Matthew 4
Expanded Bible
The Temptation of Jesus(A)
4 Then the Spirit led Jesus [L up; out] into the ·desert [wilderness] to be tempted [or tested] by the devil. 2 Jesus fasted for forty days and nights [C analogous to Israel’s forty years in the desert]. After this, he was ·very hungry [famished]. 3 The ·devil came to Jesus to tempt him [L tempter/tester came to Jesus], saying, “If you are the Son of God, ·tell [command] these rocks to ·become bread [turn into loaves].”
4 Jesus answered, “It is written in the Scriptures, ‘A person lives not on bread alone, but by ·everything God says [L every word that comes out of God’s mouth; Deut. 8:3].’”
5 Then the devil ·led [took] Jesus to the holy city [C Jerusalem] and put him on ·a high place [the highest point; the pinnacle] of the Temple. 6 The devil said, “If you are the Son of God, ·jump [L throw yourself] down, because it is written in the Scriptures:
‘He ·has put his angels in charge of you [or will order his angels to protect you; L will command his angel concerning you].
They will ·catch you in [lift you up with] their hands
so that you will not hit your foot on a rock [Ps. 91:11–12].’”
7 Jesus answered him, “It also says in the Scriptures, ‘Do not test the Lord your God [Deut. 6:16].’”
8 ·Then [Again] the devil took Jesus to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and all their ·splendor [glory]. 9 The devil said, “If you will ·bow [fall] down and worship me, I will give you all these things.”
10 Jesus said to him, “·Go away from me [Get out of here; Be gone], Satan! [L For] It is written in the Scriptures, ‘You must worship the Lord your God and serve only him [Deut. 6:13].’”
11 So the devil left Jesus, and angels came and ·took care of [served; ministered to] him.
Jesus Begins Work in Galilee(B)
12 When Jesus heard that John had been ·put in prison [arrested], he ·went back [withdrew] to Galilee. 13 He left Nazareth and went to live in Capernaum, ·a town near Lake Galilee [L by the sea], in the ·area near [region of] Zebulun and Naphtali [C two northern tribes of Israel]. 14 Jesus did this to ·bring about [fulfill] what the prophet Isaiah had said:
15 “Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali
·along [on the road by; L the way of] the sea,
beyond the Jordan River.
·This is Galilee where the Gentiles live [L Galilee of the Gentiles/nations].
16 These people who ·live [dwell; sit] in darkness
·will see [L have seen] a great light.
And on those ·living [dwelling; sitting] in ·a place covered with the shadows of death [a land overshadowed by death; L a/the region and shadow of death],
a light ·will shine [L has dawned] on them [Is. 9:1–2].”
Jesus Chooses Some Followers(C)
17 From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “·Change your hearts and lives [Repent], because the kingdom of heaven is ·near [at hand].”
18 As Jesus was walking by ·Lake Galilee [T the Sea of Galilee], he saw two brothers, Simon (called Peter) and his brother Andrew. They were ·throwing [casting] a net into the lake because they were fishermen. 19 Jesus said, “Come ·follow me [be my disciples], and I will ·make you [teach you how to] ·fish for people [T fishers of men].” 20 So Simon and Andrew immediately left their nets and followed him.
21 As Jesus ·continued walking by Lake Galilee [went on from there], he saw two other brothers, ·James and John, the sons of Zebedee [L James the son of Zebedee, and his brother John]. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, ·mending [or preparing] their nets. Jesus ·told them to come with him [called them]. 22 Immediately they left the boat and their father, and they followed Jesus.
Jesus Teaches and Heals People(D)
23 Jesus went everywhere in Galilee, teaching in the synagogues, preaching the ·Good News about [Gospel of] the kingdom, and healing ·all [or every kind of] the people’s diseases and sicknesses. 24 The ·news [fame] about Jesus spread ·all over [or as far as] 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 [were demon-possessed], some were epileptics, and some were paralyzed. Jesus healed all of them. 25 ·Many people [Great crowds] from Galilee, the ·Ten Towns [L Decapolis; C the area east of Lake Galilee that once had ten main towns], Jerusalem, Judea, and ·the land across [beyond] the Jordan River followed him.
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