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The crooked roads shall become straight, the rough ways smooth. <a href="/nlt/luke/3.htm">New Living Translation</a> The valleys will be filled, and the mountains and hills made level. The curves will be straightened, and the rough places made smooth. <a href="/esv/luke/3.htm">English Standard Version</a> 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, <a href="/bsb/luke/3.htm">Berean Standard Bible</a> Every valley shall be filled in, and every mountain and hill made low. The crooked ways shall be made straight, and the rough ways smooth. <a href="/blb/luke/3.htm">Berean Literal Bible</a> Every valley will be filled, and every mountain and hill will be made low; and the crooked will become into straight, and the rough ways into smooth. <a href="/kjv/luke/3.htm">King James Bible</a> 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; <a href="/nkjv/luke/3.htm">New King James Version</a> Every valley shall be filled And every mountain and hill brought low; The crooked places shall be made straight And the rough ways smooth; <a href="/nasb_/luke/3.htm">New American Standard Bible</a> ‘EVERY RAVINE WILL BE FILLED, AND EVERY MOUNTAIN AND HILL WILL BE LOWERED; THE CROOKED WILL BECOME STRAIGHT, AND THE ROUGH ROADS SMOOTH; <a href="/nasb/luke/3.htm">NASB 1995</a> &#8216EVERY RAVINE WILL BE FILLED, AND EVERY MOUNTAIN AND HILL WILL BE BROUGHT LOW; THE CROOKED WILL BECOME STRAIGHT, AND THE ROUGH ROADS SMOOTH; <a href="/nasb77/luke/3.htm">NASB 1977 </a> ‘EVERY RAVINE SHALL BE FILLED UP, AND EVERY MOUNTAIN AND HILL SHALL BE BROUGHT LOW; AND THE CROOKED SHALL BECOME STRAIGHT, AND THE ROUGH ROADS SMOOTH; <a href="/lsb/luke/3.htm">Legacy Standard Bible </a> EVERY RAVINE WILL BE FILLED, AND EVERY MOUNTAIN AND HILL WILL BE BROUGHT LOW; THE CROOKED WILL BE STRAIGHT, AND THE ROUGH ROADS SMOOTH. <a href="/amp/luke/3.htm">Amplified Bible</a> ‘EVERY RAVINE SHALL BE FILLED UP, AND EVERY MOUNTAIN AND HILL SHALL BE LEVELED; AND THE CROOKED [places] SHALL BE MADE STRAIGHT, AND THE ROUGH ROADS SMOOTH; <a href="/csb/luke/3.htm">Christian Standard Bible</a> Every valley will be filled, and every mountain and hill will be made low; the crooked will become straight, the rough ways smooth, <a href="/hcsb/luke/3.htm">Holman Christian Standard Bible</a> Every valley will be filled, and every mountain and hill will be made low; the crooked will become straight, the rough ways smooth, <a href="/asv/luke/3.htm">American Standard Version</a> Every valley shall be filled, And every mountain and hill shall be brought low; And the crooked shall become straight, And the rough ways smooth; <a href="/cev/luke/3.htm">Contemporary English Version</a> Fill up every valley and level every mountain and hill. Straighten the crooked paths and smooth out the rough roads. <a href="/erv/luke/3.htm">English Revised Version</a> Every valley shall be filled, And every mountain and hill shall be brought low; And the crooked shall become straight, And the rough ways smooth; <a href="/gwt/luke/3.htm">GOD'S WORD® Translation</a> Every valley will be filled. Every mountain and hill will be leveled. The crooked ways will be made straight. The rough roads will be made smooth. <a href="/gnt/luke/3.htm">Good News Translation</a> Every valley must be filled up, every hill and mountain leveled off. The winding roads must be made straight, and the rough paths made smooth. <a href="/isv/luke/3.htm">International Standard Version</a> Every valley will be filled, and every mountain and hill will be leveled. The crooked ways will be made straight, and the rough roads will be made smooth. <a href="/msb/luke/3.htm">Majority Standard Bible</a> Every valley shall be filled in, and every mountain and hill made low. The crooked ways shall be made straight, and the rough ways smooth. <a href="/net/luke/3.htm">NET Bible</a> Every valley will be filled, and every mountain and hill will be brought low, and the crooked will be made straight, and the rough ways will be made smooth, <a href="/nheb/luke/3.htm">New Heart English Bible</a> Every valley will be filled, and every mountain and hill will be made low, and the crooked will be made straight, and the rough ways smooth. <a href="/wbt/luke/3.htm">Webster's Bible Translation</a> 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; <a href="/wey/luke/3.htm">Weymouth New Testament</a> Every ravine shall be filled up, and every mountain and hill levelled down, the crooked places shall be turned into straight roads, and the rugged ways into smooth; <a