Isa 57:14, 62:10, Mal 4:6, Luk 1:16-17, 76-79, Joh 1:7, 26-36, 3:28-36 | ESV | STEP | And it shall be said , Build up , build up , prepare the way , remove every obstruction from my people’s way .

10 Go through, go through the gates;
^bprepare the way for the people;
^cbuild up, build up the highway;
clear it of stones;
^dlift up a signal over the peoples.

Malachi 4:6

6 And he will ^eturn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers, lest I come and ^fstrike the land with a decree of utter destruction.” ^{▼▼The Hebrew term rendered decree of utter destruction refers to things devoted (or set apart) to the Lord (or by the Lord) for destruction}

Luke 1:16-17

16 And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God, 17 and ^hhe will go before him ⁱin the spirit and power of Elijah, ^jto turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and ^kthe disobedient to the wisdom of the just, ^lto make ready for the Lord a people prepared.”

Luke 1:76-79

76 And you, child, will be called ^mthe prophet of ⁿthe Most High;
for ^oyou will go before the Lord to prepare his ways,
77 to give knowledge of salvation to his people
^pin the forgiveness of their sins,
78 because of the ^qtender mercy of our God,
whereby ^rthe sunrise shall ^svisit us ^{▼▼Or when the sunrise shall dawn upon us; some manuscripts since the sunrise has visited us} ^ufrom on high
79 to ^vgive light to ^wthose who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,
to guide our feet into ^xthe way of ^ypeace.”

John 1:7

7 He came as a ^zwitness, to bear witness about the light, ^aathat all might believe through him.

John 1:26-36

26 John answered them, ^ab“I baptize with water, but among you stands one you do not know, 27 even ^ache who comes after me, the strap of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.” 28 These things took place in Bethany across the Jordan, where John was baptizing.

Behold, the Lamb of God

29 The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, ^adthe Lamb of God, who ^aetakes away the sin ^afof the world! 30 This is he of whom I said, ^ag‘After me comes a man who ranks before me, because he was before me.’ 31 I myself did not know him, but ^ahfor this purpose I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel.” 32 And John ^aibore witness: ^aj“I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and ^akit remained on him. 33 I myself did not know him, but ^alhe who sent me to baptize ^amwith water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, ^anthis is he who baptizes ^aowith the Holy Spirit.’ 34 And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God.”

Jesus Calls the First Disciples

35 The next day again John was standing with two of his disciples, 36 and he looked at Jesus as he walked by and said, “Behold, ^apthe Lamb of God!”

John 3:28-36

28 You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, ^aq‘I am not the Christ, but ^arI have been sent before him.’ 29 ^asThe one who has the bride is the bridegroom. ^atThe friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, ^aurejoices greatly at the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore this joy of mine is now complete. 30 ^avHe must increase, but I must decrease.” ^{▼▼Some interpreters hold that the quotation continues through verse 36}

31 ^axHe who comes from above ^ayis above all. He who is of the earth belongs to the earth and ^azspeaks in an earthly way. ^baHe who comes from heaven ^bbis above all. 32 ^bcHe bears witness to what he has seen and heard, ^bdyet no one receives his testimony. 33 Whoever receives his testimony ^besets his seal to this, ^bfthat God is true. 34 For he whom ^bgGod has sent utters the words of God, for he gives the Spirit ^bhwithout measure. 35 ^biThe Father loves the Son and ^bjhas given all things into his hand. 36 ^bkWhoever believes in the Son has eternal life; ^blwhoever does not obey the Son shall not ^bmsee life, but the wrath of God remains on him.