He will be the voice of a man shouting out in the desert, [urging people] to make the road for the Lord ready [to travel on]; to make a straight pathway for him.”
For this is the man who was spoken of by Isaiah the prophet, who said, [Isa. 40:3], “[It is] the voice of a man who speaks out in the desert, [urging people to] make the road for the Lord ready [for Him to travel]; to make a straight pathway for Him [to walk on].”
[During this time], while Annas and Caiaphas [Note: This man was Annas’ son-in-law. See John 18:13] were head priests, God’s message came to John [the Immerser], son of Zacharias, [when he was] in the desert [of Judea].
John gave testimony about Jesus, shouting out, ”This person is the one about whom I said, ‘He who will come after me ranks above me because He existed before me.’”