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Temptation in the wilderness

Then Jesus was led out into the wilderness by the spirit to be tested by the devil. He fasted for forty days and forty nights, and at the end of it was famished. Then the tempter approached him.

“If you really are God’s son,” he said, “tell these stones to become bread!”

“The Bible says,” replied Jesus, “that it takes more than bread to keep you alive. You actually live on every word that comes out of God’s mouth.”

Then the devil took him off to the holy city, and stood him on a pinnacle of the Temple.

“If you really are God’s son,” he said, “throw yourself down. The Bible does say, after all, that ‘God will give his angels a command about you’; and ‘they will carry you in their hands, so that you won’t hurt your foot against a stone.’ ”

“But the Bible also says,” replied Jesus, “that you mustn’t put the Lord your God to the test!”

Then the devil took him off again, this time to a very high mountain. There he showed him all the magnificent kingdoms of the world.

“I’ll give the whole lot to you,” he said, “if you will fall down and worship me.”

10 “Get out of it, satan!” replied Jesus. “The Bible says, ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him alone!’ ”

11 Then the devil left him, and angels came and looked after him.

Announcing the kingdom

12 When Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he went off to Galilee. 13 He left Nazareth, and went to live at Capernaum, a small town by the sea in the region of Zebulon and Naphtali. 14 This happened so that the word spoken through Isaiah the prophet might come true:

15 The land of Zebulon and the land of Naphtali,
the road by the sea, beyond the Jordan,
Galilee, land of the nations:
16 the people who sat in the dark saw a great light;
light dawned on those who sat in the shadowy land of death.

17 From that time on Jesus began to make his proclamation.

“Repent!” he would say. “The kingdom of heaven is arriving!”

Jesus calls the disciples

18 As Jesus was walking beside the sea of Galilee he saw two brothers, Simon (also called Peter) and Andrew his brother. They were fishermen, and were casting nets into the sea.

19 “Follow me!” said Jesus. “I’ll make you fish for people!”

20 Straight away they abandoned their nets and followed him.

21 He went on further, and saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee and John his brother. They were in the boat, mending their nets, with Zebedee their father. He called them. 22 At once they left the boat, and their father, and followed him.

23 He went on through the whole of Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, healing every disease and every illness among the people.

24 Word about him went out around the whole of Syria. They brought to him all the people tormented with various kinds of diseases and ailments, demon-possessed people, epileptics, and paralytics, and he healed them. 25 Large crowds followed him from Galilee, the Ten Towns, Jerusalem, Judaea and beyond the Jordan.

Jesus Is Tested in the Wilderness(A)

Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted[a](B) by the devil.(C) After fasting forty days and forty nights,(D) he was hungry. The tempter(E) came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God,(F) tell these stones to become bread.”

Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’[b](G)

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

“‘He will command his angels concerning you,
    and they will lift you up in their hands,
    so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’[c](J)

Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’[d](K)

Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.”

10 Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan!(L) For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’[e](M)

11 Then the devil left him,(N) and angels came and attended him.(O)

Jesus Begins to Preach

12 When Jesus heard that John had been put in prison,(P) he withdrew to Galilee.(Q) 13 Leaving Nazareth, he went and lived in Capernaum,(R) which was by the lake in the area of Zebulun and Naphtali— 14 to fulfill(S) what was said through the prophet Isaiah:

15 “Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali,
    the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan,
    Galilee of the Gentiles—
16 the people living in darkness
    have seen a great light;
on those living in the land of the shadow of death
    a light has dawned.”[f](T)

17 From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven(U) has come near.”

Jesus Calls His First Disciples(V)

18 As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee,(W) he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter(X) and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. 19 “Come, follow me,”(Y) Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” 20 At once they left their nets and followed him.(Z)

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

Jesus Heals the Sick

23 Jesus went throughout Galilee,(AC) teaching in their synagogues,(AD) proclaiming the good news(AE) of the kingdom,(AF) and healing every disease and sickness among the people.(AG) 24 News about him spread all over Syria,(AH) and people brought to him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering severe pain, the demon-possessed,(AI) those having seizures,(AJ) and the paralyzed;(AK) and he healed them. 25 Large crowds from Galilee, the Decapolis,[g] Jerusalem, Judea and the region across the Jordan followed him.(AL)

Footnotes

  1. Matthew 4:1 The Greek for tempted can also mean tested.
  2. Matthew 4:4 Deut. 8:3
  3. Matthew 4:6 Psalm 91:11,12
  4. Matthew 4:7 Deut. 6:16
  5. Matthew 4:10 Deut. 6:13
  6. Matthew 4:16 Isaiah 9:1,2
  7. Matthew 4:25 That is, the Ten Cities