Luke 3:5

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.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — The verse functions as the second half of a quotation from Isaiah, placed in Luke’s narrative to describe the preparatory work of John the Baptist in the wilderness.

The words — πᾶσα (pasa) translates to “Every” and πληρωθήσεται (plērōthēsetai) translates to “will be filled,” specifying that all depressions will be raised to match the elevated ground.

The thread — The passage directly quotes Isaiah 40:4 and shares its leveling motif with Isaiah 42:16 and Isaiah 45:2, where God promises to remove geographical barriers.

Why it lands — The text commands the elimination of all physical and moral obstructions so that the coming salvation becomes plainly visible to every person.

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

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;

Cross-references

Isaiah 40:4 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.
Isaiah 42:16 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.
Isaiah 45:2 “I will go before you and level the mountains; I will break down the gates of bronze and cut through the bars of iron.
Isaiah 49:11 I will turn all My mountains into roads, and My highways will be raised up.
Ezekiel 17:24 Then all the trees of the field will know that I am the LORD. I bring the tall tree down and make the low tree tall. I dry up the green tree and make the withered tree flourish. I, the LORD, have spoken, and I have done it.’”
Hebrews 12:12 Therefore strengthen your limp hands and weak knees.
Luke 1:51 He has performed mighty deeds with His arm; He has scattered those who are proud in the thoughts of their hearts.
Isaiah 2:11 The proud look of man will be humbled, and the loftiness of men brought low; the LORD alone will be exalted in that day.
Isaiah 61:1 The Spirit of the Lord GOD is on Me, because the LORD has anointed Me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent Me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and freedom to the prisoners,
Isaiah 35:6 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.