1 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert, in order to be tempted by the devil. 2 And when he had fasted for forty days and forty nights, afterwards he was hungry. 3 And approaching, the tempter said to him, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” 4 And in response he said, “It has been written: ‘Not by bread alone shall man live, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’ ” 5 Then the devil took him up, into the holy city, and set him on the pinnacle of the temple, 6 and said to him: “If you are the Son of God, cast yourself down. For it has been written: ‘For he has given charge of you to his angels, and they shall take you into their hands, lest perhaps you may hurt your foot against a stone.’ ” 7 Jesus said to him, “Again, it has been written: ‘You shall not tempt the Lord your God.’ ” 8 Again, the devil took him up, onto a very high mountain, and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory, 9 and said to him, “All these things I will give to you, if you will fall down and adore me.” 10 Then Jesus said to him: “Go away, Satan. For it has been written: ‘You shall adore the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve.’ ” 11 Then the devil left him. And behold, Angels approached and ministered to him. 12 And when Jesus had heard that John had been handed over, he withdrew into Galilee. 13 And leaving behind the city of Nazareth, he went and lived in Capernaum, near the sea, at the borders of Zebulun and of Naphtali, 14 in order to fulfill what was said through the prophet Isaiah: 15 “Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, the way of the sea across the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles: 16 A people who were sitting in darkness have seen a great light. And unto those sitting in the region of the shadow of death, a light has risen.” 17 From that time, Jesus began to preach, and to say: “Repent. For the kingdom of heaven has drawn near.” 18 And Jesus, walking near the Sea of Galilee, saw two brothers, Simon who is called Peter, and his brother Andrew, casting a net into the sea (for they were fishermen). 19 And he said to them: “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” 20 And at once, leaving behind their nets, they followed him. 21 And continuing on from there, he saw another two brothers, James of Zebedee, and his brother John, in a ship with their father Zebedee, repairing their nets. And he called them. 22 And immediately, leaving their nets and their father behind, they followed him. 23 And Jesus traveled throughout all of Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the Gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every infirmity among the people. 24 And reports of him went out to all of Syria, and they brought to him all those who had maladies, those who were in the grasp of various sicknesses and torments, and those who were in the hold of demons, and the mentally ill, and paralytics. And he cured them. 25 And a great crowd followed him from Galilee, and from the Ten Cities, and from Jerusalem, and from Judea, and from across the Jordan.
Matthew · Catholic Public Domain Version
Matthew 4 Catholic Public Domain Version
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
Notes on this text (3)
- Esther and Daniel are the Vulgate books (Esther 1–16 with the Greek additions as chapters 10:4–16; Daniel 1–14 with the Song of the Three, Susanna and Bel). Baruch 6 is the Letter of Jeremiah.
- The translator's footnotes, cross-references, chapter summaries and book introductions in the CrossWire module are not shown.
- No imprimatur; single translator.
People & places in this chapter
From this site's family tree and Bible maps, only where those guides cite this chapter.
People
James
A fisherman called by Jesus together with his brother John, one of the Twelve, to whom Jesus gave the name Boanerges, 'Sons of Thunder'.
Cited in the guide: Matthew 4:21; Matthew 10:2; Mark 3:17
John
A fisherman called together with his brother James, one of the Twelve, to whom Jesus gave the name Boanerges, 'Sons of Thunder'.
Cited in the guide: Matthew 4:21; Matthew 10:2; Mark 3:17
Zebedee
A fisherman in whose boat his sons James and John were mending nets when Jesus called them; they left him in the boat with the hired men.
Cited in the guide: Matthew 4:21; Matthew 20:20; Mark 1:20
Places
Capernaum
A fishing and customs town on the Sea of Galilee where Jesus healed, taught, and called disciples. Its ruins include a 4th–5th c. synagogue built over an earlier one.
Cited in the guide: Matthew 4:13; Mark 2:1; Matthew 11:23
Sea of Galilee
This harp-shaped lake (~13 miles long) lies in the Jordan Rift Valley. Cool air dropping onto the warm water spawns sudden storms — the setting of several Gospel miracles.
