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The voice of one crying in the wilderness

A phrase used in the Gospels to refer to John the Baptist. It is quoted from the Book of Isaiah; the full text reads: “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare ye the way of the Lord, Make his paths straight.” The quotation is used to imply that John was preparing the way for Jesus, as foretold by the prophecy of Isaiah.

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The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.