Bible Strands
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.”
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — The narrator opens the gospel account by quoting a divine declaration at the very beginning of the narrative, before any spoken dialogue occurs. God speaks in the cited prophecy, addressing the reader through the written record of Isaiah.
The words — γέγραπται (gegraptai) translates to "it has been written," anchoring the claim in established scripture. ἰδοὺ (idou) means "behold," signaling a sudden divine action.
The thread — This quotation appears in Malachi 3:1 as a promise of a coming messenger, and is echoed in Matthew 11:10 and Luke 1:76 to identify John the Baptist’s preparatory role.
Why it lands — The text states that a messenger will be sent ahead to prepare a way, directly linking the opening gospel declaration to prior prophetic records. Readers must acknowledge that the unfolding narrative fulfills the cited scripture rather than originating independently.
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
As it is written in the prophets, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.
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.
- Matthew 11:10 This is the one about whom it is written: ‘Behold, I will send My messenger ahead of You, who will prepare Your way before You.’
- 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,
- Matthew 3:1 In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea
- Luke 1:15 for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He shall never take wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mother’s womb.
- Luke 7:27 This is the one about whom it is written: ‘Behold, I will send My messenger ahead of You, who will prepare Your way before You.’
- Psalms 40:7 Then I said, “Here I am, I have come—it is written about me in the scroll:
- Matthew 26:31 Then Jesus said to them, “This very night you will all fall away on account of Me. For it is written: ‘I will strike the Shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’
- Luke 1:70 as He spoke through His holy prophets, those of ages past,
- Matthew 2:5 “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written: