Matthew 3:1

The Ministry of John the Baptist

3:1 In those days John the Baptist came into the wilderness ¹  of Judea proclaiming,

Isaiah 40:3

40:3 A voice cries out,

“In the wilderness clear a way for the Lord;

construct in the desert a road for our God.

Luke 3:2-3

3:2 during the high priesthood ²  of Annas and Caiaphas, the word ³  of God came to John the son of Zechariah in the wilderness. ⁴  3:3 He ⁵  went into all the region around the Jordan River, ⁶  preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. ⁷ 

Acts 21:38

21:38 Then you’re not that Egyptian who started a rebellion ⁸  and led the four thousand men of the ‘Assassins’ ⁹  into the wilderness ¹⁰  some time ago?” ¹¹ 

¹ tn Or “desert.”

² sn Use of the singular high priesthood to mention two figures is unusual but accurate, since Annas was the key priest from a.d. 6-15 and then his relatives were chosen for many of the next several years. After two brief tenures by others, his son-in-law Caiaphas came to power and stayed there until a.d. 36.

³ tn The term translated “word” here is not λόγος (logos) but ῥῆμα (rJhma), and thus could refer to the call of the Lord to John to begin ministry.

⁴ tn Or “desert.”

⁵ tn Grk “And he.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style. Due to the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.

⁶ tn “River” is not in the Greek text but is supplied for clarity.

⁷ sn A baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins was a call for preparation for the arrival of the Lord’s salvation. To participate in this baptism was a recognition of the need for God’s forgiveness with a sense that one needed to live differently as a response to it (Luke 3:10-14).

⁸ tn L&N 39.41 has “οὐκ ἄρα σὺ εἶ ὁ Αἰγύπτιος ὁ πρὸ τούτων τῶν ἡμερῶν ἀναστατώσας ‘then you are not that Egyptian who some time ago started a rebellion’ Ac 21:38.”

⁹ tn Grk “of the Sicarii.”

¹⁰ tn Or “desert.”

¹¹ tn Grk “before these days.”