1 Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan River and was led by the Spirit into the desert, 2 where he was tempted by the devil for forty days. He didn't eat anything during that whole time, so at the end he was starving. 3 The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.” 4 “It is written in Scripture, ‘You shall not live on bread alone,’” Jesus answered. 5 The devil led him up to a high place, and in a rapid view showed him all the kingdoms of the world. 6 Then the devil said to Jesus, “I will give you authority over all of them, and their glory. This authority has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want. 7 Bow down and worship me and you can have it all.” 8 “It is written in Scripture, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and you shall serve only him,’” Jesus replied. 9 The devil took Jesus to Jerusalem, set him on the top of the Temple, and told him, “If you are the Son of God, then jump! 10 For it is written in Scripture, ‘He will order his angels to care for you, 11 holding you up to protect you from stumbling over a stone.’” 12 “It is written in Scripture, ‘You shall not tempt the Lord your God,’” Jesus replied. 13 When the devil had completed all his temptations, he waited for another opportunity. 14 Jesus returned to Galilee, full of the Spirit's power. News about him spread everywhere. 15 Jesus taught in their synagogues, and everyone praised him. 16 When he arrived in Nazareth, where he had grown up, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day as usual. 17 The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Jesus unrolled the scroll and found the place where it's written: 18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, for he has anointed me to announce good news to the destitute. He has sent me to proclaim that prisoners will be released, the blind will see, the oppressed will be freed, 19 and to proclaim the time of the Lord's favor.” 20 He rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant. Then he sat down. Everybody in the synagogue was staring at him. 21 “This Scripture you've just heard has been fulfilled today!” he told them. 22 Everybody expressed their approval of him, amazed at the gracious words that came from his lips. “Isn't this Joseph's son?” they wondered. 23 Jesus replied, “I'm sure you'll repeat this proverb to me, ‘Physician, heal yourself!’ and ask, ‘Why don't you do here in your own hometown what we heard you did in Capernaum?’ 24 But I tell you the truth, no prophet is accepted in his hometown. 25 I guarantee that there were many widows in Israel during the time of Elijah when there was a drought for three and a half years, causing a great famine throughout the country. 26 Yet Elijah wasn't sent to any of them. He was sent to a widow in Zarephath in the region of Sidon! 27 Even though there were many lepers in Israel in the time of Elisha, the only one who was healed was Naaman the Syrian!” 28 When they heard this everyone in the synagogue became furious. 29 They jumped to their feet and threw him out of the town. Then they dragged him to the top of the hill on which the town was built in order to throw him off the cliff. 30 But he walked right through them and went on his way. 31 Jesus went down to Capernaum, a town in Galilee. On Sabbath he started teaching them. 32 They were amazed at what he taught them for he spoke with authority. 33 In the synagogue there was a man who was possessed by a demon. He cried out, 34 “So, what do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are: God's Holy One!” 35 Jesus interrupted him, saying. “Be quiet!” Then he ordered the demon, “Come out of him!” Throwing him to the ground right before them, the demon left the man without injuring him. 36 They were all amazed and asked each other, “What is this teaching? With power and authority he orders evil spirits to leave—and they do!” 37 News about Jesus spread throughout the nearby region. 38 Leaving the synagogue, Jesus went to Simon's house. Simon's mother-in-law was sick with a high fever and those who were there asked Jesus to help. 39 Jesus went and stood over her. He told the fever to leave her—which it did. She got up right away and prepared a meal for them. 40 When the sun set, they brought to him all who were sick, suffering from various diseases. Jesus placed his hands on them, one after the other, and he healed them. 41 Demons came out of many people, shouting, “You are the Son of God.” But Jesus stopped them and refused to let them speak because they knew he was the Christ. 42 Early the following morning Jesus left to find some peace and quiet. But the crowds went out looking for him, and finally found him. They tried to stop him leaving because they did not want him to go. 43 But he told them, “I have to go to other towns to tell them the good news of the kingdom of God too, because that is what I was sent to do.” 44 So Jesus went on traveling around, teaching the good news in the synagogues of Judea.
