Luke 4 Free Bible Version
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
1 Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan River and was led by the Spirit into the desert,
1 Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness
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.
2 for forty days, being tempted by the devil. He ate nothing in those days. Afterward, when they were completed, he was hungry.
3 The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.”
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.
4 Jesus answered him, saying, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.’”
5 The devil led him up to a high place, and in a rapid view showed him all the kingdoms of the world.
5 The devil, leading him up on a high mountain, showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time.
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.
6 The devil said to him, “I will give you all this authority and their glory, for it has been delivered to me, and I give it to whomever I want.
7 Bow down and worship me and you can have it all.”
7 If you therefore will worship before me, it will all be yours.”
8 “It is written in Scripture, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and you shall serve only him,’” Jesus replied.
8 Jesus answered him, “Get behind me, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and you shall serve him only.’”
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!
9 He led him to Jerusalem and set him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, cast yourself down from here,
10 For it is written in Scripture, ‘He will order his angels to care for you,
10 for it is written, ‘He will put his angels in charge of you, to guard you;’
11 holding you up to protect you from stumbling over a stone.’”
11 and, ‘On their hands they will bear you up, lest perhaps you dash your foot against a stone.’”
12 “It is written in Scripture, ‘You shall not tempt the Lord your God,’” Jesus replied.
12 Jesus answering, said to him, “It has been said, ‘You shall not tempt the Lord your God.’”
13 When the devil had completed all his temptations, he waited for another opportunity.
13 When the devil had completed every temptation, he departed from him until another time.
14 Jesus returned to Galilee, full of the Spirit's power. News about him spread everywhere.
14 Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee, and news about him spread through all the surrounding area.
15 Jesus taught in their synagogues, and everyone praised him.
15 He taught in their synagogues, being glorified by all.
16 When he arrived in Nazareth, where he had grown up, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day as usual.
16 He came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. He entered, as was his custom, into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read.
17 The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Jesus unrolled the scroll and found the place where it's written:
17 The book of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. He opened the book, and found the place where it was 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,
18 “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to heal the broken hearted, to proclaim release to the captives, recovering of sight to the blind, to deliver those who are crushed,
19 and to proclaim the time of the Lord's favor.”
19 and to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.”
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.
20 He closed the book, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of all in the synagogue were fastened on him.
21 “This Scripture you've just heard has been fulfilled today!” he told them.
21 He began to tell them, “Today, this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”
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.
22 All testified about him and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth; and they said, “Isn’t this Joseph’s son?”
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?’
23 He said to them, “Doubtless you will tell me this proverb, ‘Physician, heal yourself! Whatever we have heard done at Capernaum, do also here in your hometown.’”
24 But I tell you the truth, no prophet is accepted in his hometown.
24 He said, “Most certainly I tell you, no prophet is acceptable 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.
25 But truly I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the sky was shut up three years and six months, when a great famine came over all the land.
26 Yet Elijah wasn't sent to any of them. He was sent to a widow in Zarephath in the region of Sidon!
26 Elijah was sent to none of them, except to Zarephath, in the land of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow.
27 Even though there were many lepers in Israel in the time of Elisha, the only one who was healed was Naaman the Syrian!”
27 There were many lepers in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet, yet not one of them was cleansed, except Naaman, the Syrian.”
28 When they heard this everyone in the synagogue became furious.
28 They were all filled with wrath in the synagogue as they heard these things.
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.
29 They rose up, threw him out of the city, and led him to the brow of the hill that their city was built on, that they might throw him off the cliff.
30 But he walked right through them and went on his way.
30 But he, passing through the middle of them, went his way.
31 Jesus went down to Capernaum, a town in Galilee. On Sabbath he started teaching them.
31 He came down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee. He was teaching them on the Sabbath day,
32 They were amazed at what he taught them for he spoke with authority.
32 and they were astonished at his teaching, for his word was with authority.
33 In the synagogue there was a man who was possessed by a demon. He cried out,
33 In the synagogue there was a man who had a spirit of an unclean demon; and he cried out with a loud voice,
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!”
34 saying, “Ah! what have we to do with you, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are: the Holy One of God!”
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.
35 Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent and come out of him!” When the demon had thrown him down in the middle of them, he came out of him, having done him no harm.
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!”
36 Amazement came on all and they spoke together, one with another, saying, “What is this word? For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits, and they come out!”
37 News about Jesus spread throughout the nearby region.
37 News about him went out into every place of the surrounding 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.
38 He rose up from the synagogue and entered into Simon’s house. Simon’s mother-in-law was afflicted with a great fever, and they begged him to help her.
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.
39 He stood over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her. Immediately she rose up and served 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.
40 When the sun was setting, all those who had any sick with various diseases brought them to him; and he laid his hands on every one of them, and 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.
41 Demons also came out of many, crying out and saying, “You are the Christ, the Son of God!” Rebuking them, he didn’t allow them to speak, because they knew that 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.
42 When it was day, he departed and went into an uninhabited place and the multitudes looked for him, and came to him, and held on to him, so that he wouldn’t go away from them.
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.”
43 But he said to them, “I must preach the good news of God’s Kingdom to the other cities also. For this reason I have been sent.”
44 So Jesus went on traveling around, teaching the good news in the synagogues of Judea.
44 He was preaching in the synagogues of Galilee.
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 …