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The Devil Tempts Jesus

Now Jesus, full of [and in perfect communication with] the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness(A) for forty days, being tempted by the devil. And He ate nothing during those days, and when they ended, He was hungry.(B) Then the devil said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, command this stone to turn into bread.” Jesus replied to him, “It is written and forever remains written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone[a].’”(C)

Then he led Jesus up [to a high mountain] and displayed before Him all the kingdoms of the inhabited earth [and their magnificence] in the twinkling of an eye. And the devil said to Him, “I will give You all this realm and its glory [its power, its renown]; because it has been handed over to me, and I give it to whomever I wish. Therefore if You worship before me, it will all be Yours.” Jesus replied to him, “It is written and forever remains written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God and serve only Him.’”(D)

Then he led Jesus to Jerusalem and had Him stand on the pinnacle (highest point) of the temple, and said [mockingly] to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down from here; 10 for it is written and forever remains written,

He will command His angels concerning You to guard and protect You,’

11 and,

they will lift You up on their hands,
So that You do not strike Your foot against a stone.’”(E)

12 Jesus replied to him, “It is said [in Scripture], you shall not tempt the Lord your God [to prove Himself to you].’”(F)

13 When the devil had finished every temptation, he [temporarily] left Him until a more opportune time.

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Footnotes

  1. Luke 4:4 Late mss add “but by every word of God.”

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