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Asceticism (2);   Attributes of Christ;   Benedictus;   Book (2);   Cry;   John the Baptist;   Scripture (2);   Septuagint;   Wilderness (2);   Writing;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Herod, Family of;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Path;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Christianity in Its Relation to Judaism;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah:
King James Version (1611)
As it is written in the book of the words of Esaias the Prophet, saying, The voyce of one crying in the wildernesse, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.
King James Version
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.
English Standard Version
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 American Standard Bible
as it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet: "THE VOICE OF ONE CALLING OUT IN THE WILDERNESS, 'PREPARE THE WAY OF THE LORD, MAKE HIS PATHS STRAIGHT!
New Century Version
As it is written in the book of Isaiah the prophet: "This is a voice of one who calls out in the desert: ‘Prepare the way for the Lord. Make the road straight for him.
Amplified Bible
as it is written and forever remains written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, "THE VOICE OF ONE SHOUTING IN THE WILDERNESS, 'PREPARE THE WAY OF THE LORD, MAKE HIS PATHS STRAIGHT.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
as it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, "THE VOICE OF ONE CRYING IN THE WILDERNESS, 'MAKE READY THE WAY OF THE LORD, MAKE HIS PATHS STRAIGHT.
Legacy Standard Bible
as it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet,"The voice of one crying in the wilderness,‘Make ready the way of the Lord,Make His paths straight.
Berean Standard Bible
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.
Contemporary English Version
Isaiah the prophet wrote about John when he said, "In the desert someone is shouting, ‘Get the road ready for the Lord! Make a straight path for him.
Complete Jewish Bible
It was just as had been written in the book of the sayings of the prophet Yesha‘yahu, " The voice of someone crying out: ‘In the desert prepare the way for Adonai ! Make straight paths for him!
Darby Translation
as it is written in [the] book of [the] words of Esaias the prophet: Voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare ye the way of [the] Lord, make straight his paths.
Easy-to-Read Version
This is like the words written in the book of Isaiah the prophet: "There is someone shouting in the desert: ‘Prepare the way for the Lord. Make the road straight for him.
Geneva Bible (1587)
As it is written in the booke of the sayings of Esaias the Prophet, which saith, The voyce of him that crieth in the wildernes is, Prepare ye the way of the Lord: make his paths straight.
George Lamsa Translation
As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, who said, The voice which calls in the wilderness, Prepare the way of the Lord, make the paths of our God straight in the plain.
Good News Translation
As it is written in the book of the prophet Isaiah: "Someone is shouting in the desert: ‘Get the road ready for the Lord; make a straight path for him to travel!
Lexham English Bible
as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah, "The voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight!
Literal Translation
as it has been written in the scroll 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.
American Standard Version
as it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make ye ready the way of the Lord, Make his paths straight.
Bible in Basic English
As it says in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, The voice of one crying in the waste land, Make ready the way of the Lord, make his roads straight.
Hebrew Names Version
As it is written in the book of the words of Yesha`yahu the prophet, "The voice of one crying in the wilderness, 'Make ready the way of the Lord. Make his paths straight.
International Standard Version
as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah,Isaiah 40:3; Matthew 3:3; Mark 1:3; John 1:23;">[xr] "He is a voice calling out in the wilderness: 'Prepare the way for the Lord! Make his paths straight!
Etheridge Translation
As it is written in the book of the words of Eshaia the prophet, who said, The voice which crieth in the desert, Prepare the way of the Lord, And make straight in the plain the highways for our Aloha.
Murdock Translation
As it is written in the book of the discourses of Isaiah the prophet, who said: The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord; and make straight paths in the plain for our God.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
As it is writte in ye booke of the wordes of Esaias the prophete, saying: The voyce of a cryer in wyldernesse, prepare ye the way of ye Lorde, make his pathes strayght.
English Revised Version
as it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make ye ready the way of the Lord, Make his paths straight.
World English Bible
As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, "The voice of one crying in the wilderness, 'Make ready the way of the Lord. Make his paths straight.
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
As it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah, saying, The voice of one crying aloud in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.
Weymouth's New Testament
as it is written in the book of the prophet Isaiah, "The voice of one crying aloud! `In the Desert prepare ye a road for the Lord: make His highway straight.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
As it is wrytun in the book of the wordis of Isaye, the prophete, The voice of a crier in desert, Make ye redi the weie of the Lord, make ye hise pathis riyt.
Update Bible Version
as it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make ready the way of the Lord, Make his paths straight.
Webster's Bible Translation
As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.
New English Translation
As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, "The voice of one shouting in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make his paths straight .
New King James Version
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
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!
New Revised Standard
as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah, "The voice of one crying out in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
as it is written in the book of the discourses of Isaiah the prophet: A voice of one crying aloud! In the desert, prepare ye the way of the Lord, straight, be making his paths;
Douay-Rheims Bible
As it was written in the book of the sayings of Isaias the prophet: A voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight his paths.
Revised Standard Version
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.
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
at it is written in the boke of the sayinges of Esaias ye Prophet which sayeth: The voyce of a cryar in wyldernes prepare the waye of the Lorde make hys pathes strayght.
Young's Literal Translation
as it hath been written in the scroll of the words of Isaiah the prophet, saying, `A voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, straight make ye His paths;
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
As it is wrytte in ye boke of ye sayenges of Esaye the prophet, which sayeth: The voyce of a cryer in the wyldernes: prepare the waye of the LORDE, and make his pathes straight.
Mace New Testament (1729)
as it is written in the book of the prophecies of Esaias , "the voice of one crying in the desart, prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths clear.
Simplified Cowboy Version
Isaiah the prophet was talkin' about John when he said, "There's a fellow shouting from the desert, 'Clear the narrow trail. Get it ready for the Lord. Bust brush straight toward him.

