2 In accord with what has been written in Isaiah the prophet [other MSS: in the prophets]: "Look and consider! I, Myself, am periodically sending forth My agent (messenger) on a mission – before Your face – who will progressively construct (build; furnish; equip; put in readiness) Your road (Way; path). [Mal. 3:1]
Mark 1:2 Cross References - JMNT
Matthew 2:5
5 So they said to him, "Within Bethlehem [Hebrew: House of Bread], of the Judean [district], for thus it stands written through the prophet,
Matthew 3:1-11
1 Now in those days [i.e., years later, when Jesus would have come to be known as a Nazarene], John, the Immerser (or: Baptist; the one who immerses), is repeatedly coming to be at the side, progressively birthing himself (= making an appearance) in the midst of the wilderness (within the uninhabited area; in the desert) of the Judean [district], continually making public proclamation as a herald,
2 habitually saying, "You folks be continuously and progressively changing your thinking – change your perceptions, attitudes, frame of mind, mode of thought and understanding, and turn back [toward God], because the reign of the heavens (the expression and effect of kingdom rule which has its source in the atmospheres; the activity of exercising the sovereignty which exists being the heavens; the reigning [of the King] which pertains to the heavens; the kingdom which belongs to and comes from the atmosphere; the influence of the sovereignty which is the heavens) has approached and is now near at hand and is close enough to touch (= has arrived and is now accessible)!"
3 You see, this is the man being spoken [of?] (or: this is the one [= declaration, or, prophecy] being spoken) through Isaiah the prophet, continuing in saying, "A voice! One repeatedly crying out (shouting; exulting; exclaiming; imploring): 'Within the midst of the wilderness (desert; desolate place; abandoned and uninhabited region) you folks prepare and make ready the road of [the] Lord (or: the path whose source is [Yahweh]; the Way whose character is that of, and which pertains to, [the] Owner [= Yahweh])! Be progressively constructing (making) His highway (thoroughfare) well-placed and straight.'" [Isa. 40:3] (or: "A sound! One is continuously crying out within the midst of the desert: ... ")
4 Now John himself was in the habit of having his clothing of woven camel's hair with a leather belt (or: a girdle made of an animal skin) around his waist and loins, and his nourishment continued being locusts and wild honey.
5 At that time [folks from] Jerusalem, all the Judean [area], and the region around the Jordan [River] were traveling out to (or: toward) him in a steady stream,
6 and they were one after another being immersed (baptized) by him in the Jordan River, while in turn openly confessing (speaking out in agreement with) their failures (their mistakes, sins and failures to hit the target).
7 Now upon seeing many of the Pharisees and Sadducees [two religious and political sects of the Jewish culture] repeatedly or in turn coming upon the immersion (baptism) [event], he said to them, "O offspring (progeny; brood) of vipers (poisonous snakes)! Who secretly pointed out to you people (gave you a private, confidential suggestion) to flee, so as to escape, away from the inherent fervor (the internal swelling that gives rise to an impulse and mental bent which may be expressed in strong emotion, such as anger or wrath; a vigorous upsurge of [God's] nature) which is progressively about to be [demonstrated]?
8 "Produce, then, fruit which has a corresponding value to, and is appropriate of, a change in thinking and attitude, as well as a turn [toward God].
9 "Furthermore, do not presume to be habitually saying among yourselves, 'We continue having Abraham [as] a father,' for I am now saying to you that God continues able (or: constantly has power) to at once raise up (or: awaken) children to Abraham (or: for Abraham; in Abraham) from out of these stones!
