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.

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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

The Temptation of Jesus

Then Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan River. He was led by the Spirit in the wilderness,[a] where he was tempted by the devil for forty days. Jesus ate nothing all that time and became very hungry.

Then the devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become a loaf of bread.”

But Jesus told him, “No! The Scriptures say, ‘People do not live by bread alone.’[b]

Then the devil took him up and revealed to him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. “I will give you the glory of these kingdoms and authority over them,” the devil said, “because they are mine to give to anyone I please. I will give it all to you if you will worship me.”

Jesus replied, “The Scriptures say,

‘You must worship the Lord your God
    and serve only him.’[c]

Then the devil took him to Jerusalem, to the highest point of the Temple, and said, “If you are the Son of God, jump off! 10 For the Scriptures say,

‘He will order his angels to protect and guard you.
11 And they will hold you up with their hands
    so you won’t even hurt your foot on a stone.’[d]

12 Jesus responded, “The Scriptures also say, ‘You must not test the Lord your God.’[e]

13 When the devil had finished tempting Jesus, he left him until the next opportunity came.

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Footnotes

  1. 4:1 Some manuscripts read into the wilderness.
  2. 4:4 Deut 8:3.
  3. 4:8 Deut 6:13.
  4. 4:10-11 Ps 91:11-12.
  5. 4:12 Deut 6:16.