The Temptation of Jesus

Then Jesus(A) left the Jordan,(B) full of the Holy Spirit,(C) and was led by the Spirit(D) in the wilderness for forty days(E) to be tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and when they were over, he was hungry. The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread.”

But Jesus answered him, “It is written: Man must not live on bread alone.[a][b](F)

So he took him up[c] and showed him all the kingdoms of the world(G) in a moment of time. The devil said to him, “I will give you their splendor and all this authority, because it has been given over to me,(H) and I can give it to anyone I want. If you, then, will worship me,[d] all will be yours.”

And Jesus answered him,[e] “It is written: Worship the Lord your God, and serve[f] him only.(I)

So he took him to Jerusalem, had him stand on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here. 10 For it is written:

He will give his angels orders concerning you,
to protect you,[g](J) 11 and
they will support you with their hands,
so that you will not strike
your foot against a stone.[h](K)

12 And Jesus answered him, “It is said: Do not test the Lord your God.[i](L)

13 After the devil had finished every temptation, he departed from him for a time.

Ministry in Galilee

14 Then Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit,(M) and news about him spread throughout the entire vicinity.(N) 15 He was teaching in their synagogues,(O) being praised[j] by everyone.

Rejection at Nazareth

16 He came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up.(P) As usual, he entered the synagogue on the Sabbath day(Q) and stood up to read.(R) 17 The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him, and unrolling the scroll, he found the place where it was written:

18 The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
because he has anointed me
to preach good news to the poor.
He has sent me[k]
to proclaim release[l] to the captives
and recovery of sight to the blind,
to set free the oppressed,
19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.[m](S)

20 He then rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down.(T) And the eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fixed on him. 21 He began by saying to them, “Today as you listen, this Scripture has been fulfilled.”(U)

22 They were all speaking well of him[n] and were amazed by the gracious words that came from his mouth; yet they said, “Isn’t this Joseph’s son?” (V)

23 Then he said to them, “No doubt you will quote this proverb[o] to me: ‘Doctor, heal yourself. What we’ve heard that took place in Capernaum,(W) do here in your hometown also.’”

24 He also said, “Truly I tell you, no prophet is accepted in his hometown.(X) 25 But I say to you, there were certainly many widows in Israel in Elijah’s days,(Y) when the sky was shut up for three years and six months while a great famine came over all the land. 26 Yet Elijah was not sent to any of them except a widow at Zarephath in Sidon.(Z) 27 And in the prophet Elisha’s time, there were many in Israel who had leprosy,[p] and yet not one of them was cleansed except Naaman the Syrian.”(AA)

28 When they heard this, everyone in the synagogue was enraged. 29 They got up, drove him out of town,(AB) and brought him to the edge of the hill that their town was built on, intending to hurl him over the cliff. 30 But he passed right through the crowd and went on his way.(AC)

Driving Out an Unclean Spirit

31 Then he went down to Capernaum,(AD) a town in Galilee, and was teaching them on the Sabbath. 32 They were astonished at his teaching because his message had authority.(AE) 33 In the synagogue there was a man with an unclean demonic spirit who cried out with a loud voice,(AF) 34 “Leave us alone! What do you have to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!” (AG)

35 But Jesus rebuked him(AH) and said, “Be silent and come out of him!”(AI) And throwing him down before them, the demon came out of him without hurting him at all.

36 Amazement came over them all, and they were saying to one another, “What is this message? For he commands the unclean spirits with authority and power, and they come out!” 37 And news about him began to go out to every place in the vicinity.

Healings at Capernaum

38 After he left the synagogue, he entered Simon’s house.(AJ) Simon’s mother-in-law was suffering from a high fever, and they asked him about her.(AK) 39 So he stood over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her. She got up immediately(AL) and began to serve them.

