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Matthew 4 Free Bible Version

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  • Individual translator
  • OT: Masoretic Hebrew
  • NT: Critical text
  • Protestant (66 books)
  • Dynamic (thought for thought)
  • 2018
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Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings

1 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. 2 After fasting forty days and nights, he was hungry. 3 The tempter came and said to him, “If you really are the Son of God, order these stones to turn into bread.” 4 Jesus answered, “As Scripture says, ‘Human beings do not live by only eating bread, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” 5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and placed him on the top of the Temple. 6 “If you really are the son of God, then throw yourself off,” he told Jesus. “As Scripture says, ‘He will order his angels to save you from harm. They will catch you so that you won't fall by tripping over a stone.’” 7 Jesus answered, “As Scripture also says, ‘You shall not tempt the Lord your God.’” 8 Then the devil took Jesus to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in all their glory. 9 He said to Jesus, “I will give you all these if you fall down on your knees and worship me.” 10 “Go away, Satan!” said Jesus. “As Scripture says, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God and serve him, and him alone.’” 11 Then the devil left him, and angels came to care for him. 12 When Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he returned to Galilee. 13 Leaving Nazareth, he came to stay in Capernaum, on the shores of the sea in the regions of Zebulun and Naphthali. 14 This fulfilled what Isaiah the prophet said, 15 “In the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphthali, on the road to the sea, across the Jordan River, in Galilee where the foreigners live: 16 The people living in darkness saw a great light; the light of dawn has shined on those living in the land of the shadow of death.” 17 From that time on Jesus began declaring his message, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has arrived!” 18 As he was walking by the Sea of Galilee Jesus saw two brothers. Simon, also called Peter, and his brother Andrew, were casting a net in the sea. They made their living by catching fish. 19 “Come and follow me, and I will teach you how to catch people,” he told them. 20 They left their nets immediately and followed him. 21 Continuing on he saw two other brothers, James and John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets. He called them to follow him. 22 They left the boat and their father immediately, and followed him. 23 Jesus traveled throughout Galilee, teaching in the synagogues, telling the good news of the kingdom, and healing all the diseases and illnesses the people had. 24 News about him spread throughout the province of Syria. They brought everyone who was sick to him: people troubled by seizures, the demon-possessed, those who were mentally ill, people who were paralyzed, and he healed all of them. 25 Large crowds followed him from Galilee, Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and the region beyond Jordan.

People & places in this chapter

From this site's family tree and Bible maps, only where those guides cite this chapter.

People

  • James

    Apostle, brother of John

    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

    Apostle, brother of James

    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

    Father of James and John

    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

    Today: Northern Israel (Sea of Galilee)

    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

    Today: Northern Israel

    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. 1 Hebrews 2:18; Luke 4:1–13; Mark 1:12–15; Hebrews 4:15–16; Romans 8:14
  2. 2 Deuteronomy 9:18; Exodus 34:28; 1 Kings 19:8; Luke 4:2; Deuteronomy 9:9
  3. 3 1 Thessalonians 3:5; Genesis 3:1–5; Numbers 11:4–6; Luke 22:31–32; Revelation 2:10
  4. 4 Deuteronomy 8:3; Luke 4:4; John 6:63; John 6:31–59; Romans 15:4
  5. 5 Luke 4:9; Revelation 11:2; Matthew 27:53; Isaiah 48:2; Nehemiah 11:1
  6. 6 Psalm 91:11–12; Hebrews 1:14; Psalm 34:7; 2 Corinthians 11:14; Psalm 34:20
  7. 7 Deuteronomy 6:16; 1 Corinthians 10:9; Psalm 78:41; Psalm 78:18; Hebrews 3:9
  8. 8 1 John 2:15–16; Revelation 11:15; Psalm 49:16–17; Matthew 16:26; Luke 4:5–7
  9. 9 2 Corinthians 4:4; Revelation 22:8–9; John 16:11; Revelation 19:10; Daniel 5:18–19
  10. 10 Deuteronomy 6:13–14; Deuteronomy 10:20; Joshua 24:14; Luke 4:8; 1 Samuel 7:3
  11. 11 Matthew 26:53; Luke 22:43; Hebrews 1:14; Revelation 5:11–12; Luke 4:13
  12. 12 Mark 1:14; Luke 3:20; Matthew 14:3; Luke 4:14; Mark 6:17
  13. 13 John 4:46; Mark 1:21; Matthew 11:23; John 6:24; John 6:59
  14. 14 Isaiah 9:1–2; Matthew 2:23; Luke 24:44; Matthew 12:17–21; Luke 22:37
  15. 15 Isaiah 9:1
  16. 16 Isaiah 9:2; Isaiah 42:6–7; Luke 1:78–79; Isaiah 60:1–3; Micah 7:8
  17. 17 Matthew 3:2; Acts 2:38; Mark 1:14–15; Luke 5:32; Luke 24:47
  18. 18 John 1:40–42; Matthew 10:2; Mark 1:16–20; Luke 6:14; Luke 5:1–11
  19. 19 Mark 1:17–18; John 12:26; Matthew 16:24; Luke 9:59; John 1:43
  20. 20 Mark 10:28–31; Matthew 19:27; Luke 18:28–30; Psalm 119:60; 1 Kings 19:21
  21. 21 Mark 3:17; Mark 1:19–20; Matthew 10:2; John 21:2; Acts 12:2
  22. 22 Matthew 10:37; Luke 14:26; Deuteronomy 33:9–10; Luke 9:59–60; Mark 1:20
  23. 23 Matthew 9:35; Mark 1:39; Luke 7:22; Acts 10:38; Matthew 11:5
  24. 24 Matthew 17:15; Matthew 8:6; Matthew 12:22; Luke 5:15; Luke 2:2
  25. 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).

  1. Commentary 4:1 John Chrysostom, Homilies on the Gospel of Matthew (Homily XIII)

    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)

  2. Quotes verse 4:3 Irenaeus of Lyons, Against Heresies (Book V, Chapter XIX)

    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 …

    Read in context · Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1 (1885)

  3. Quotes verse 4:9 Augustine of Hippo, The City of God (Book XI, Chapters 30–33)

    … 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)

  4. Quotes verse 4:3 John Chrysostom, Homilies on the Gospel of Matthew (Homily XIII)

    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)

  5. Quotes verse 4:17 Cyril of Jerusalem, Catechetical Lectures (Lecture III)

    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)