and saying, “Repent, for (A)the kingdom of heaven is at hand!” For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, saying:

(B)“The voice of one crying in the wilderness:
(C)‘Prepare the way of the Lord;
Make His paths straight.’ ”

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[a]Repent [change your inner self—your old way of thinking, regret past sins, live your life in a way that proves repentance; seek God’s purpose for your life], for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” This is the one who was mentioned by the prophet Isaiah when he said,

The voice of one shouting in the wilderness,
Prepare the road for the Lord,
[b]Make His highways straight (level, direct)!’”(A)

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Footnotes

  1. Matthew 3:2 Jews believed they would automatically be granted entrance into the Messianic kingdom, so this new teaching that repentance was required was very difficult to accept.
  2. Matthew 3:3 A ruler or nobleman traveling in the wilderness would have a crew of workmen preparing and clearing the road ahead of him. In spiritual terms, the message was clearing the way for the arrival of the Messiah by preparing the hearts of His followers.

and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven(A) has come near.” This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah:

“A voice of one calling in the wilderness,
‘Prepare the way for the Lord,
    make straight paths for him.’”[a](B)

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Footnotes

  1. Matthew 3:3 Isaiah 40:3

And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

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.

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(A)The voice of one crying in the wilderness:
(B)“Prepare the way of the Lord;
(C)Make straight [a]in the desert
A highway for our God.
Every valley shall be exalted
And every mountain and hill brought low;
(D)The crooked places shall be made [b]straight
And the rough places smooth;

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Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 40:3 So with MT, Tg., Vg.; LXX omits in the desert
  2. Isaiah 40:4 Or a plain


A voice of one is calling out,
“Clear the way for the Lord in the wilderness [remove the obstacles];
Make straight and smooth in the desert a highway for our God.(A)

“Every valley shall be raised,
And every mountain and hill be made low;
And let the rough ground become a plain,
And the rugged places a broad valley.

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A 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)
Every valley shall be raised up,(D)
    every mountain and hill(E) made low;
the rough ground shall become level,(F)
    the rugged places a plain.

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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

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:

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