href="/web/luke/3.htm">World English Bible</a> Every valley will be filled. Every mountain and hill will be brought low. The crooked will become straight, and the rough ways smooth. <div class="vheading2">Literal Translations</div><a href="/lsv/luke/3.htm">Literal Standard Version</a> Every valley will be filled, "" And every mountain and hill will be made low, "" And the crooked will become straightness, "" And the rough become smooth ways; <a href="/blb/luke/3.htm">Berean Literal Bible</a> Every valley will be filled, and every mountain and hill will be made low; and the crooked will become into straight, and the rough ways into smooth. <a href="/ylt/luke/3.htm">Young's Literal Translation</a> every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be made low, and the crooked shall become straightness, and the rough become smooth ways; <a href="/slt/luke/3.htm">Smith's Literal Translation</a> Every ravine shall be filled up, and every mount and hill shall be lowered; and the crooked shall be into straightness, and the rough into smooth ways.<div class="vheading2">Catholic Translations</div><a href="/drb/luke/3.htm">Douay-Rheims Bible</a> 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 plain; <a href="/cpdv/luke/3.htm">Catholic Public Domain Version</a> Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low. And what is crooked shall be made straight. And the rough paths shall be made into level ways. <a href="/nabre/luke/3.htm">New American Bible</a> Every valley shall be filled and every mountain and hill shall be made low. The winding roads shall be made straight, and the rough ways made smooth, <a href="/nrsvce/luke/3.htm">New Revised Standard Version</a> Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be made low, and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways made smooth;<div class="vheading2">Translations from Aramaic</div><a href="/lamsa/luke/3.htm">Lamsa Bible</a> Let all the valleys be filled up, and all the mountains and hills be levelled; let the crooked places be made straight, and the rough places like a plain; <a href="/aramaic-plain-english/luke/3.htm">Aramaic Bible in Plain English</a> “All the valleys will be filled and all the mountains and high places will be leveled and the rugged place will be smooth and the difficult region a plain,”<div class="vheading2">NT Translations</div><a href="/anderson/luke/3.htm">Anderson New Testament</a> every ravine shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be made level; and the crooked ways shall be made straight; and the rough ways shall be made smooth; <a href="/godbey/luke/3.htm">Godbey New Testament</a> Every valley shall be filled up and every mountain and hill shall be cut down; and the crooked places shall be straight and the rough ways smooth. <a href="/haweis/luke/3.htm">Haweis New Testament</a> every valley shall be filled up, and every mountain and hill shall be levelled, and the crooked ways made strait, and the rough roads smooth: <a href="/mace/luke/3.htm">Mace New Testament</a> every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be level'd: the crooked shall be made strait, and the rough ways shall be made smooth, <a href="/wey/luke/3.htm">Weymouth New Testament</a> Every ravine shall be filled up, and every mountain and hill levelled down, the crooked places shall be turned into straight roads, and the rugged ways into smooth; <a href="/worrell/luke/3.htm">Worrell New Testament</a> Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low; and the crooked shall become straight, and the rough ways smooth; <a href="/worsley/luke/3.htm">Worsley New Testament</a> every valley shall be raised, and every mountain and hill shall be lowered, and the crooked ways shall be made straight, and the rough ways smooth: <a href="/parallel/luke/3-5.htm">Additional Translations ...</a></div></div></div><div id="centbox"><div class="padcent"><a name="audio" id="audio"></a><div class="vheadingv">Audio Bible</div><iframe width="100%" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/3-5_0Jtd9Lc?start=1054" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe> <div class="vheadingv">Context</div><a href="/bsb/luke/3.htm">The Mission of John the Baptist</a> …4as it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet: “A voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for Him. 5<a href="/greek/3956.htm" title="3956: pasa (Adj-NFS) -- All, the whole, every kind of. Including all the forms of declension; apparently a primary word; all, any, every, the whole.">Every</a> <a href="/greek/5327.htm" title="5327: