Mark 1:3

Mark 1:3

The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.

a. NLT: He is a voice shouting in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the LORD’s coming! Clear the road for him!

b. NIV "a voice of one calling in the desert, 'Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.' "

c. YLT: 'A voice of one calling in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, straight make ye his paths,'

d. Amplified Bible: A voice of one crying in the wilderness [shouting in the desert], Prepare the way of the Lord, make His ^[c]beaten tracks straight (level and passable)!

e. Worrell Translation: the voice of one crying in the wilderness, ‘Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make His paths straight’”

f. The KJV and YLT are the only translations that use the plural of “prophet”. The reasoning of course is because there are two prophets cited, Isiah and Malachi. David Stern in his “Jewish New Testament Commentary” writes, “Only the last two lines quoted are from Isaiah; the first two are from Malachi. The scroll of the Prophets begins with Isaiah, and it was common to refer to a scroll by its first book”

1. “The voice of one crying in the wilderness…”

a. the voice [5456 * phone] [Strong: probably akin to 5316 through the idea of disclosure; a tone (articulate, bestial or artificial); by implication, an address (for any purpose), saying or language:--noise, sound, voice.

b. of one crying [994 * boao] [Strong: apparently a prolonged form of a primary verb; to halloo, i.e. shout (for help or in a tumultuous way):--cry.]

c. in [1722 * en] [Strong: a primary preposition denoting (fixed) position (in place, time or state), and (by implication) instrumentality (medially or constructively), i.e. a relation of rest (intermediate between 1519 and 1537); "in," at, (up-)on, by, etc.:--about, after, against, + almost, X altogether, among, X as, at, before, between, (here-)by (+ all means), for (... sake of), + give self wholly to, (here-)in(-to, -wardly), X mightily, (because) of, (up-)on, (open-)ly, X outwardly, one, X quickly, X shortly, (speedi-)ly, X that, X there(-in, -on), through(-out), (un-)to(-ward), under, when, where(-with), while, with(-in). Often used in compounds, with substantially the same import; rarely with verbs of motion, and then not to indicate direction, except (elliptically) by a separate (and different) preposition.]

d. the wilderness [2048 * eremos] [Strong: of uncertain affinity; lonesome, i.e. (by implication) waste (usually as a noun, 5561 being implied):--desert, desolate, solitary, wilderness.]

1). The verse cited by Mark is from Isaiah 40.

a). Isaiah 40:3 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.

2). I remember reading that John the Baptist’s preaching was saturated with images from Isaiah.

2. “…Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.”

a. prepare [2090 * hetoimazo] [Strong: from 2092; to prepare:--prepare, provide, make ready.]

b. the way [3598 * hodos] [Strong: apparently a primary word; a road; by implication, a progress (the route, act or distance); figuratively, a mode or means:--journey, (high-)way.]

c. the Lord [2962 * kurios] [Strong: from kuros (supremacy); supreme in authority, i.e. (as noun) controller; by implication, Master (as a respectful title):-- God, Lord, master, Sir.]

d. make [4160 * poieo] [Strong: apparently a prolonged form of an obsolete primary; to make or do (in a very wide application, more or less direct):--abide, + agree, appoint, X avenge, + band together, be, bear, + bewray, bring (forth), cast out, cause, commit, + content, continue, deal, + without any delay, (would) do(-ing), execute, exercise, fulfil, gain, give, have, hold, X journeying, keep, + lay wait, + lighten the ship, make, X mean, + none of these things move me, observe, ordain, perform, provide, + have purged, purpose, put, + raising up, X secure, shew, X shoot out, spend, take, tarry, + transgress the law, work, yield.]

e. his [846 * autos] [Strong: from the particle au (perhaps akin to the base of 109 through the idea of a baffling wind) (backward); the reflexive pronoun self, used (alone or in the comparative 1438) of the third person , and (with the proper personal pronoun) of the other persons:--her, it(-self), one, the other, (mine) own, said, (self-), the) same, ((him-, my-, thy- )self, (your-)selves, she, that, their(-s), them(-selves), there(-at, - by, -in, -into, -of, -on, -with), they, (these) things, this (man), those, together, very, which.]

f. paths [5147 *  tribos] [Strong: from tribo (to "rub"; akin to teiro, truo, and the base of 5131, 5134); a rut or worn track:--path.]

g. straight [2117 * euthus] [Strong: perhaps from 2095 and 5087; straight, i.e. (literally) level, or (figuratively) true; adverbially (of time) at once:--anon, by and by, forthwith, immediately, straightway.

1). There is a reference in Matthew that I believe is comparable.

a). Matthew 7:13, 14 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:

7:14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

2). In Mark 1:2, 3 both have references to “the way” of the Messiah. There are a couple or references to highways in Isaiah that refer to the times of the Messiah.  

a). Isaiah 35:8-10 And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein.

35:9 No lion shall be there, nor any ravenous beast shall go up thereon, it shall not be found there; but the redeemed shall walk there:

35:10 And the ransomed of the LORD shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.

b). Isaiah 19:23-25 In that day shall there be a highway out of Egypt to Assyria, and the Assyrian shall come into Egypt, and the Egyptian into Assyria, and the Egyptians shall serve with the Assyrians.

19:24 In that day shall Israel be the third with Egypt and with Assyria, even a blessing in the midst of the land:

19:25 Whom the LORD of hosts shall bless, saying, Blessed be Egypt my people, and Assyria the work of my hands, and Israel mine inheritance.