Luke 4 Free Bible Version
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
Cross references (44)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 Matthew 4:1–11; Acts 10:38; Mark 1:12–13; Luke 4:18; Isaiah 61:1
- 2 Exodus 34:28; Hebrews 4:15; 1 Kings 19:8; Deuteronomy 9:9; Hebrews 2:18
- 3 Matthew 4:3; Luke 3:22
- 4 Deuteronomy 8:3; Matthew 4:4; Matthew 6:31; Ephesians 6:17; Exodus 23:25
- 5 1 John 2:15–16; 1 Corinthians 15:52; Matthew 4:8; Psalm 73:19; Job 20:5
- 6 John 12:31; 1 John 5:19; John 14:30; Ephesians 2:2; Revelation 20:2–3
- 7 Psalm 72:11; Revelation 22:8; Revelation 5:8; Luke 8:28; Matthew 2:11
- 8 Deuteronomy 6:13; Deuteronomy 10:20; Matthew 4:10; Psalm 83:18; Revelation 19:10
- 9 Matthew 4:5–6; Luke 4:3; Romans 1:4; Matthew 8:29; Job 2:6
- 10 Psalm 91:11–12; Hebrews 1:14; 2 Corinthians 11:14; Luke 4:3
- 11 Psalm 91:12
- 12 Deuteronomy 6:16; Hebrews 3:8–9; 1 Corinthians 10:9; Malachi 3:15; Matthew 4:7
- 13 James 4:7; Hebrews 4:15; Matthew 4:11; John 14:30
- 14 Acts 10:37; Matthew 4:23–25; Matthew 4:12; Mark 1:28; Mark 1:14
- 15 Matthew 4:23; Isaiah 55:5; Mark 1:39; Mark 1:45; Matthew 9:8
- 16 Matthew 2:23; Mark 6:1–3; Matthew 13:54–55; Acts 13:14–16; Luke 2:51
- 17 Isaiah 61:1–3; Acts 13:15; Acts 7:42; Acts 13:27; Luke 20:42
- 18 Isaiah 61:1; Matthew 11:5; Psalm 146:7–8; Acts 10:38; Luke 7:22
- 19 Isaiah 61:2; Isaiah 63:4; Luke 19:42; Leviticus 25:50–54; Leviticus 25:8–13
- 20 Luke 4:17; John 8:2; Acts 16:13; Matthew 5:1–2; Luke 5:3
- 21 John 4:25–26; Acts 3:18; Matthew 13:14; Luke 10:23–24; Acts 2:16–18
- 22 Matthew 13:54–56; Psalm 45:2; John 6:42; Acts 6:10; Mark 6:2–3
- 23 Matthew 11:23–24; John 4:46–53; John 2:3–4; Mark 2:1–12; Romans 2:21–22
- 24 Matthew 13:57; John 4:44; Mark 6:4–5; Acts 22:3; Acts 22:18–22
- 25 James 5:17; 1 Kings 17:1; Matthew 20:15; 1 Kings 18:1–2; Mark 7:26–29
- 26 1 Kings 17:9–24; Matthew 11:21; Obadiah 20
- 27 2 Kings 5:1–27; John 17:12; Matthew 12:4; 1 Kings 19:19–21; Job 36:23
- 28 Acts 7:54; Acts 22:21–23; Jeremiah 37:15–16; Luke 6:11; Luke 11:53–54
- 29 John 8:59; John 8:37; Acts 21:28–32; John 15:24–25; Hebrews 13:12
- 30 John 10:39; John 8:59; John 18:6–7; Acts 12:18
- 31 Mark 1:21–28; Matthew 4:13; Acts 17:1–3; Acts 13:50–14:2; Matthew 10:23
- 32 Luke 4:36; Matthew 7:28–29; 2 Corinthians 10:4–5; Hebrews 4:12–13; Titus 2:15
- 33 Mark 1:23
- 34 Mark 1:24; James 2:19; Matthew 8:29; Revelation 3:7; Luke 1:35
- 35 Luke 4:41; Luke 4:39; Matthew 8:26; Revelation 12:12; Mark 9:26
- 36 Luke 4:32; Mark 16:17–20; Mark 7:37; Luke 10:17–20; Mark 1:27
- 37 Mark 1:45; Luke 4:14; Isaiah 52:13; Matthew 9:26; Matthew 4:23–25
- 38 Matthew 8:14–15; Mark 1:29–31; James 5:14–15; John 11:22; Luke 7:3–4
- 39 Luke 4:41; Luke 4:35; Luke 8:24; Luke 8:2–3; 2 Corinthians 5:14–15
- 40 Mark 1:32–34; Matthew 8:16–17; Mark 5:23; Acts 19:12; Mark 3:10
- 41 Mark 1:34; James 2:19; Acts 16:17–18; John 20:31; Luke 4:34–35
- 42 Luke 6:12; Mark 1:35–38; John 4:34; Mark 1:45; John 6:24
- 43 Mark 1:38–39; 2 Timothy 4:2; John 6:38–40; John 20:21; Mark 1:14–15
- 44 Matthew 4:23; Mark 1:39; Luke 4:15
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).
For this reason, too, did the Lord Himself read at Capernaum the prophecies of Isaiah: "The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He hath anointed Me; to preach the Gospel to the poor hath He sent Me, to heal the broken-hearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and sight to the blind." At the same time, showing that …
She accounted the Lord a prophet, and a prophet indeed He was; for it was of Himself He said, that "a prophet is not without honor, save in his own country." Again, of Him it was said to Moses, "A Prophet will I raise up to them of their brethren, like unto thee." Like, namely, as to the form of …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 7 (1888)
Which Luke also was declaring, when he said, that "he departed from Him for a season;" showing that hereafter he approached Him by his proper instruments.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)
Never say then that riches are the devil's: for though he say, All these will I give thee, for they are delivered unto me, one may indeed even reject his assertion; for we need not believe the liar: and yet perhaps he spake the truth, being compelled by the power of His presence: for he said not, All these …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 7 (1894)
He then, having been thus signally defeated, and then, as it were, concentrating his forces, drawing up in order all his available power for falsehood, in the third place "showed Him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them," saying, as Luke relates, "All these will I give thee,--for they are delivered to me; and to whom …