pharanx (N-NFS) -- A valley, ravine, chasm, cleft. Properly, strengthened from the base of peran or rather of rhegnumi; a gap or chasm, i.e. Ravine.">valley</a> <a href="/greek/4137.htm" title="4137: plērōthēsetai (V-FIP-3S) -- From pleres; to make replete, i.e. to cram, level up, or to furnish, satisfy, execute, finish, verify, etc.">shall be filled in,</a> <a href="/greek/2532.htm" title="2532: kai (Conj) -- And, even, also, namely. ">and</a> <a href="/greek/3956.htm" title="3956: pan (Adj-NNS) -- All, the whole, every kind of. Including all the forms of declension; apparently a primary word; all, any, every, the whole.">every</a> <a href="/greek/3735.htm" title="3735: oros (N-NNS) -- A mountain, hill. Probably from an obsolete oro; a mountain: -hill, mount(-ain).">mountain</a> <a href="/greek/2532.htm" title="2532: kai (Conj) -- And, even, also, namely. ">and</a> <a href="/greek/1015.htm" title="1015: bounos (N-NMS) -- A hillock, hill. Probably of foreign origin; a hillock.">hill</a> <a href="/greek/5013.htm" title="5013: tapeinōthēsetai (V-FIP-3S) -- To make or bring low, humble, humiliate; pass: To be humbled. From tapeinos; to depress; figuratively, to humiliate.">made low.</a> <a href="/greek/2532.htm" title="2532: kai (Conj) -- And, even, also, namely. "></a> <a href="/greek/3588.htm" title="3588: ta (Art-NNP) -- The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.">The</a> <a href="/greek/4646.htm" title="4646: skolia (Adj-NNP) -- Crooked, perverse, unfair, curved, tortuous. From the base of skelos; warped, i.e. Winding; figuratively, perverse.">crooked ways</a> <a href="/greek/1510.htm" title="1510: estai (V-FIM-3S) -- I am, exist. The first person singular present indicative; a prolonged form of a primary and defective verb; I exist.">shall be made</a> <a href="/greek/1519.htm" title="1519: eis (Prep) -- A primary preposition; to or into, of place, time, or purpose; also in adverbial phrases."></a> <a href="/greek/2117.htm" title="2117: eutheian (Adj-AFS) -- Perhaps from eu and tithemi; straight, i.e. level, or true; adverbially at once.">straight,</a> <a href="/greek/2532.htm" title="2532: kai (Conj) -- And, even, also, namely. ">and</a> <a href="/greek/3588.htm" title="3588: hai (Art-NFP) -- The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.">the</a> <a href="/greek/5138.htm" title="5138: tracheiai (Adj-NFP) -- Rough, rugged, uneven. Perhaps strengthened from the base of rhegnumi; uneven, rocky.">rough</a> <a href="/greek/3598.htm" title="3598: hodous (N-AFP) -- A way, road, journey, path. Apparently a primary word; a road; by implication, a progress; figuratively, a mode or means.">ways</a> <a href="/greek/1519.htm" title="1519: eis (Prep) -- A primary preposition; to or into, of place, time, or purpose; also in adverbial phrases."></a> <a href="/greek/3006.htm" title="3006: leias (Adj-AFP) -- Smooth, level, plain. Apparently a primary word; smooth, i.e. level.">smooth.</a> 6And all humanity will see God’s salvation.’ ”…<div class="cred"><a href="//berean.bible">Berean Standard Bible</a> · <a href="//berean.bible/downloads.htm">Download</a></div> <a name="crossref" id="crossref"></a><div class="vheading">Cross References</div><div id="crf"><a href="/isaiah/40-3.htm">Isaiah 40:3-4</a> A voice of one calling: “Prepare the way for the LORD in the wilderness; make a straight highway for our God in the desert. / Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill made low; the uneven ground will become smooth, and the rugged land a plain. <a href="/malachi/3-1.htm">Malachi 3:1</a> “Behold, I will send My messenger, who will prepare the way before Me. Then the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to His temple—the Messenger of the covenant, in whom you delight—see, He is coming,” says the LORD of Hosts. <a href="/matthew/3-3.htm">Matthew 3:3</a> 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 href="/mark/1-3.htm">Mark 1:3</a> “A voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for Him.’” <a href="/john/1-23.htm">John 1:23</a> John 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.’” <a href="/isaiah/42-16.htm">Isaiah 42:16</a> I will lead the blind by a way they did not know; I will guide them on unfamiliar paths. I will turn darkness into light before them and rough places into level ground. These things I will do for them, and I will not forsake them. <a href="/isaiah/49-11.htm">Isaiah 49:11</a> I will turn all My mountains into roads, and My highways will be raised up. <a href="/isaiah/45-2.htm">Isaiah 45:2</a> “I will