Luke 3:5 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;
Luke 3:5 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;
Luke 3:5 niv
Every valley shall be filled in, every mountain and hill made low. The crooked roads shall become straight, the rough ways smooth.
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,
Luke 3:5 nlt
The valleys will be filled,
and the mountains and hills made level.
The curves will be straightened,
and the rough places made smooth.
Luke 3 5 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Isa 40:3 | A voice cries: “In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God." | Prophecy fulfilled by John the Baptist, context of Lk 3:5. |
| Isa 40:4 | Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain. | Direct source for Lk 3:5's imagery. |
| Mal 3:1 | “Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple..." | Prophetic role of the forerunner. |
| Matt 3:3 | For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah when he said, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord...’” | Parallel Gospel account quoting Isa 40. |
| Mark 1:3 | The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.’ | Parallel Gospel account quoting Isa 40. |
| John 1:23 | He said, “I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as the prophet Isaiah said.” | John the Baptist identifying himself with the prophecy. |
| Lk 1:16-17 | He will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God, and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts... | John's mission to prepare hearts. |
| Lk 14:11 | For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted. | Humbling the proud, exalting the humble. |
| Lk 18:14 | For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted. | Emphasizes spiritual humility. |
| Matt 23:12 | Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted. | Principle of humility in God's kingdom. |
| Phil 2:8-9 | And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted... | Christ's own humility and exaltation. |
| Jam 4:10 | Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you. | Direct exhortation to humility and divine response. |
| Isa 35:8 | And a highway shall be there, and it shall be called the Way of Holiness... | Highway imagery for God's path, spiritual journey. |
| Isa 42:16 | And I will lead the blind in a way that they do not know, in paths that they have not known I will guide them. I will turn darkness before them... | God smoothing paths, transforming lives. |
| Prov 4:26-27 | Ponder the path of your feet; then all your ways will be sure. Do not swerve to the right or to the left... | Calls for moral straightness. |
| Acts 2:38 | Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. | Repentance as the core of preparing the way. |
| Rom 12:2 | Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God... | Inner transformation and renewal. |
| Eph 4:22-24 | Put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt... and be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and put on the new self. | Ethical and moral transformation, putting off crookedness. |
| Psa 23:4 | Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. | Metaphorical valleys of difficulty where God is present. |
| Psa 68:4 | Sing to God, sing praises to his name; lift up a highway for him who rides through the deserts; his name is the Lord. | Preparing a way for God, an ancient concept. |
| Zech 4:7 | What are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you shall become a plain. And he shall bring forth the top stone with shouts of ‘Grace, grace to it!’ | Mountain made low, illustrating removal of obstacles by God. |
Luke 3 verses
Luke 3 5 Meaning
Luke 3:5 describes the prophetic task of John the Baptist as preparing the way for the Lord. It vividly portrays a spiritual landscape being transformed to make a smooth and clear path for God's coming. This involves leveling all disparities: exalting the humble (valleys filled), abasing the proud (mountains and hills brought low), rectifying moral perversions (crooked made straight), and smoothing difficult paths (rough ways made smooth). It signifies a call to profound repentance and transformation in every aspect of human life and society to receive the Messiah.
Luke 3 5 Context
Luke 3:5 is part of John the Baptist's preaching in the wilderness, which marks the beginning of his public ministry (Lk 3:1-2). His message is one of urgent repentance in preparation for the coming of the Messiah. Luke places John's ministry precisely in its historical and political setting (Lk 3:1-2), emphasizing its reality. Verses 4-6 explicitly quote Isaiah 40:3-5, presenting John as the fulfillment of this ancient prophecy regarding the forerunner who prepares the way for the Lord. This "preparation" is not merely physical road-building, but a spiritual reshaping of human hearts and lives, clearing away pride, rectifying moral wrongs, and uplifting the downcast, so that "all flesh shall see the salvation of God" (Lk 3:6). This context frames the verse as a powerful call for inward spiritual change necessary for an encounter with the divine.
Luke 3 5 Word analysis
- Every (πᾶς - pas): Universal and inclusive. Indicates that this transformation is not partial but applies to all aspects, all people, all circumstances. It implies a total overhaul.
- valley (φάραγξ - pharagx): A ravine, a deep place. Metaphorically represents lowliness, dejection, the humble, those in despair, or even the challenging, difficult experiences in life.