Cited in the guide: Matthew 4:18; Mark 4:39; John 21:1
Cross references (25)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 Hebrews 2:18; Luke 4:1–13; Mark 1:12–15; Hebrews 4:15–16; Romans 8:14
- 2 Deuteronomy 9:18; Exodus 34:28; 1 Kings 19:8; Luke 4:2; Deuteronomy 9:9
- 3 1 Thessalonians 3:5; Genesis 3:1–5; Numbers 11:4–6; Luke 22:31–32; Revelation 2:10
- 4 Deuteronomy 8:3; Luke 4:4; John 6:63; John 6:31–59; Romans 15:4
- 5 Luke 4:9; Revelation 11:2; Matthew 27:53; Isaiah 48:2; Nehemiah 11:1
- 6 Psalm 91:11–12; Hebrews 1:14; Psalm 34:7; 2 Corinthians 11:14; Psalm 34:20
- 7 Deuteronomy 6:16; 1 Corinthians 10:9; Psalm 78:41; Psalm 78:18; Hebrews 3:9
- 8 1 John 2:15–16; Revelation 11:15; Psalm 49:16–17; Matthew 16:26; Luke 4:5–7
- 9 2 Corinthians 4:4; Revelation 22:8–9; John 16:11; Revelation 19:10; Daniel 5:18–19
- 10 Deuteronomy 6:13–14; Deuteronomy 10:20; Joshua 24:14; Luke 4:8; 1 Samuel 7:3
- 11 Matthew 26:53; Luke 22:43; Hebrews 1:14; Revelation 5:11–12; Luke 4:13
- 12 Mark 1:14; Luke 3:20; Matthew 14:3; Luke 4:14; Mark 6:17
- 13 John 4:46; Mark 1:21; Matthew 11:23; John 6:24; John 6:59
- 14 Isaiah 9:1–2; Matthew 2:23; Luke 24:44; Matthew 12:17–21; Luke 22:37
- 15 Isaiah 9:1
- 16 Isaiah 9:2; Isaiah 42:6–7; Luke 1:78–79; Isaiah 60:1–3; Micah 7:8
- 17 Matthew 3:2; Acts 2:38; Mark 1:14–15; Luke 5:32; Luke 24:47
- 18 John 1:40–42; Matthew 10:2; Mark 1:16–20; Luke 6:14; Luke 5:1–11
- 19 Mark 1:17–18; John 12:26; Matthew 16:24; Luke 9:59; John 1:43
- 20 Mark 10:28–31; Matthew 19:27; Luke 18:28–30; Psalm 119:60; 1 Kings 19:21
- 21 Mark 3:17; Mark 1:19–20; Matthew 10:2; John 21:2; Acts 12:2
- 22 Matthew 10:37; Luke 14:26; Deuteronomy 33:9–10; Luke 9:59–60; Mark 1:20
- 23 Matthew 9:35; Mark 1:39; Luke 7:22; Acts 10:38; Matthew 11:5
- 24 Matthew 17:15; Matthew 8:6; Matthew 12:22; Luke 5:15; Luke 2:2
- 25 Luke 6:17; Mark 5:20; Mark 7:31; Mark 3:7–8; Matthew 19:2
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
Then. When? After the descent of the Spirit, after the voice that was borne from above, and said, "This is My Beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." And what was marvellous, it was of the Holy Spirit; for this, he here saith, led Him up.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)
For, when tempting Him, he said, "If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread." But the Lord repulsed him by the commandment of the law, saying, "It is written, Man doth not live by bread alone." As to those words [of His enemy,] "If thou be the Son of God," [the Lord] made no …
… two societies of angels,--the one enjoying God, the other swelling with pride; the one to whom it is said, "Praise ye Him, all His angels," the other whose prince says, "All these things will I give Thee if Thou wilt fall down and worship me;" the one blazing with the holy love of God, the other reeking with the unclean …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 2 (1887)
Thus, after He was an hungered, it is said, "The tempter came, and said unto Him, If Thou be Son of God, command that these stones be made bread." For, because he had heard a voice borne from above, and saying, "This is My beloved Son;" and had heard also John bearing so large witness concerning Him, and after that …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)
If the Master Himself followed the right time in due order, ought we, His servants, to venture out of order? From that time Jesus began to preach, when the Holy Spirit had descended upon Him in a bodily shape, like a dove; not that Jesus might see Him first, for He knew Him even before He came in a …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 7 (1894)