go before you and level the mountains; I will break down the gates of bronze and cut through the bars of iron. <a href="/philippians/2-10.htm">Philippians 2:10</a> that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, <a href="/romans/14-11.htm">Romans 14:11</a> It is written: “As surely as I live, says the Lord, every knee will bow before Me; every tongue will confess to God.” <a href="/isaiah/2-12.htm">Isaiah 2:12-15</a> For the Day of the LORD of Hosts will come against all the proud and lofty, against all that is exalted—it will be humbled— / against all the cedars of Lebanon, lofty and lifted up, against all the oaks of Bashan, / against all the tall mountains, against all the high hills, ... <a href="/isaiah/35-6.htm">Isaiah 35:6-7</a> Then the lame will leap like a deer and the mute tongue will shout for joy. For waters will gush forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert. / The parched ground will become a pool, the thirsty land springs of water. In the haunt where jackals once lay, there will be grass and reeds and papyrus. <a href="/isaiah/64-1.htm">Isaiah 64:1</a> If only You would rend the heavens and come down, so that mountains would quake at Your presence, <a href="/isaiah/26-7.htm">Isaiah 26:7</a> The path of the righteous is level; You clear a straight path for the upright. <a href="/isaiah/41-15.htm">Isaiah 41:15-16</a> Behold, I will make you into a threshing sledge, new and sharp, with many teeth. You will thresh the mountains and crush them, and reduce the hills to chaff. / You will winnow them, and a wind will carry them away; a gale will scatter them. But you will rejoice in the LORD; you will glory in the Holy One of Israel.</div> <a name="tsk" id="tsk"><div class="vheading">Treasury of Scripture</div>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;valley.<a href="/luke/1-51.htm">Luke 1:51-53</a> He hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts… <a href="/isaiah/2-11.htm">Isaiah 2:11-17</a> The lofty looks of man shall be humbled, and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, and the LORD alone shall be exalted in that day… <a href="/isaiah/35-6.htm">Isaiah 35:6-8</a> Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert… and the crooked.<a href="/isaiah/42-16.htm">Isaiah 42:16</a> And I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not; I will lead them in paths that they have not known: I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight. These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them.<a href="/isaiah/45-2.htm">Isaiah 45:2</a> I will go before thee, and make the crooked places straight: I will break in pieces the gates of brass, and cut in sunder the bars of iron:<a href="/hebrews/12-12.htm">Hebrews 12:12,13</a> Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees; … <div class="vheading">Jump to Previous</div><a href="/mark/15-8.htm">Aloud</a> <a href="/luke/3-4.htm">Book</a> <a href="/lamentations/3-9.htm">Crooked</a> <a href="/luke/3-4.htm">Crying</a> <a href="/luke/3-4.htm">Desert</a> <a href="/luke/2-40.htm">Filled</a> <a href="/ezekiel/32-4.htm">Gorge</a> <a href="/luke/1-65.htm">Hill</a> <a href="/mark/13-14.htm">Hills</a> <a href="/luke/3-4.htm">Isaiah</a> <a href="/luke/1-48.htm">Low</a> <a href="/mark/14-26.htm">Mountain</a> <a href="/mark/13-14.htm">Mountains</a> <a href="/luke/1-79.htm">Path</a> <a href="/luke/1-79.htm">Places</a> <a href="/luke/3-4.htm">Prepare</a> <a href="/luke/3-4.htm">Prophet</a> <a href="/mark/11-8.htm">Road</a> <a href="/matthew/16-3.htm">Rough</a> <a href="/daniel/11-32.htm">Smooth</a> <a href="/luke/3-4.htm">Straight</a> <a href="/mark/15-17.htm">Twisted</a> <a href="/matthew/3-5.htm">Valley</a> <a href="/luke/3-4.htm">Voice</a> <a href="/luke/1-76.htm">Ways</a> <a href="/luke/3-4.htm">Written</a><div class="vheading2">Jump to Next</div><a href="/luke/6-22.htm">Aloud</a> <a href="/luke/4-17.htm">Book</a> <a href="/luke/3-6.htm">Crooked</a> <a href="/luke/4-41.htm">Crying</a> <a href="/luke/4-1.htm">Desert</a> <a href="/luke/3-6.htm">Filled</a> <a href="/exodus/15-9.htm">Gorge</a> <a href="/luke/3-6.htm">Hill</a> <a href="/luke/21-21.htm">Hills</a> <a href="/luke/4-17.htm">Isaiah</a> <a href="/luke/14-11.htm">Low</a> <a href="/luke/3-6.htm">Mountain</a> <a href="/luke/21-21.htm">Mountains</a> <a href="/luke/8-12.htm">Path</a> <a href="/luke/3-6.htm">Places</a> <a href="/luke/7-27.htm">Prepare</a> <a href="/luke/4-17.htm">Prophet</a> <a href="/luke/8-5.htm">Road</a> <a href="/john/6-18.htm">Rough</a> <a href="/luke/3-6.htm">Smooth</a> <a href="/luke/3-6.htm">Straight</a> <a href="/luke/9-39.htm">Twisted</a> <a href="/john/18-1.htm">Valley</a> <a href="/luke/3-22.htm">Voice</a> <a href="/luke/3-6.htm">Ways</a> <a href="/luke/4-4.htm">Written</a><div class="vheading2">Luke 3</div>1. <a href="/luke/3-1.htm">The preaching and baptism of John;</a> 15. <a href="/luke/3-15.htm">his testimony of Jesus;</a> 19. <a href="/luke/3-19.htm">Herod imprisons John;</a> 21. <a href="/luke/3-21.htm">Jesus, baptized, receives testimony from heaven.