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Then the Spirit led Jesus into the desert. The devil tried to make Jesus do wrong.

Jesus did not eat anything for forty days and forty nights. Then he was very hungry.

The one who tries to make people do wrong came and said to him, `If you are God's Son, tell these stones to be changed into bread.'

But Jesus answered him, `The holy writings say, "Man cannot live on bread only. He needs to live by every word that God says." '

Then the devil took Jesus to the holy city. He put him on a high part of the temple.

The devil said to him, `If you are God's Son, jump down. The holy writings say, "God will tell his angels to take care of you. They will hold you up in their hands so that you will not knock your foot on a stone." '

Jesus answered him, `The holy writings say, "You must not test the Lord your God." '

The devil took Jesus to a very high hill. He showed him all the countries of the world and how great they were.

He said to Jesus, `I will give you all these if you kneel down and worship me.'

10 But Jesus answered him, `Get away, Satan. The holy writings say, "You must worship the Lord your God. and he is the only one you are to worship." '

11 Then the devil left Jesus. Angels came and took care of him.

12 Jesus heard that John was put in prison, so he went to Galilee.

13 He left the town of Nazareth and went to live in the town of Capernaum. It is by the sea (of Galilee) in the district of Zebulun and Naphtali.

14 So what the prophet Isaiah said came true.

15 He talked about, `The country of Zebulun and the country of Naphtali, the road by the sea, the land on the other side of the Jordan River, Galilee where the people are not Jews.'

16 And he said, `The people who lived in darkness have seen a great Light. Light has come to those who lived in a land covered by the dark shadow of death.'

17 From then on, Jesus began to tell God's word to the people. He said, `Stop your wrong ways and turn back to God! The kingdom of heaven is here!'

18 Jesus was walking by the sea of Galilee. There he saw two brothers, Simon who later was named Peter, and his brother Andrew. They were throwing a fishing net into the water. Their work was to catch fish.

19 Jesus said to them, `Come with me. The work I will give you will be to catch people.'

20 Right away they left their nets and went with him.

21 Jesus went on from there and saw two other brothers, James and John. Their father's name was Zebedee. They were in the boat with their father mending their nets.

22 Jesus called them. Right away they left the boat and their father and went with him.

23 Jesus went all around through Galilee. He taught people in their meeting houses and told them the good news about the kingdom of heaven. He healed all the sick and weak people.

24 The people in all the country of Syria heard about him. They brought all who were sick in any way, or had bad spirits in them, and those who could not walk or use their hands. Jesus healed them.

25 Many people went with him. They came from Galilee, the Ten Towns, Jerusalem, Judea, and from the other side of the Jordan river.

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