John 1 · Verse 23

John 1:23

He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias.
John 1:23, King James Version

John 1:23 in other translations

BSBJohn replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet: “I am a voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way for the Lord.’”
WEBHe said, “I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as Isaiah the prophet said.”
ASVHe said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said Isaiah the prophet.
YLTHe said, ‘I am a voice of one crying in the wilderness: Make straight the way of the Lord, as said Isaiah the prophet.'
DARBYHe said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the path of the Lord, as said Esaias the prophet.
BBEHe said, I am the voice of one crying in the waste land, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said Isaiah the prophet.
WebsterHe said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Isaiah.

What does John 1:23 mean?

Barnes' Notes
Verse 23. I am the voice, &c. Mt 3:3

(b) "He said" Mt 3:3, Mk 1:3, Lk 3:4, Jn 3:28 (c) "prophet Esias" Isa 40:3

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 23 I am the voice of one crying - See the notes on Mat 3:3; Mar 1:4, Mar 1:5.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on John 1:19-28

John disowns himself to be the Christ, who was now expected and waited for. He came in the spirit and power of Elias, but he was not the person of Elias. John was not that Prophet whom Moses said the Lord would raise up to them of their brethren, like unto him. He was not such a prophet as they expected, who would rescue them from the Romans. He gave such an account of himself, as might excite and awaken them to…

Read the full comment on John 1:19-28 →

John 1:23 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

ἔφη·ephēHe was saying;G5346
ἐγὼegōI myself [am]G1473
φωνὴphōnēa voiceG5456
βοῶντοςboōntoscryingG994
ἐνeninG1722
τῇtēatheG3588
ἐρήμῳ·erēmōwilderness;G2048
εὐθύνατεeuthunatedo make straightG2116
τὴνtēntheG3588
ὁδὸνhodonwayG3598
κυρίου·kuriouof [the] Lord;G2962
καθὼςkathōseven asG2531
εἶπενeipensaidG2036
ἨσαΐαςĒsaiasIsaiahG2268
ὁhotheG3588
προφήτης.prophētēsprophet.G4396

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for John 1:23

  • Isaiah 40:3-5

    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. Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain: And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.

  • Mark 1:3

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

  • Matthew 3:3

    For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.

  • Luke 1:76-79

    And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways; To give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins, Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us, To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.

  • John 3:28

    Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him.

  • Luke 1:16-17

    And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God. And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.

  • Luke 3:4-6

    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. Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low; and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways shall be made smooth; And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
I am.
3:28; Mt 3:3; Mr 1:3; Lu 1:16,17,76-79; 3:4-6
as said.
Isa 40:3-5

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • John 1:22

    Then said they unto him, Who art thou? that we may give an answer to them that sent us. What sayest thou of thyself?

  • John 1:23

    He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias.

  • John 1:24

    And they which were sent were of the Pharisees.

Read all of John 1

John 1:23 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Dijo: Yo soy la voz del que clama en el desierto: Enderezad el camino del Señor, como dijo Isaías profeta.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Il dit: Moi, je suis la voix de celui qui crie dans le désert: Faites droit le chemin du ✶Seigneur, comme dit Ésaïe le prophète.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Er sprach: Ich bin die "Stimme eines Rufenden in der Wüste: Machet gerade den Weg des Herrn", wie Jesaias, der Prophet, gesagt hat.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Ait: Ego vox clamantis in deserto: Dirigite viam Domini, sicut dixit Isaias propheta.