Bible Gateway passage: Isaiah 40:3, Luke 1:57-79 - New International Version (2024)

³A voice of one calling:
“In the wilderness prepare
the way^(A) for the Lord^[a];
make straight^(B) in the desert
a highway for our God.^[b](C)

Footnotes

1. Isaiah 40:3 Or A voice of one calling in the wilderness: / “Prepare the way for the Lord
2. Isaiah 40:3 Hebrew; Septuagint make straight the paths of our God

Cross references

1. Isaiah 40:3 : S Isa 11:16; 43:19; Mal 3:1
2. Isaiah 40:3 : S Pr 3:5-6
3. Isaiah 40:3 : Mt 3:3*; Mk 1:3*; Jn 1:23*

The Birth of John the Baptist

⁵⁷When it was time for Elizabeth to have her baby, she gave birth to a son. ⁵⁸Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy, and they shared her joy.

⁵⁹On the eighth day they came to circumcise^(A) the child, and they were going to name him after his father Zechariah, ⁶⁰but his mother spoke up and said, “No! He is to be called John.”^(B)

⁶¹They said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who has that name.”

⁶²Then they made signs^(C) to his father, to find out what he would like to name the child. ⁶³He asked for a writing tablet, and to everyone’s astonishment he wrote, “His name is John.”^{(D) 64}Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue set free, and he began to speak,^(E) praising God. ⁶⁵All the neighbors were filled with awe, and throughout the hill country of Judea^(F) people were talking about all these things. ⁶⁶Everyone who heard this wondered about it, asking, “What then is this child going to be?” For the Lord’s hand was with him.^(G)

Zechariah’s Song

⁶⁷His father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit^(H) and prophesied:^(I)

⁶⁸“Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel,^(J)
because he has come to his people and redeemed them.^(K)
69He has raised up a horn^[a](L) of salvation for us
in the house of his servant David^(M)
70(as he said through his holy prophets of long ago),^(N)
71salvation from our enemies
and from the hand of all who hate us—
⁷²to show mercy to our ancestors^(O)
and to remember his holy covenant,^(P)
73the oath he swore to our father Abraham:^(Q)
74to rescue us from the hand of our enemies,
and to enable us to serve him^(R) without fear^(S)
75in holiness and righteousness^(T) before him all our days.

⁷⁶And you, my child, will be called a prophet^(U) of the Most High;^(V)
for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him,^(W)
77to give his people the knowledge of salvation
through the forgiveness of their sins,^(X)
78because of the tender mercy of our God,
by which the rising sun^(Y) will come to us from heaven
⁷⁹to shine on those living in darkness
and in the shadow of death,^(Z)
to guide our feet into the path of peace.”^(AA)

Footnotes

1. Luke 1:69 Horn here symbolizes a strong king.

Cross references

1. Luke 1:59 : Ge 17:12; Lev 12:3; Lk 2:21; Php 3:5
2. Luke 1:60 : ver 13, 63; S Mt 3:1
3. Luke 1:62 : ver 22
4. Luke 1:63 : ver 13, 60; S Mt 3:1
5. Luke 1:64 : ver 20; Eze 24:27
6. Luke 1:65 : ver 39
7. Luke 1:66 : Ge 39:2; Ac 11:21
8. Luke 1:67 : S ver 15
9. Luke 1:67 : Joel 2:28
10. Luke 1:68 : Ge 24:27; 1Ki 8:15; Ps 72:18
11. Luke 1:68 : Ps 111:9; Lk 7:16
12. Luke 1:69 : 1Sa 2:1, 10; 2Sa 22:3; Ps 18:2; 89:17; 132:17; Eze 29:21
13. Luke 1:69 : S Mt 1:1
14. Luke 1:70 : Jer 23:5; Ac 3:21; Ro 1:2
15. Luke 1:72 : Mic 7:20
16. Luke 1:72 : Ps 105:8, 9; 106:45; Eze 16:60
17. Luke 1:73 : Ge 22:16-18
18. Luke 1:74 : Heb 9:14
19. Luke 1:74 : 1Jn 4:18
20. Luke 1:75 : Eph 4:24
21. Luke 1:76 : S Mt 11:9
22. Luke 1:76 : ver 32, 35; S Mk 5:7
23. Luke 1:76 : ver 17; S Mt 3:3
24. Luke 1:77 : Jer 31:34; Mt 1:21; Mk 1:4
25. Luke 1:78 : Mal 4:2
26. Luke 1:79 : Ps 107:14; Isa 9:2; 59:9; Mt 4:16; S Ac 26:18
27. Luke 1:79 : S Lk 2:14