10 "Now you see, the ax is already continuing lying [being focused] toward (or: facing toward) the root of the trees. Therefore, every tree not habitually (repeatedly; = seasonally) producing beautiful (ideal; fine) fruit is customarily being cut out [of the orchard or garden], and is normally thrown into a fire. [comment: to be used for fuel]
11 "I myself, on the one hand, continue immersing you folks in water, [which proceeds] into the midst of a change in thinking ([leading you] into a change of perception, frame of mind and mode of thought – into a change of understanding and a turning back [to Yahweh]). On the other hand, the One progressively coming close after me is (exists being) stronger than me (or: I), whose sandals I am not competent (or: adequate) to lift up and carry off. He, Himself, will proceed immersing (baptizing) you folks within the midst of a set-apart Breath-effect and Fire (or: will repeatedly submerge you to the point of saturation, in union with [the] Holy Spirit, even to the permeation of a Sacred Attitude, as well as with [the] Fire) –
Matthew 11:10
10 "This person is he concerning whom it has been written, 'Look and consider! I, Myself, am repeatedly sending forth My messenger, as an emissary on a mission – before Your face (or: ahead of Your personal presence) – who will progressively make Your road (or: path) useable by constructing or repairing and preparing it in front of You (or: who will prepare Your way before You).' [Mal. 3:1]
Matthew 26:24
24 "On the one hand, the Son of the Man (= Adam's son; = the representative human; = the eschatological messianic figure) is progressively leading the way under (or: is now going away) – just as (correspondingly as) it has been written about and concerning Him. Yet tragic will be the fate for THAT MAN through whom the Son of the Man is in the process of being turned over. It was continuing being beautiful for Him [i.e., for the Son of the Man] (or: It was being ideal to Him; It was existing fine for Him) – if THAT MAN was not brought to birth (or: had [just] not been born)!"
Matthew 26:31
31 At that time, Jesus went on saying to them, "All you folks will proceed being caught in the snare in union with Me, and will continue being caused to stumble, within this night. You see, it has been written, 'I will proceed smiting (or: striking down) the shepherd and the sheep of the flock will proceed being thoroughly scattered and dispersed.' [Zech. 13;7]
Luke 1:15-17
15 "You see, he will continue being great (or: = important) in the sight of (or: before) [the] Lord [= Yahweh], and he should under no circumstances drink wine or [other] strong drink (= intoxicating beverage). Also, he will be continuously filled with a set-apart breath-effect (or: holy spirit; a separated and consecrated wind; [the] Holy Spirit; a sacred Attitude) still [not] out from (or: still from the midst of) his mother's womb.
16 "Later, he will proceed turning many of the sons (= people) of Israel back upon [the] Lord [= Yahweh] their God.
17 "And so, he himself will continue advancing in His presence (or: going forward in His sight) – within and in union with a breath-effect (or: wind) and ability having the character and qualities of Elijah (or: in association with Elijah's spirit and power; or: in an attitude and an ability which is Elijah [= God is Yah]) – ‘to turn back hearts of fathers upon children,’ [Mal. 3:23] and stubborn folks (or: incompliant ones; unpersuaded people) in a thoughtful (sensible; prudent) frame of mind which has the character and qualities of fairness, equity, rightwised relationships, and justice which pertain to the Way pointed out: to prepare and make a people having been fully formed into vessels and utensils, as well as being completely furnished and supplied with equipment, by, for and in [the] Lord [= Yahweh]."
Luke 1:70
70 "Just and correspondingly as He spoke through [the] mouth of His set-apart (or: holy) prophets from [that] age,
Luke 1:76
Luke 3:2-16
2 on the [occasion and term of the priesthood of] chief (or: ranking) priests, Annas and Caiaphas, a gush-effect which was God (or: the result of a flow from God; God’s spoken word; a declaration from God) came into existence (came to be; was birthed) upon John, son of Zechariah, within the midst of the wilderness (the uninhabited, desolate place).
3 And so he came (or: went) into all [the] region around the Jordan [River], repeatedly making a public proclamation heralding an immersion (or: baptism) of a change of mind and way of thinking [which also implied a return to God], into a flowing-away of failures (a sending-away of mistakes; a letting-go and release of failed attempts to hit the target and attain the goal; abandonment of sins; a divorce from, and a forgiveness of, errors).
4 As it has been and stands written within the scroll of [the] words of Isaiah the prophet, "A voice (or: sound) of someone repeatedly exclaiming and imploring loudly within the midst of the wilderness (the desolate place): 'You people at once make ready (or: 'Within the wilderness [now] prepare) the Way (Road) of [the] Lord [= Yahweh's Path]! Be progressively making His worn thoroughfares and highways straight.
