Chapter
Verse

Luke 3:5

ESV Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be made low, and the crooked shall become straight, and the rough places shall become level ways,
NIV Every valley shall be filled in, every mountain and hill made low. The crooked roads shall become straight, the rough ways smooth.
NASB EVERY RAVINE WILL BE FILLED, AND EVERY MOUNTAIN AND HILL WILL BE LOWERED; THE CROOKED WILL BECOME STRAIGHT, AND THE ROUGH ROADS SMOOTH;
CSB Every valley will be filled, and every mountain and hill will be made low; the crooked will become straight, the rough ways smooth,
NLT The valleys will be filled, and the mountains and hills made level. The curves will be straightened, and the rough places made smooth.
KJV 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;
NKJV Every valley shall be filled And every mountain and hill brought low; The crooked places shall be made straight And the rough ways smooth;

What does Luke 3:5 mean?

This continues a quotation from Isaiah 40:3–5. Luke is explaining how John the Baptist fulfilled prophecy by proclaiming the arrival of the Messiah (Luke 3:1–4). Isaiah predicts a single voice in the wilderness, and John has lived most of his life in the desert (Luke 1:80). When he began to preach, his message was for Israel to repent and be ready to meet the Savior (Luke 1:76–77). John called on people to turn from sin, but also made it clear he was not, himself, the Promised One (John 1:26–34; 3:28–30).

When Isaiah wrote his words, they were presented to the people of Israel as a prediction that God would bring them back from exile. The secondary application is that of the lone herald speaking about the coming Messiah. This is further supported by other Old Testament prophecies that indicate a herald will precede Christ (Malachi 3:1; 4:5–6). John's preaching ministry will turn "rough places" into "level ways," by preparing others to hear and accept Jesus' message (John 19:1–5).
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