Luke 1:80

An Understandable Version (2005 edition)

So, the child [i.e., John] grew and became strong in [his] spirit and stayed in the desert until the day when he appeared publicly to the Israelites.

Cross References

Luke 2:40

And the child [i.e., Jesus] grew and became strong. He was filled with wisdom and God’s favor was upon Him.

Luke 2:52

And Jesus advanced in wisdom; He grew up and [increased] in favor with God and the people.

Matthew 3:1

(Thirty years later) In those days, John the Immerser went into the desert of Judea preaching [to Jews], saying,

John 1:31

And I would not have recognized Him, but I came immersing people in water so that He would become known to the Israelites.”

Luke 1:15

For he will be great in the sight of the Lord and he will not drink any wine or intoxicating drinks [Note: This restriction suggests that John may have taken the special vow of consecration making him a “Nazarite”]. And he will be filled with the Holy Spirit from the time he is born.

Matthew 11:7

As the messengers [sent by John. See Luke 7:24] went on their way, Jesus began to talk to the crowds about John. [He said], “What did you expect to see when you went out into the desert? A tall stem swaying in the wind?

Acts 18:28

For Apollos effectively refuted [the position of] the Jews, publicly proving, by using the [Old Testament] Scriptures, that Jesus was the Christ.