5 'Every ravine (or: gully; place narrowly enclosed by cliffs) will be progressively filled, and every mountain and hill (or: all hill country and rising ground) will continue being made low. Then the crooked things (or: places) will proceed in being [made] into straight ones, and rough and uneven places, into smooth roads!
6 'Then all flesh will proceed in seeing God's Deliverance (Salvation; Rescue; health and wholeness; Returning [all; things] to the original state and condition)!'" [Isa. 40:3-5]
7 However, he [i.e., John] kept on saying to the crowds that were one after another going their way out to be immersed by him, " [You] offsprings (or: Results of the births) of poisonous snakes (vipers), who (or: what) privately suggested (or: secretly showed; pointed out under [cover]) to you folks to be at once taking flight (fleeing) away from the progressively impending inherent fervor (internal swelling towards fruition; agitation of soul; or: anger; wrath)?
8 "Be at once, then, producing fruit of corresponding value to (or: of equal worth of; worthy of) the aforementioned change of mind and way of thinking! And so, you should not start (or: begin) to be repeatedly saying among yourselves, 'We continue having Abraham [as; for] a father,' for I am now saying to you folks that God continues able (constantly has power) to raise up children to (or: for) Abraham from out of the midst of these stones!
9 "Now the ax already continues lying [positioned with its aim] toward the root of the trees. So then, every tree not seasonally producing beautiful (fine; ideal; choice) fruit is customarily cut out [of the orchard] and is regularly being tossed into a fire [to heat or to cook]."
10 And so the crowds began putting questions to him, one after another saying, "What, then, should we be doing?"
11 So, giving a decided reply, he began saying to them, "The person habitually having two tunics (undergarments), let him at once share with the one not normally having [one]; and the person habitually having things to eat (food), let him regularly do likewise."
12 Now tax collectors (or: government revenue contractors; customs agents) also came to be immersed (baptized), and they said to him, "Teacher, what should we be doing?"
13 So he said to them, "Be habitually practicing (thus: collecting, demanding or exacting) nothing more besides the thing having been precisely arranged and prescribed for you (= charge nothing beyond the standard rates)."
14 And then soldiers (men serving in the army) also began putting questions to him, as a group saying, "What should we also be doing?" And he said to them, "You men should not at any time violently shake anyone (thus, also: intimidate, harass or extort from anyone), nor should you at any time inform on, blackmail or falsely accuse [people]. Also, be habitually content and satisfied with your subsistence rations and pay."
15 Now during the people's continued anticipation – keeping an eye open and directed forward in watchful expectation – [and] while everyone kept on reasoning and debating in their hearts concerning John, whether perchance he might be the Christ (the Anointed One; = the Messiah),
16 John gave a decided response, repeatedly saying, "I, myself, on the one hand am in the process of immersing (baptizing) you folks in (or: with) water. Yet on the other hand, the Person stronger than I is now progressively coming – the lace (or: strap; thong) of Whose sandals I am not competent (fit; sufficient) to loosen or untie. He, Himself, will proceed immersing (or: baptizing) you folks within the midst of set-apart Spirit (or: set-apart spirit; sacred attitude; Holy Breath-effect) and (or: even) Fire –
Luke 7:27-28
27 "This man is he concerning whom it has been written: 'Look and consider! I am now sending off My agent (messenger) as an emissary (representative) before Your face (= ahead of Your presence): he who will progressively construct, fully prepare, equip and put in useful order Your road (path; way), in front of You.' [Mal. 3:1]
28 "For truly, I now say to you folks, among the people born of women, no one exists being greater than John [with other MSS: there is not even one prophet more important than John the immerser; or: no one continues being a greater prophet than John the Baptist]. Yet the smaller (= less significant) person within the midst of God's reign (or: in union with the sovereign kingdom of God) exists being greater (= more important) than he.
Luke 18:31
31 Now, taking aside the twelve, He said to them, "Look, and consider this. We are progressively walking up into Jerusalem, and all the things having been written through the prophets for (or: pertaining to) the Son of the Man (= the eschatological messianic figure; = Adam's Son) will progressively be brought to their purposed goal and destiny (or: finished; completed; perfected; made fully functional).