Isaiah 40:3-5

40:3 A voice cries out,

“In the wilderness clear a way for the Lord;

construct in the desert a road for our God.

40:4 Every valley must be elevated,

and every mountain and hill leveled.

The rough terrain will become a level plain,

the rugged landscape a wide valley.

40:5 The splendor ¹  of the Lord will be revealed,

and all people ²  will see it at the same time.

For ³  the Lord has decreed it.” ⁴ 

Matthew 3:3

3:3 For he is the one about whom Isaiah the prophet had spoken: ⁵ 

“The voice ⁶  of one shouting in the wilderness,

‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make ⁷  his paths straight.’” ⁸ 

Mark 1:3

1:3 the voice of one shouting in the wilderness,

‘Prepare the way for the Lord,

make ⁹  his paths straight.’” ¹⁰ 

John 1:23

1:23 John ¹¹  said, “I am the voice of one shouting in the wilderness, ‘Make straight ¹²  the way for the Lord,’ ¹³  as Isaiah the prophet said.”

[40:5]  ¹ tn Or “glory.” The Lord’s “glory” is his theophanic radiance and royal splendor (see Isa 6:3; 24:23; 35:2; 60:1; 66:18-19).

[40:5]  ² tn Heb “flesh” (so KJV, ASV, NASB); NAB, NIV “mankind”; TEV “the whole human race.”

[40:5]  ³ tn Or “indeed.”

[40:5]  ⁴ tn Heb “the mouth of the Lord has spoken” (so NASB, NIV, NRSV).

[3:3]  ⁵ tn Grk “was spoken of by Isaiah the prophet, saying.” The participle λέγοντος (legonto") is redundant and has not been translated. The passive construction has also been rendered as active in the translation for the sake of English style.

[3:3]  ⁶ tn Or “A voice.”

[3:3]  ⁷ sn This call to “make paths straight” in this context is probably an allusion to preparation through repentance.

[3:3]  ⁸ sn A quotation from Isa 40:3.

[1:3]  ⁹ sn This call to “make his paths straight” in this context is probably an allusion to preparation through repentance.

[1:3]  ¹⁰ sn A quotation from Isa 40:3.

[1:23]  ¹¹ tn Grk “He”; the referent (John the Baptist) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[1:23]  ¹² sn This call to “make straight” is probably an allusion to preparation through repentance.

[1:23]  ¹³ sn A quotation from Isa 40:3.