40 When the sun was setting, all those who had anyone sick with various diseases brought them to him. As he laid his hands on each one of them, he healed them.(AM) 41 Also, demons were coming out of many, shouting and saying, “You are the Son of God!” (AN) But he rebuked them and would not allow them to speak, because they knew he was the Messiah.(AO)

42 When it was day, he went out and made his way to a deserted place.(AP) But the crowds were searching for him. They came to him and tried to keep him from leaving them. 43 But he said to them, “It is necessary for me to proclaim the good news about the kingdom of God to the other towns also, because I was sent for this purpose.” 44 And he was preaching in the synagogues of Judea.[q](AQ)

Footnotes

  1. 4:4 Other mss add but on every word of God
  2. 4:4 Dt 8:3
  3. 4:5 Other mss read So the devil took him up on a high mountain
  4. 4:7 Lit will fall down before me
  5. 4:8 Other mss add “Get behind me, Satan!
  6. 4:8 Dt 6:13
  7. 4:10 Ps 91:11
  8. 4:11 Ps 91:12
  9. 4:12 Dt 6:16
  10. 4:15 Or glorified
  11. 4:18 Other mss add to heal the brokenhearted,
  12. 4:18 Or freedom, or forgiveness
  13. 4:18–19 Is 61:1–2
  14. 4:22 Or They were testifying against him
  15. 4:23 Or parable
  16. 4:27 Gk lepros; a term for various skin diseases; see Lv 13–14
  17. 4:44 Other mss read Galilee

And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness,

Being forty days tempted of the devil. And in those days he did eat nothing: and when they were ended, he afterward hungered.

And the devil said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, command this stone that it be made bread.

And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.

And the devil, taking him up into an high mountain, shewed unto him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time.

And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it.

If thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be thine.

And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.

And he brought him to Jerusalem, and set him on a pinnacle of the temple, and said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down from hence:

10 For it is written, He shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee:

11 And in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.

12 And Jesus answering said unto him, It is said, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.

13 And when the devil had ended all the temptation, he departed from him for a season.

14 And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee: and there went out a fame of him through all the region round about.

15 And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified of all.

16 And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read.

17 And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written,

18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,

19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.

20 And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him.

21 And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.

22 And all bare him witness, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth. And they said, Is not this Joseph's son?

23 And he said unto them, Ye will surely say unto me this proverb, Physician, heal thyself: whatsoever we have heard done in Capernaum, do also here in thy country.

24 And he said, Verily I say unto you, No prophet is accepted in his own country.

25 But I tell you of a truth, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elias, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when great famine was throughout all the land;

26 But unto none of them was Elias sent, save unto Sarepta, a city of Sidon, unto a woman that was a widow.

27 And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Eliseus the prophet; and none of them was cleansed, saving Naaman the Syrian.

28 And all they in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath,

29 And rose up, and thrust him out of the city, and led him unto the brow of the hill whereon their city was built, that they might cast him down headlong.

30 But he passing through the midst of them went his way,

31 And came down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, and taught them on the sabbath days.

32 And they were astonished at his doctrine: for his word was with power.

33 And in the synagogue there was a man, which had a spirit of an unclean devil, and cried out with a loud voice,

34 Saying, Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art; the Holy One of God.

35 And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace, and come out of him. And when the devil had thrown him in the midst, he came out of him, and hurt him not.

36 And they were all amazed, and spake among themselves, saying, What a word is this! for with authority and power he commandeth the unclean spirits, and they come out.

37 And the fame of him went out into every place of the country round about.

38 And he arose out of the synagogue, and entered into Simon's house. And Simon's wife's mother was taken with a great fever; and they besought him for her.

39 And he stood over her, and rebuked the fever; and it left her: and immediately she arose and ministered unto them.

40 Now when the sun was setting, all they that had any sick with divers diseases brought them unto him; and he laid his hands on every one of them, and healed them.

41 And devils also came out of many, crying out, and saying, Thou art Christ the Son of God. And he rebuking them suffered them not to speak: for they knew that he was Christ.

42 And when it was day, he departed and went into a desert place: and the people sought him, and came unto him, and stayed him, that he should not depart from them.

43 And he said unto them, I must preach the kingdom of God to other cities also: for therefore am I sent.

44 And he preached in the synagogues of Galilee.

Jesus Is Tempted by the Devil

Jesus, filled with the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan River. The Spirit led Jesus into the desert where the devil tempted Jesus for forty days. Jesus ate nothing during that time, and when those days were ended, he was very hungry.

The devil said to Jesus, “If you are the Son of God, tell this rock to become bread.”

Jesus answered, “It is written in the Scriptures: ‘A person does not live on bread alone.’”[a]

Then the devil took Jesus and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in an instant. The devil said to Jesus, “I will give you all these kingdoms and all their power and glory. It has all been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I wish. If you worship me, then it will all be yours.”