</a> 23. <a href="/luke/3-23.htm">The age and genealogy of Jesus from Joseph upwards.</a> </div></div><div id="mdd"><div align="center"><div class="bot2"><table align="center" width="100%"><tr><td><div align="center"> <script id="3d27ed63fc4348d5b062c4527ae09445"> (new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=51ce25d5-1a8c-424a-8695-4bd48c750f35&cid=3a9f82d0-4344-4f8d-ac0c-e1a0eb43a405'; </script> <script id="b817b7107f1d4a7997da1b3c33457e03"> (new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=cb0edd8b-b416-47eb-8c6d-3cc96561f7e8&cid=3a9f82d0-4344-4f8d-ac0c-e1a0eb43a405'; </script>  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-2'> </div>  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-0' style='max-width: 300px;'> </div>  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-3'> </div>  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-1' style='max-width: 300px;'> </div>  <div align="center" id='div-gpt-ad-1531425649696-0'> </div> <ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:inline-block;width:200px;height:200px" data-ad-client="ca-pub-3753401421161123" data-ad-slot="3592799687"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script> </div> </td></tr></table></div></div></div><div id="combox"><div class="padcom"><a name="study" id="study"></a><div class="vheading"><table width="100%"><tr><td width="99%" valign="top"><a href="/study/luke/3.htm">Study Bible</a></td><td width="1%" valign="top"><a href="/study/luke/" title="Book Summary and Study">Book ◦</a> <a href="/study/chapters/luke/3.htm" title="Chapter summary and Study">Chapter </a></tr></table></div>Every valley shall be filled in This phrase signifies the leveling of obstacles and the preparation for the coming of the Lord. In biblical times, valleys often represented low points or challenges in life. The filling of valleys symbolizes God's power to overcome difficulties and bring restoration. This imagery is drawn from <a href="/isaiah/40-4.htm">Isaiah 40:4</a>, which speaks of preparing the way for the Lord. It reflects the transformative work of God in the hearts of people, making them ready to receive Christ. The filling of valleys can also be seen as a metaphor for the elevation of the humble and the lowly, aligning with Jesus' teachings on humility and exaltation (<a href="/luke/14-11.htm">Luke 14:11</a>).And every mountain and hill made low Mountains and hills often symbolize pride, power, and obstacles that stand in the way of God's purposes. The lowering of these signifies the humbling of the proud and the removal of barriers to God's kingdom. This imagery is consistent with the biblical theme of God opposing the proud but giving grace to the humble (<a href="/james/4-6.htm">James 4:6</a>). Historically, the leveling of terrain was a common practice in ancient times to prepare roads for the arrival of kings, symbolizing the preparation for the coming of the ultimate King, Jesus Christ. This phrase emphasizes the need for repentance and the removal of spiritual pride to make way for the Messiah.The crooked ways shall be made straight Crooked paths represent sin, deceit, and moral corruption. The straightening of these paths signifies the call to righteousness and integrity. This transformation is a work of God, aligning with the call to repentance preached by John the Baptist, who prepared the way for Jesus. The straightening of paths is a metaphor for the moral and spiritual realignment required to follow Christ. It echoes <a href="/proverbs/3-5.htm">Proverbs 3:5-6</a>, which encourages trust in the Lord to make one's paths straight. This phrase highlights the necessity of turning away from sin and embracing the truth of the Gospel.And the rough ways smooth Rough ways symbolize hardship, struggle, and the challenges of life. Making these ways smooth indicates God's ability to bring peace and ease to those who follow Him. This transformation reflects the peace and rest found in Christ, who invites the weary to come to Him (<a href="/matthew/11-28.htm">Matthew 11:28-30</a>). The smoothing of rough paths also suggests the removal of obstacles that hinder one's spiritual journey. It points to the hope and assurance that God provides, making the path to salvation accessible and clear. This phrase underscores the comprehensive nature of God's redemptive work, preparing individuals to receive the fullness of His grace.