Jesus Is Tested in the Wilderness(A)

Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted[a](B) by the devil.(C) After fasting forty days and forty nights,(D) he was hungry. The tempter(E) came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God,(F) tell these stones to become bread.”

Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’[b](G)

Then the devil took him to the holy city(H) and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. “If you are the Son of God,”(I) he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written:

“‘He will command his angels concerning you,
    and they will lift you up in their hands,
    so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’[c](J)

Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’[d](K)

Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.”

10 Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan!(L) For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’[e](M)

11 Then the devil left him,(N) and angels came and attended him.(O)

Jesus Begins to Preach

12 When Jesus heard that John had been put in prison,(P) he withdrew to Galilee.(Q) 13 Leaving Nazareth, he went and lived in Capernaum,(R) which was by the lake in the area of Zebulun and Naphtali— 14 to fulfill(S) what was said through the prophet Isaiah:

15 “Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali,
    the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan,
    Galilee of the Gentiles—
16 the people living in darkness
    have seen a great light;
on those living in the land of the shadow of death
    a light has dawned.”[f](T)

17 From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven(U) has come near.”

Jesus Calls His First Disciples(V)

18 As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee,(W) he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter(X) and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. 19 “Come, follow me,”(Y) Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” 20 At once they left their nets and followed him.(Z)

21 Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John.(AA) They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them, 22 and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.(AB)

Jesus Heals the Sick

23 Jesus went throughout Galilee,(AC) teaching in their synagogues,(AD) proclaiming the good news(AE) of the kingdom,(AF) and healing every disease and sickness among the people.(AG) 24 News about him spread all over Syria,(AH) and people brought to him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering severe pain, the demon-possessed,(AI) those having seizures,(AJ) and the paralyzed;(AK) and he healed them. 25 Large crowds from Galilee, the Decapolis,[g] Jerusalem, Judea and the region across the Jordan followed him.(AL)

Footnotes

  1. Matthew 4:1 The Greek for tempted can also mean tested.
  2. Matthew 4:4 Deut. 8:3
  3. Matthew 4:6 Psalm 91:11,12
  4. Matthew 4:7 Deut. 6:16
  5. Matthew 4:10 Deut. 6:13
  6. Matthew 4:16 Isaiah 9:1,2
  7. Matthew 4:25 That is, the Ten Cities

The Temptation of Jesus(A)

Then the Spirit led Jesus [L up; out] into the ·desert [wilderness] to be tempted [or tested] by the devil. Jesus fasted for forty days and nights [C analogous to Israel’s forty years in the desert]. After this, he was ·very hungry [famished]. The ·devil came to Jesus to tempt him [L tempter/tester came to Jesus], saying, “If you are the Son of God, ·tell [command] these rocks to ·become bread [turn into loaves].”

Jesus answered, “It is written in the Scriptures, ‘A person lives not on bread alone, but by ·everything God says [L every word that comes out of God’s mouth; Deut. 8:3].’”

Then the devil ·led [took] Jesus to the holy city [C Jerusalem] and put him on ·a high place [the highest point; the pinnacle] of the Temple. The devil said, “If you are the Son of God, ·jump [L throw yourself] down, because it is written in the Scriptures:

‘He ·has put his angels in charge of you [or will order his angels to protect you; L will command his angel concerning you].
    They will ·catch you in [lift you up with] their hands
so that you will not hit your foot on a rock [Ps. 91:11–12].’”

Jesus answered him, “It also says in the Scriptures, ‘Do not test the Lord your God [Deut. 6:16].’”

·Then [Again] the devil took Jesus to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and all their ·splendor [glory]. The devil said, “If you will ·bow [fall] down and worship me, I will give you all these things.”

10 Jesus said to him, “·Go away from me [Get out of here; Be gone], Satan! [L For] It is written in the Scriptures, ‘You must worship the Lord your God and serve only him [Deut. 6:13].’”

