Mark 1:3 Meaning and Explanation
“The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Isaiah foresaw a voice crying in the wilderness, calling people to prepare the way of the Lord and make his paths straight.
What Does Mark 1:3 Mean?
Now Mark quotes Isaiah 40:3, from the great chapter of comfort that announced the end of exile: a herald cries in the desert, commanding that a highway be cleared and leveled for the coming of the Lord. In Mark, that voice belongs to John the Baptist, and the One whose paths must be made straight is Jesus himself.
Roads in the ancient world were repaired and straightened for the visit of a king. The preparation God asks for is inward: obstacles removed, crooked things straightened, hearts leveled by repentance and honesty. The wilderness setting matters too, for the place of Israel's wandering and of meeting with God becomes the place where his salvation appears again. Preparation is still how every soul receives him.
Mark 1:3 in the Original Language
eremos (ἔρημος), 'wilderness' -- the desert, the lonely and uninhabited country.
Frequently Asked Questions About Mark 1:3
What does Mark 1:3 mean?
Isaiah foresaw a voice crying in the wilderness, calling people to prepare the way of the Lord and make his paths straight.