<div class="vheading2">Persons / Places / Events</div>1. <a href="/topical/j/john_the_baptist.htm">John the Baptist</a> The forerunner of Jesus Christ, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. He is the voice crying in the wilderness, preparing the way for the Lord. 2. <a href="/topical/t/the_wilderness.htm">The Wilderness</a> A significant place in biblical accounts, often symbolizing a place of testing, preparation, and revelation. John the Baptist's ministry takes place here, echoing the prophetic tradition. 3. <a href="/topical/t/the_people_of_israel.htm">The People of Israel</a> The primary audience of John’s message, called to repentance and preparation for the coming Messiah. 4. <a href="/topical/t/the_prophecy_of_isaiah.htm">The Prophecy of Isaiah</a> <a href="/luke/3-5.htm">Luke 3:5</a> is a fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy (<a href="/isaiah/40-3.htm">Isaiah 40:3-5</a>), which speaks of preparing the way for the Lord and the transformation that accompanies His coming. 5. <a href="/topical/t/the_coming_of_the_messiah.htm">The Coming of the Messiah</a> The ultimate event that John the Baptist is preparing the people for, signifying the arrival of Jesus Christ and the establishment of His kingdom.<div class="vheading2">Teaching Points</div><a href="/topical/p/preparation_for_christ's_coming.htm">Preparation for Christ's Coming</a> Just as physical landscapes are transformed, our hearts must be prepared and transformed to receive Christ. This involves repentance and aligning our lives with God's will. <a href="/topical/s/spiritual_transformation.htm">Spiritual Transformation</a> The imagery of valleys being filled and mountains made low symbolizes the leveling of pride and the filling of spiritual voids. We are called to humble ourselves and seek God's righteousness. <a href="/topical/s/straightening_the_crooked_paths.htm">Straightening the Crooked Paths</a> Our lives often have crooked paths due to sin and disobedience. Through repentance and faith, God straightens these paths, leading us in His ways. <a href="/topical/s/smoothing_the_rough_ways.htm">Smoothing the Rough Ways</a> Life's challenges and rough patches can be smoothed by God's grace and guidance. Trusting in Him brings peace and direction. <a href="/topical/t/the_universality_of_the_gospel.htm">The Universality of the Gospel</a> The leveling of landscapes signifies the universal call of the Gospel. All people, regardless of status or background, are invited to prepare for and receive Christ.<div class="vheading2">Lists and Questions</div><a href="/top10/lessons_from_luke_3.htm">Top 10 Lessons from Luke 3</a> <a href="/q/is_porn_called_a_sin_in_the_bible.htm">What does 'House of Jacob' mean in the Bible?</a> <a href="/q/why_does_christianity_prioritize_faith.htm">Why does Christianity demand faith when critical thinking and evidence are more reliable ways of knowing truth?</a> <a href="/q/what_was_jesus'_purpose_on_earth.htm">What was Jesus' purpose on Earth?</a> <a href="/q/key_events_in_jesus's_life.htm">What were the key events in Jesus Christ's life?</a><a name="commentary" id="commentary"></a><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/ellicott/luke/3.htm">Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers</a></div>(5) Every valley shall be filled.--The fuller citation by St. Luke, as compared with the other Gospels, is interesting, and suggests the thought that he was led to see in the manifold aspects of the Baptist's ministry a fulfilment of this part of the prophecy. The "valley" was filled, when lowly and penitent souls received the assurance of pardon; "mountains and hills" were "brought low" when the pride of Pharisees and Sadducees was rebuked; the "crooked made straight" when Publicans learnt to be honest; the "rough places smooth" when soldiers were taught to do violence to no man. The imagery is, of course, taken from the work of pioneers levelling a road for the march of a great king.