- shall be filled (πληρωθήσεται - plēroō future passive): To be made full, to complete. Spiritually, it signifies God lifting up the downcast, comforting the afflicted, and bringing fullness to those who are empty.
- and every (καὶ πᾶν - kai pan): Continues the universal scope, emphasizing that nothing is excluded.
- mountain (ὄρος - oros): A large elevation of land. Metaphorically signifies pride, self-sufficiency, obstacles, great difficulties, or human strongholds.
- and hill (καὶ βουνὸς - kai bounos): A smaller mound or elevation. Reinforces the comprehensive nature, indicating both great and small hindrances are to be removed.
- shall be brought low (ταπεινωθήσεται - tapeinoō future passive): To be humbled, to abase, to reduce in stature or power. Spiritually, it means the humbling of the proud and the removal of towering obstacles that prevent access to God.
- and the crooked (καὶ τὰ σκολιὰ - kai ta skoliá): Twisted, bent, perverse, morally devious. Refers to paths that are not straight or right, representing dishonesty, injustice, moral perversity, or sinful ways of living.
- shall be made straight (ἔσται εἰς εὐθείας - estai eis eutheias): To become straight, direct, upright. Spiritually, it is about moral rectitude, spiritual alignment with God's will, correcting wrong behavior, and making honest the paths of life.
- and the rough (καὶ τραχεῖα - kai tracheia): Jagged, harsh, difficult. Represents difficult or arduous circumstances, challenges, or obstacles on the journey of faith.
- ways (ὁδοὶ - hodoi is implied from Isa 40:4 but not explicit in Lk 3:5 Greek, focusing more on the quality of the terrain): Paths, roads. The course of life or the spiritual journey.
- shall be made smooth (εἰς λείας - eis leias): To become smooth, level, easy. Spiritually, this implies removing obstacles, easing difficulties, and making the path of righteousness accessible and clear.
Words-group analysis:
- "Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low": This phrase speaks to the social and spiritual leveling process required. It signifies the divine reversal of human status: the humble are elevated, and the proud are humbled. This is essential for all people to equally access the coming salvation.
- "and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways shall be made smooth": This highlights the moral and practical implications of preparation. It addresses the need for ethical correction, transforming lives of sin into lives of righteousness, and removing the hardships or complexities that prevent adherence to God's way. This makes the path to God clear and navigable for all.
- Overall imagery: The language draws from ancient road-building, especially for royal entourages. For a significant figure like a king or emperor, obstacles were removed to ensure a smooth, direct passage. Applied spiritually, it underscores that human sin, pride, and societal inequities are "obstacles" that hinder the free course of God's redemptive work among humanity. John's preaching initiated this preparatory work in human hearts.
Luke 3 5 Bonus section
The fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy through John the Baptist highlights the long-standing continuity of God's redemptive plan from the Old Testament to the New. The idea of preparing a way for the Lord suggests not only spiritual but also relational preparation – breaking down barriers between people and with God. The divine intervention implied by "shall be filled" and "shall be brought low" suggests that while human repentance is key, the ultimate power for this transformation comes from God Himself, making what seems impossible, possible. This preparatory work sets the stage for Jesus' ministry of grace, where He fulfills and exemplifies these principles by ministering to the humble and challenging the proud.
Luke 3 5 Commentary
Luke 3:5 encapsulates the core message of John the Baptist as the prophetic forerunner, quoting Isaiah 40:4. It is a powerful metaphor for spiritual readiness, portraying a transformation that prepares hearts and lives for the Messiah's advent. The imagery of leveling a rugged terrain symbolizes a profound spiritual reordering. "Valleys filled" means the disheartened and oppressed will be lifted, finding hope and inclusion in God's plan. "Mountains and hills brought low" signifies the humbling of the arrogant and powerful, removing obstacles posed by pride or human systems. "Crooked made straight" is a call to moral rectitude and integrity, correcting dishonest and perverse ways of life. "Rough ways made smooth" speaks to the removal of hardships and obstacles in the spiritual journey, making God's path clear and accessible. Ultimately, this verse declares that true preparation for Christ requires universal repentance, a leveling of social and spiritual hierarchies, and a rectification of ethical behavior, so that God's salvation can be revealed to all humanity.