The Temptation of Jesus

(A)Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness (B)to be tempted by the devil. And after He had (C)fasted for forty days and forty nights, He [a]then became hungry. And (D)the tempter came and said to Him, “If You are the (E)Son of God, command that these stones become bread.” But He answered and said, “It is written: ‘(F)Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes out of the mouth of God.’”

Then the devil *took Him along into (G)the holy city and had Him stand on the pinnacle of the temple, and he *said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down; for it is written:

(H)He will give His angels orders concerning You’;

and

On their hands they will lift You up,
So that You do not strike Your foot against a stone.’”

Jesus said to him, [b]On the other hand, it is written: ‘(I)You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’”

(J)Again, the devil *took Him along to a very high mountain and *showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory; and he said to Him, “(K)All these things I will give You, if You fall down and [c]worship me.” 10 Then Jesus *said to him, “Go away, Satan! For it is written: ‘(L)You shall worship the Lord your God, and [d]serve Him only.’” 11 Then the devil *left Him; and behold, (M)angels came and began to serve Him.

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Footnotes

  1. Matthew 4:2 Or later became; or afterward became
  2. Matthew 4:7 Or Again
  3. Matthew 4:9 Lit prostrate Yourself to
  4. Matthew 4:10 Or fulfill religious duty to Him

Jesus faces temptation alone in the desert

1-2 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit up into the desert, to be tempted by the devil. After a fast of forty days and nights he was very hungry.

“If you really are the Son of God,” said the tempter, coming to him, “tell these stones to turn into loaves.”

Jesus answered, “The scripture says ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God’.”

5-6 Then the devil took him to the holy city, and set him on the highest ledge of the Temple. “If you really are the Son of God,” he said, “Throw yourself down. For the scripture says—‘He shall give his angels charge concerning you,’ and ‘In their hands they shall bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone’.”

“Yes,” retorted Jesus, “and the scripture also says ‘You shall not tempt the Lord your God’.”

8-9 Once again the devil took him to a very high mountain, and from there showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their magnificence. “Everything there I will give you,” he said to him, “if you will fall down and worship me.”

10 “Away with you, Satan!” replied Jesus, “the scripture says, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only you shall serve’.”

11 Then the devil let him alone, and the angels came to him and took care of him.

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