(5) Here St. Matthew's record stops, while St. Luke continues to trace the succession back to Adam--his list of names agreeing with those in <a href="/genesis/11-10.htm" title="These are the generations of Shem: Shem was an hundred years old, and begat Arphaxad two years after the flood:">Genesis 11:10</a> and <a href="/context/1_chronicles/1-24.htm" title="Shem, Arphaxad, Shelah,">1Chronicles 1:24-27</a> as far as Noah, and Genesis 5 and <a href="/context/1_chronicles/1-1.htm" title="Adam, Sheth, Enosh,">1Chronicles 1:1-4</a> from Noah to Adam, with the exception of the insertion of a Cainan between Arphaxad and Salah in the former section.Each of these points calls for separate consideration, the first being obviously the most important.(5) (a) The fact that the genealogy goes back to Adam may have been originally in the document which St. Luke translated, without any special significance; but it at least falls in with the whole character of his Gospel as intended to set forth the universality of the gospel, to prepare the way for the truth of the brotherhood of mankind in Christ. It represented Christ as the second Adam, as St. Matthew's genealogy represented Him as the heir of Abraham. (b) The insertion of Cainan between Salah and Arphaxad agrees with the text of all known copies of the Greek version of Genesis 11. This may imply an original Hebrew text older than that which we now possess; but, on the other hand, as all existing copies of the LXX. version were made for Christian use, it is possible that the name may have been inserted to bring the genealogy in Genesis 11 into agreement with that given by St. Luke. The name does not appear in this place in the Vulgate, Syriac, or Samaritan versions of the Pentateuch, and in one of the best MSS. of the New Testament (the Codex Bez?) it is wanting here. Further than this we cannot go in dealing with a question which, after all, is infinitesimally small in itself, and has no direct bearing on any graver issues.It may be noted, lastly, that genealogies, such as those given by St. Matthew and St. Luke, were common in almost every Jewish family. The books of Chronicles, Ezra, and Nehemiah, compiled after the return from Babylon, show that they existed then. Josephus transcribes his own pedigree, from the time of the Asmonaean, or Maccabean, priest-rulers, from public registers (Life, c. 1), and states (against Apion, i. 7) that not in Judaea only, but in Alexandria and Babylon, and other cities, wherever the Jews were settled, such registers were kept of the births and marriages of all belonging to the priesthood; that copies were sent to Jerusalem; that the registers went back for 2,000 years. The prevalence of the name Cohen (= priest) among modern Jews indicates the same care in the priestly line. The members of the house of David were hardly likely to be less careful in preserving records of their descent than those of the house of Aaron. Hillel the scribe, i.e., was known to be of the lineage of David, and must have had evidence of some kind to prove it. So, at a later time, the Princes of the Captivity who ruled over the Jews of Babylonia, claimed their allegiance as sons of David.<div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/pulpit/luke/3.htm">Pulpit Commentary</a></div>Verse 5. - 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. Godet and other commentators suggest, though they do not press, a particular application to each of the details of the picture. "For instance, the mountains that must be levelled may be referred to the pride of the Pharisees; the valleys to filled up, to the moral and religious indifference of such as the Sadducees; the crooked places to be made straight, to the frauds and lying excuses of the publicans; and lastly, the rough places, to the sinful habits found in all, even the best.' <a href="/commentaries/luke/3-5.htm">Parallel Commentaries ...</a> <a name="lexicon" id="lexicon"></a><div class="vheading">Greek</div>Every πᾶσα (pasa) Adjective - Nominative Feminine Singular <a href="/greek/strongs_3956.htm">Strong's 3956: </a> All, the whole, every kind of. Including all the forms of declension; apparently a primary word; all, any, every, the whole. valley φάραγξ (pharanx) Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular <a href="/greek/strongs_5327.htm">Strong's 5327: </a> A valley, ravine, chasm, cleft. Properly, strengthened from the base of peran or rather of rhegnumi; a gap or chasm, i.e. Ravine. shall be filled in, πληρωθήσεται (plērōthēsetai) Verb - Future Indicative Passive - 3rd Person Singular <a href="/greek/strongs_4137.htm">Strong's 4137: </a> From pleres; to make replete, i.e. to cram, level up, or to furnish, satisfy, execute, finish, verify, etc. and καὶ (kai) Conjunction <a href="/greek/strongs_2532.htm">Strong's 