Contextual Overview

1 Tiberius Caesar had been ruler for fifteen years. Pontius Pilate was ruler of the country of Judea. Herod was the ruler of the country of Galilee. His brother Philip was the ruler of the countries of Ituraea and Trachonitis. Lysanias was the ruler of the country of Abilene. 2 Annas and Caiaphas were the head religious leaders. The Word of God came to John the Baptist, the son of Zacharias. John was in the desert. 3 He went into all the country around the Jordan River. He preached that people should be baptized because they were sorry for their sins and had turned from them, and they would be forgiven. 4 The early preacher Isaiah wrote these words: "His voice calls out in the desert. ‘Make the way ready for the Lord. Make the road straight for Him! 5 Every valley will be filled and every mountain and hill will be brought down. The turns in the road will be made straight and the rough places will be made smooth. 6 And all men will see God saving people from the punishment of their sins.'" 7 John said to the people who came to be baptized by him, "You family of snakes! Who told you how to keep from the anger of God that is coming? 8 Do something to let me see that you have turned from your sins. Do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.' I tell you, God can make children for Abraham out of these stones. 9 Even now the ax is on the root of the trees. Every tree that does not give good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire." 10 The people asked him, "Then what should we do?"

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

The voice: Isaiah 40:3-5, Matthew 3:3, Mark 1:3, John 1:23

Prepare: Luke 1:16, Luke 1:17, Luke 1:76-79, Isaiah 57:14, Isaiah 62:10, Malachi 4:6, John 1:7, John 1:26-36, John 3:28-36

Reciprocal: 2 Kings 19:2 - to Isaiah Psalms 27:11 - a plain path Song of Solomon 2:8 - the mountains Isaiah 43:19 - I will even Isaiah 49:11 - General Jeremiah 31:9 - in a Zechariah 14:10 - the land Luke 10:1 - whither Luke 14:17 - his John 1:31 - therefore Acts 8:28 - Esaias Acts 18:25 - instructed

Cross-References

Genesis 3:13
Then the Lord God said to the woman, "What is this you have done?" And the woman said, "The snake fooled me, and I ate."
Deuteronomy 29:19
When one hears the words of this curse, he will say in his pride, ‘I have peace even though I am strong-willed in my heart.' This will destroy the land that is watered along with the dry land.
2 Kings 1:4
This is what the Lord says. ‘You will not leave the bed on which you lie. You will die for sure.'" Then Elijah left.
2 Kings 1:6
They said, "A man came up to meet us. He said to us, ‘Go and return to the king who sent you. Tell him, "This is what the Lord says. ‘Are you asking Baal-zebub the god of Ekron because there is no God in Israel? So you will not leave the bed on which you lie. You will die for sure.'"'"
2 Kings 1:16
Then Elijah said to Ahaziah, "This is what the Lord says. ‘You have sent men to ask of Baal-zebub the god of Ekron. Is it because there is no God in Israel to ask of His Word? So now you will not leave the bed on which you lie. You will die for sure.'"
2 Kings 8:10
Elisha said to him, "Go and tell him, ‘You will get better for sure.' But the Lord has shown me that he will die for sure."
Psalms 10:11
He says to himself, "God has forgotten. He has hidden His face and will never see it."
2 Corinthians 2:11
We forgive so that Satan will not win. We know how he works!
2 Corinthians 11:3
Eve was fooled by the snake in the garden of Eden. In the same way, I am afraid that you will be fooled and led away from your pure love for Christ.
1 Timothy 2:14
Adam was not fooled by Satan; it was the woman who was fooled and sinned.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

As it is written in the book of the words of Esaias the prophet,.... Isaiah 40:3

saying, the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord make his paths straight; Isaiah 40:3- :.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

On the baptism of John - see the notes at Matthew 3:0.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Luke 3:4. Prepare 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.


 
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