Matthew 4:1-11

Matthew 3 Matthew 5

Matthew 4:1-11 Contemporary English Version (CEV)

Jesus and the Devil

4 The Holy Spirit led Jesus into the desert, so that the devil could test him. ²After Jesus had gone without eating^[a] for forty 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.”

⁴Jesus answered, “The Scriptures say:

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

⁵Next, the devil took Jesus to the holy city and had him stand on the highest part of the temple. ⁶The 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.’”

⁷Jesus 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.”

¹⁰Jesus 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.

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.

Contemporary English Version (CEV)