2532: </a> And, even, also, namely. every πᾶν (pan) Adjective - Nominative Neuter Singular <a href="/greek/strongs_3956.htm">Strong's 3956: </a> All, the whole, every kind of. Including all the forms of declension; apparently a primary word; all, any, every, the whole. mountain ὄρος (oros) Noun - Nominative Neuter Singular <a href="/greek/strongs_3735.htm">Strong's 3735: </a> A mountain, hill. Probably from an obsolete oro; a mountain: -hill, mount(-ain). and καὶ (kai) Conjunction <a href="/greek/strongs_2532.htm">Strong's 2532: </a> And, even, also, namely. hill βουνὸς (bounos) Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular <a href="/greek/strongs_1015.htm">Strong's 1015: </a> A hillock, hill. Probably of foreign origin; a hillock. made low. ταπεινωθήσεται (tapeinōthēsetai) Verb - Future Indicative Passive - 3rd Person Singular <a href="/greek/strongs_5013.htm">Strong's 5013: </a> To make or bring low, humble, humiliate; pass: To be humbled. From tapeinos; to depress; figuratively, to humiliate. The τὰ (ta) Article - Nominative Neuter Plural <a href="/greek/strongs_3588.htm">Strong's 3588: </a> The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the. crooked [ways] σκολιὰ (skolia) Adjective - Nominative Neuter Plural <a href="/greek/strongs_4646.htm">Strong's 4646: </a> Crooked, perverse, unfair, curved, tortuous. From the base of skelos; warped, i.e. Winding; figuratively, perverse. shall be made ἔσται (estai) Verb - Future Indicative Middle - 3rd Person Singular <a href="/greek/strongs_1510.htm">Strong's 1510: </a> I am, exist. The first person singular present indicative; a prolonged form of a primary and defective verb; I exist. straight, εὐθείαν (eutheian) Adjective - Accusative Feminine Singular <a href="/greek/strongs_2117.htm">Strong's 2117: </a> Perhaps from eu and tithemi; straight, i.e. level, or true; adverbially at once. and καὶ (kai) Conjunction <a href="/greek/strongs_2532.htm">Strong's 2532: </a> And, even, also, namely. the αἱ (hai) Article - Nominative Feminine Plural <a href="/greek/strongs_3588.htm">Strong's 3588: </a> The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the. rough τραχεῖαι (tracheiai) Adjective - Nominative Feminine Plural <a href="/greek/strongs_5138.htm">Strong's 5138: </a> Rough, rugged, uneven. Perhaps strengthened from the base of rhegnumi; uneven, rocky. ways ὁδοὺς (hodous) Noun - Accusative Feminine Plural <a href="/greek/strongs_3598.htm">Strong's 3598: </a> A way, road, journey, path. Apparently a primary word; a road; by implication, a progress; figuratively, a mode or means. smooth. λείας (leias) Adjective - Accusative Feminine Plural <a href="/greek/strongs_3006.htm">Strong's 3006: </a> Smooth, level, plain. Apparently a primary word; smooth, i.e. 'level'. <div class="vheading">Links</div><a href="/niv/luke/3-5.htm">Luke 3:5 NIV</a> <a href="/nlt/luke/3-5.htm">Luke 3:5 NLT</a> <a href="/esv/luke/3-5.htm">Luke 3:5 ESV</a> <a href="/nasb/luke/3-5.htm">Luke 3:5 NASB</a> <a href="/kjv/luke/3-5.htm">Luke 3:5 KJV</a> <a href="//bibleapps.com/luke/3-5.htm">Luke 3:5 BibleApps.com</a> <a href="//bibliaparalela.com/luke/3-5.htm">Luke 3:5 Biblia Paralela</a> <a href="//holybible.com.cn/luke/3-5.htm">Luke 3:5 Chinese Bible</a> <a href="//saintebible.com/luke/3-5.htm">Luke 3:5 French Bible</a> <a href="/catholic/luke/3-5.htm">Luke 3:5 Catholic Bible</a> <a href="/luke/3-5.htm">NT Gospels: Luke 3:5 Every valley will be filled (Luke Lu Lk) </a></div></div></td></tr></table></div><div id="left"><a href="/luke/3-4.htm" onmouseover='lft.src="/leftgif.png"' onmouseout='lft.src="/left.png"' title="Luke 3:4"><img src="/left.png" name="lft" border="0" alt="Luke 3:4" /></a></div><div id="right"><a href="/luke/3-6.htm" onmouseover='rght.src="/rightgif.png"' onmouseout='rght.src="/right.png"' title="Luke 3:6"><img src="/right.png" name="rght" border="0" alt="Luke 3:6" /></a></div><div id="botleft"><a href="#" onmouseover='botleft.src="/botleftgif.png"' onmouseout='botleft.src="/botleft.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botleft.png" name="botleft" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div><div id="botright"><a href="#" onmouseover='botright.src="/botrightgif.png"' onmouseout='botright.src="/botright.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botright.png" name="botright" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div><div id="bot"><iframe width="100%" height="1500" scrolling="no" src="/botmenubhnew2.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></div></td></tr></table></div></body></html>