The Temptation of Jesus

Then(A) Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.(B) After he had fasted forty days and forty nights,(C) he was hungry. Then the tempter approached him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”(D)

He answered, “It is written: Man must not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.[a](E)

Then the devil took him to the holy city, had him stand on the pinnacle of the temple,(F) and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down. For it is written:

He will give his angels(G) orders concerning you,
and they will support you with their hands
so that you will not strike
your foot against a stone.[b](H)

Jesus told him, “It is also written: Do not test the Lord your God.[c](I)

Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. And he said to him, “I will give you all these things if you will fall down and worship me.”[d]

10 Then Jesus told him, “Go away,[e] Satan! For it is written: Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him.[f](J)

11 Then the devil left him, and angels came and began to serve him.(K)

Ministry in Galilee

12 When he heard that John had been arrested,(L) he withdrew into Galilee.(M) 13 He left Nazareth and went to live in Capernaum(N) by the sea, in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali. 14 This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah:

15 Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali,
along the road by the sea, beyond the Jordan,
Galilee of the Gentiles.
16 The people who live in darkness
have seen a great light,
and for those living in the land of the shadow of death,
a light has dawned.[g][h] (O)

17 From then on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, because the kingdom of heaven(P) has come near.”

The First Disciples

18 As(Q) he was walking along the Sea of Galilee,(R) he saw two brothers, Simon (who is called Peter), and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the sea—for they were fishermen. 19 “Follow me,” he told them, “and I will make you fish for[i] people.” 20 Immediately they left their nets and followed him.

21 Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and his brother John. They were in a boat with Zebedee their father, preparing their nets, and he called them. 22 Immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.

Teaching, Preaching, and Healing

23 Now Jesus began to go all over Galilee,(S) teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing every[j] disease and sickness[k] among the people.(T) 24 Then the news about him spread throughout Syria.(U) So they brought to him all those who were afflicted, those suffering from various diseases and intense pains, the demon-possessed, the epileptics, and the paralytics.(V) And he healed them. 25 Large crowds followed him from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and beyond the Jordan.(W)

Footnotes

  1. 4:4 Dt 8:3
  2. 4:6 Ps 91:11–12
  3. 4:7 Dt 6:16
  4. 4:9 Or and pay me homage
  5. 4:10 Other mss read “Get behind me
  6. 4:10 Dt 6:13
  7. 4:16 Lit dawned on them
  8. 4:15–16 Is 9:1–2
  9. 4:19 Or you fishers of
  10. 4:23 Or every kind of
  11. 4:23 Or physical ailment

The Temptation of Jesus

Then the Spirit led Jesus into the desert to be tempted by the devil. Jesus fasted for forty days and nights. After this, he was very hungry. The devil came to Jesus to tempt him, saying, “If you are the Son of God, tell these rocks to become bread.”

Jesus answered, “It is written in the Scriptures, ‘A person lives not on bread alone, but by everything God says.’”[a]

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

‘He has put his angels in charge of you.
    They will catch you in their hands
so that you will not hit your foot on a rock.’” Psalm 91:11–12

Jesus answered him, “It also says in the Scriptures, ‘Do not test the Lord your God.’”[b]

Then the devil led Jesus to the top of a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and all their splendor. The devil said, “If you will bow down and worship me, I will give you all these things.”

10 Jesus said to the devil, “Go away from me, Satan! It is written in the Scriptures, ‘You must worship the Lord your God and serve only him.’”[c]

11 So the devil left Jesus, and angels came and took care of him.

Jesus Begins Work in Galilee

12 When Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, he went back to Galilee. 13 He left Nazareth and went to live in Capernaum, a town near Lake Galilee, in the area near Zebulun and Naphtali. 14 Jesus did this to bring about what the prophet Isaiah had said:

15 “Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali
    along the sea,
beyond the Jordan River.
    This is Galilee where the non-Jewish people live.
16 These people who live in darkness
    will see a great light.
They live in a place covered with the shadows of death,
    but a light will shine on them.” Isaiah 9:1–2

Jesus Chooses Some Followers

17 From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Change your hearts and lives, because the kingdom of heaven is near.”

18 As Jesus was walking by Lake Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon (called Peter) and his brother Andrew. They were throwing a net into the lake because they were fishermen. 19 Jesus said, “Come follow me, and I will make you fish for people.” 20 So Simon and Andrew immediately left their nets and followed him.

21 As Jesus continued walking by Lake Galilee, he saw two other brothers, James and John, the sons of Zebedee. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets. Jesus told them to come with him. 22 Immediately they left the boat and their father, and they followed Jesus.

Jesus Teaches and Heals People

23 Jesus went everywhere in Galilee, teaching in the synagogues, preaching the Good News about the kingdom of heaven, and healing all the people’s diseases and sicknesses. 24 The news about Jesus spread all over Syria, and people brought all the sick to him. They were suffering from different kinds of diseases. Some were in great pain, some had demons, some were epileptics,[d] and some were paralyzed. Jesus healed all of them. 25 Many people from Galilee, the Ten Towns,[e] Jerusalem, Judea, and the land across the Jordan River followed him.

Footnotes

  1. 4:4 ‘A person . . . says.’ Quotation from Deuteronomy 8:3.
  2. 4:7 ‘Do . . . God.’ Quotation from Deuteronomy 6:16.
  3. 4:10 ‘You . . . him.’ Quotation from Deuteronomy 6:13.
  4. 4:24 epileptics People with a disease that causes them sometimes to lose control of their bodies and maybe faint, shake strongly, or not be able to move.
  5. 4:25 Ten Towns In Greek, called “Decapolis.” It was an area east of Lake Galilee that once had ten main towns.