11 So the devil left Jesus, and angels came and ·took care of [served; ministered to] him.

Jesus Begins Work in Galilee(B)

12 When Jesus heard that John had been ·put in prison [arrested], he ·went back [withdrew] to Galilee. 13 He left Nazareth and went to live in Capernaum, ·a town near Lake Galilee [L by the sea], in the ·area near [region of] Zebulun and Naphtali [C two northern tribes of Israel]. 14 Jesus did this to ·bring about [fulfill] what the prophet Isaiah had said:

15 “Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali
    ·along [on the road by; L the way of] the sea,
beyond the Jordan River.
    ·This is Galilee where the Gentiles live [L Galilee of the Gentiles/nations].
16 These people who ·live [dwell; sit] in darkness
    ·will see [L have seen] a great light.
And on those ·living [dwelling; sitting] in ·a place covered with the shadows of death [a land overshadowed by death; L a/the region and shadow of death],
    a light ·will shine [L has dawned] on them [Is. 9:1–2].”

Jesus Chooses Some Followers(C)

17 From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “·Change your hearts and lives [Repent], because the kingdom of heaven is ·near [at hand].”

18 As Jesus was walking by ·Lake Galilee [T the Sea of Galilee], he saw two brothers, Simon (called Peter) and his brother Andrew. They were ·throwing [casting] a net into the lake because they were fishermen. 19 Jesus said, “Come ·follow me [be my disciples], and I will ·make you [teach you how to] ·fish for people [T fishers of men].” 20 So Simon and Andrew immediately left their nets and followed him.

21 As Jesus ·continued walking by Lake Galilee [went on from there], he saw two other brothers, ·James and John, the sons of Zebedee [L James the son of Zebedee, and his brother John]. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, ·mending [or preparing] their nets. Jesus ·told them to come with him [called them]. 22 Immediately they left the boat and their father, and they followed Jesus.

Jesus Teaches and Heals People(D)

23 Jesus went everywhere in Galilee, teaching in the synagogues, preaching the ·Good News about [Gospel of] the kingdom, and healing ·all [or every kind of] the people’s diseases and sicknesses. 24 The ·news [fame] about Jesus spread ·all over [or as far as] Syria, and people brought all the sick to him. They were suffering from different kinds of diseases. Some were in great pain, some ·had demons [were demon-possessed], some were epileptics, and some were paralyzed. Jesus healed all of them. 25 ·Many people [Great crowds] from Galilee, the ·Ten Towns [L Decapolis; C the area east of Lake Galilee that once had ten main towns], Jerusalem, Judea, and ·the land across [beyond] the Jordan River followed him.

The Testing of Jesus

Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tested by the devil. He fasted forty days and forty nights, and afterward he was famished.(A) The tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.”(B) But he answered, “It is written,

‘One does not live by bread alone,
    but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ ”(C)

Then the devil took him to the holy city and placed him on the pinnacle of the temple,(D) saying to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written,

‘He will command his angels concerning you,’
    and ‘On their hands they will bear you up,
so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.’ ”(E)

Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’ ”(F)

Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory, and he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.” 10 Then Jesus said to him, “Away with you, Satan! for it is written,

‘Worship the Lord your God,
    and serve only him.’ ”(G)

11 Then the devil left him, and suddenly angels came and waited on him.(H)

Jesus Begins His Ministry in Galilee

12 Now when Jesus[a] heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew to Galilee. 13 He left Nazareth and made his home in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, 14 so that what had been spoken through the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled:

15 “Land of Zebulun, land of Naphtali,
    on the road by the sea, across the Jordan, Galilee of the gentiles—(I)
16 the people who sat in darkness
    have seen a great light,
and for those who sat in the region and shadow of death
    light has dawned.”(J)

17 From that time Jesus began to proclaim, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”[b](K)

Jesus Calls the First Disciples

18 As he walked by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea—for they were fishers.(L) 19 And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of people.” 20 Immediately they left their nets and followed him.(M) 21 As he went from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John, in the boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets, and he called them. 22 Immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.

Jesus Ministers to Crowds of People

23 Jesus[c] went throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the good news[d] of the kingdom and curing every disease and every sickness among the people.(N) 24 So his fame spread throughout all Syria, and they brought to him all the sick, those who were afflicted with various diseases and pains, people possessed by demons or having epilepsy or afflicted with paralysis, and he cured them.(O) 25 And great crowds followed him from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and from beyond the Jordan.(P)

Footnotes

  1. 4.12 Gk he
  2. 4.17 Or is at hand
  3. 4.23 Gk He
  4. 4.23 Gk gospel