He said

(εφη). Common imperfect active (or second aorist active) of φημ, to say, old defective verb.I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness

(Εγω φωνη βοωντος εν τη ερημω). For his answer John quotes Isaiah 40:3. The Synoptics (Mark 1:3; Matthew 3:3; Luke 3:4) quote this language from Isaiah as descriptive of John, but do not say that he also applied it to himself. There is no reason to think that he did not do so. John also refers to Isaiah as the author of the words and also of the message, " Make straight the way of the Lord " (Ευθυνατε την οδον του κυριου). By this language (ευθυνω in N.T. only here and James 3:4, first aorist active imperative here) John identifies himself to the committee as the forerunner of the Messiah. The early writers note the differences between the use of Λογος (Word) for the Messiah and φωνη (Voice) for John.

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Old Testament