Bible Strands
Luke 1:76
And you, child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for Him,
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — Zechariah addresses his newborn son John during the fulfillment of his own temple prophecy, declaring the child’s divine appointment immediately after affirming the people’s call to righteousness.
The words — prophētēs (prophet) and proporeusē (you will go before) ground the declaration in John’s official role and his forward movement ahead of the Lord.
The thread — The motif of a forerunner preparing the way echoes Malachi 3:1, Isaiah 40:3, and Mark 1:2, where a messenger clears the path for the Lord’s arrival.
Why it lands — It demands recognition of a designated mediator and a posture of readiness for the coming authority.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Greek words
King James Version
And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways;
Cross-references
- Malachi 3:1 “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.
- Isaiah 40:3 A voice of one calling: “Prepare the way for the LORD in the wilderness; make a straight highway for our God in the desert.
- Mark 1:2 As it is written in Isaiah the prophet: “Behold, I will send My messenger ahead of You, who will prepare Your way.”
- Matthew 3:3 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.’”
- Matthew 11:9 What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet.
- Matthew 14:5 Although Herod wanted to kill John, he was afraid of the people, because they regarded John as a prophet.
- John 1:23 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.’”
- Acts 16:17 This girl followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who are proclaiming to you the way of salvation!”
- Mark 11:32 But if we say, ‘From men’...” they were afraid of the people, for they all held that John truly was a prophet.
- Luke 1:32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David,