Jesus answered, “It is written in the Scriptures: ‘You must worship the Lord your God and serve only him.’”[b]

Then the devil led Jesus to Jerusalem and put him on a high place of the Temple. He said to Jesus, “If you are the Son of God, jump down. 10 It is written in the Scriptures:

‘He has put his angels in charge of you
    to watch over you.’ Psalm 91:11

11 It is also written:

‘They will catch you in their hands
    so that you will not hit your foot on a rock.’” Psalm 91:12

12 Jesus answered, “But it also says in the Scriptures: ‘Do not test the Lord your God.’”[c]

13 After the devil had tempted Jesus in every way, he left him to wait until a better time.

Jesus Teaches the People

14 Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Holy Spirit, and stories about him spread all through the area. 15 He began to teach in their synagogues, and everyone praised him.

16 Jesus traveled to Nazareth, where he had grown up. On the Sabbath day he went to the synagogue, as he always did, and stood up to read. 17 The book of Isaiah the prophet was given to him. He opened the book and found the place where this is written:

18 “The Lord has put his Spirit in me,
    because he appointed me to tell the Good News to the poor.
He has sent me to tell the captives they are free
    and to tell the blind that they can see again. Isaiah 61:1
God sent me to free those who have been treated unfairly Isaiah 58:6
19  and to announce the time when the Lord will show his kindness.” Isaiah 61:2

20 Jesus closed the book, gave it back to the assistant, and sat down. Everyone in the synagogue was watching Jesus closely. 21 He began to say to them, “While you heard these words just now, they were coming true!”

22 All the people spoke well of Jesus and were amazed at the words of grace he spoke. They asked, “Isn’t this Joseph’s son?”

23 Jesus said to them, “I know that you will tell me the old saying: ‘Doctor, heal yourself.’ You want to say, ‘We heard about the things you did in Capernaum. Do those things here in your own town!’” 24 Then Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, a prophet is not accepted in his hometown. 25 But I tell you the truth, there were many widows in Israel during the time of Elijah. It did not rain in Israel for three and one-half years, and there was no food anywhere in the whole country. 26 But Elijah was sent to none of those widows, only to a widow in Zarephath, a town in Sidon. 27 And there were many with skin diseases living in Israel during the time of the prophet Elisha. But none of them were healed, only Naaman, who was from the country of Syria.”

28 When all the people in the synagogue heard these things, they became very angry. 29 They got up, forced Jesus out of town, and took him to the edge of the cliff on which the town was built. They planned to throw him off the edge, 30 but Jesus walked through the crowd and went on his way.

Jesus Forces Out an Evil Spirit

31 Jesus went to Capernaum, a city in Galilee, and on the Sabbath day, he taught the people. 32 They were amazed at his teaching, because he spoke with authority. 33 In the synagogue a man who had within him an evil spirit shouted in a loud voice, 34 “Jesus of Nazareth! What do you want with us? Did you come to destroy us? I know who you are—God’s Holy One!”

35 Jesus commanded the evil spirit, “Be quiet! Come out of the man!” The evil spirit threw the man down to the ground before all the people and then left the man without hurting him.

36 The people were amazed and said to each other, “What does this mean? With authority and power he commands evil spirits, and they come out.” 37 And so the news about Jesus spread to every place in the whole area.

Jesus Heals Many People

38 Jesus left the synagogue and went to the home of Simon.[d] Simon’s mother-in-law was sick with a high fever, and they asked Jesus to help her. 39 He came to her side and commanded the fever to leave. It left her, and immediately she got up and began serving them.

40 When the sun went down, the people brought those who were sick to Jesus. Putting his hands on each sick person, he healed every one of them. 41 Demons came out of many people, shouting, “You are the Son of God.” But Jesus commanded the demons and would not allow them to speak, because they knew Jesus was the Christ.

42 At daybreak, Jesus went to a lonely place, but the people looked for him. When they found him, they tried to keep him from leaving. 43 But Jesus said to them, “I must preach about God’s kingdom to other towns, too. This is why I was sent.”

44 Then he kept on preaching in the synagogues of Judea.[e]

Footnotes

  1. 4:4 ‘A person . . . alone.’ Quotation from Deuteronomy 8:3.
  2. 4:8 ‘You . . . him.’ Quotation from Deuteronomy 6:13.
  3. 4:12 ‘Do . . . God.’ Quotation from Deuteronomy 6:16.
  4. 4:38 Simon Simon’s other name was Peter.
  5. 4:44 Judea Some Greek copies read “Galilee.”