Matthew 4:1-11

Contemporary English Version

Jesus and the Devil

(Mark 1.12,13; Luke 4.1-13)

4 ^(A) The Holy Spirit led Jesus into the desert, so that the devil could test him. ²After Jesus had gone without eating^[a] for 40 days and nights, he was very hungry. ³Then the devil came to him and said, “If you are God's Son, tell these stones to turn into bread.”

⁴^(B) Jesus answered, “The Scriptures say:

‘No one can live only on food.
People need every word
that God has spoken.’ ”

⁵Next, the devil took Jesus into the holy city to the highest part of the temple. ⁶^(C) The devil said, “If you are God's Son, jump off. The Scriptures say:

‘God will give his angels
    orders about you.
They will catch you
    in their arms,
and you won't hurt
    your feet on the stones.’ ”

⁷^(D) Jesus answered, “The Scriptures also say, ‘Don't try to test the Lord your God!’ ”

⁸Finally, the devil took Jesus up on a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms on earth and their power. ⁹The devil said to him, “I will give all this to you, if you will bow down and worship me.”

¹⁰^(E) Jesus answered, “Go away Satan! The Scriptures say:

‘Worship the Lord your God
and serve only him.’ ”

¹¹Then the devil left Jesus, and angels came to help him.

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Footnotes

4.2 without eating: The Jewish people sometimes went without eating (also called “fasting”) to show their love for God or to show sorrow for their sins.