Matthew 4:1-5:20

New International Version

Jesus Is Tested in the Wilderness^(A)

4 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted^[a]^(B) by the devil.^(C) ²After fasting forty days and forty nights,^(D) he was hungry. ³The tempter^(E) came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God,^(F) tell these stones to become bread.”

⁴Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’^[b]”^(G)

⁵Then the devil took him to the holy city^(H) and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. ⁶“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)

⁷Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’^[d]”^(K)

⁸Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. ⁹“All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.”

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

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

Jesus Begins to Preach

¹²When Jesus heard that John had been put in prison,^(P) he withdrew to Galilee.^(Q) ¹³Leaving Nazareth, he went and lived in Capernaum,^(R) which was by the lake in the area of Zebulun and Naphtali— ¹⁴to 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—
¹⁶the 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)

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

Jesus Calls His First Disciples^(V)

¹⁸As 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.” ²⁰At once they left their nets and followed him.^(Z)

²¹Going 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, ²²and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.^(AB)

Jesus Heals the Sick

²³Jesus 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) ²⁴News 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. ²⁵Large crowds from Galilee, the Decapolis,^[g] Jerusalem, Judea and the region across the Jordan followed him.^(AL)

Introduction to the Sermon on the Mount

5 Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, ²and he began to teach them.

The Beatitudes^(AM)

He said:

³“Blessed are the poor in spirit,
    for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.^(AN)
⁴Blessed are those who mourn,
    for they will be comforted.^(AO)
⁵Blessed are the meek,
    for they will inherit the earth.^(AP)
⁶Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
    for they will be filled.^(AQ)
⁷Blessed are the merciful,
    for they will be shown mercy.^(AR)
⁸Blessed are the pure in heart,^(AS)
    for they will see God.^(AT)
⁹Blessed are the peacemakers,^(AU)
    for they will be called children of God.^(AV)
¹⁰Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,^(AW)
    for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.^(AX)

¹¹“Blessed are you when people insult you,^(AY) persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.^(AZ) ¹²Rejoice and be glad,^(BA) because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.^(BB)

Salt and Light

¹³“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.^(BC)

¹⁴“You are the light of the world.^(BD) A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. ¹⁵Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.^(BE) ¹⁶In the same way, let your light shine before others,^(BF) that they may see your good deeds^(BG) and glorify^(BH) your Father in heaven.

The Fulfillment of the Law

¹⁷“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.^(BI) ¹⁸For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.^(BJ) ¹⁹Therefore anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands^(BK) and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. ²⁰For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.^(BL)