#matthew 4

01/21/2026

No sir!

Jesus faces temptation alone in the desert

1-2 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit up into the desert, to be tempted by the devil. After a fast of forty days and nights he was very hungry.

3 “If you really are the Son of God,” said the tempter, coming to him, “tell these stones to turn into loaves.”

4 Jesus answered, “The scripture says ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God’.”

5-6 Then the devil took him to the holy city, and set him on the highest ledge of the Temple. “If you really are the Son of God,” he said, “Throw yourself down. For the scripture says—‘He shall give his angels charge concerning you,’ and ‘In their hands they shall bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone’.”

7 “Yes,” retorted Jesus, “and the scripture also says ‘You shall not tempt the Lord your God’.”

8-9 Once again the devil took him to a very high mountain, and from there showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their magnificence. “Everything there I will give you,” he said to him, “if you will fall down and worship me.”

10 “Away with you, Satan!” replied Jesus, “the scripture says, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only you shall serve’.”

11 Then the devil let him alone, and the angels came to him and took care of him.

Jesus begins his ministry, in Galilee, and calls his first disciples

12-16 Now when Jesus heard that John had been arrested he went back to Galilee. He left Nazareth and came to live in Capernaum, a lake-side town in the Zebulun-Naphtali territory. In this way Isaiah’s prophecy came true: ‘The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles: the people who sat in darkness saw a great light, and upon those who sat in the region and shadow of death, light has dawned’.

17 From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, “You must change your hearts—for the kingdom of Heaven has arrived.”

18-19 While he was walking by the lake of Galilee he saw two brothers, Simon (Peter) and Andrew, casting their large net into the water. They were fishermen, so Jesus said to them, “Follow me and I will teach you to catch men!”

20 At once they left their nets and followed him.

21-22 Then he went further on and saw two more men, also brothers, James and John. They were aboard the boat with their father Zebedee repairing their nets, and he called them. At once they left the boat, and their father, and followed him.

Jesus teaches, preaches and heals

23-25 Jesus now moved about through the whole of Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and preaching the good news about the kingdom, and healing every disease and disability among the people. His reputation spread throughout Syria, and people brought to him all those who were ill, suffering from all kinds of diseases and pains—including the devil-possessed, the insane and the paralysed. He healed them, and was followed by enormous crowds from Galilee, The Ten Towns, Jerusalem, Judea and from beyond the river Jordan. — Matthew 4 | J.B. Phillips New Testament (PHILLIPS) The New Testament in Modern English by J.B Phillips copyright © 1960, 1972 J. B. Phillips. Cross References: Exodus 17:2; Exodus 23:25; Exodus 34:28; Numbers 23:3; Deuteronomy 8:3; 1 Chronicles 29:2; Nehemiah 11:1; Psalm 91:11-12; Isaiah 9:1-2; Ezekiel 47:10; Matthew 3:2; Matthew 9:1; Matthew 9:35; Matthew 10:2; Matthew 11:2; Matthew 14:33; Matthew 26:53; Mark 1:12-13; Mark 3:7-8; Mark 10:28; Luke 5:11; 1 Corinthians 10:20

‘If thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be thine’

All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. 

Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, 

Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. 

Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him.” 

~*~ Hi guys this is just for fun but might be part of an ongoing series of Casual English translations. Let me know what you think! ~*~

(Based on Matthew 4:1-11)

Jesus felt the Spirit calling him into the wilderness. Satan the devil was an entity that had haunted him since childhood, but Jesus knew that he would soon confront him face-to-face. So, Jesus trekked into the unknown, and he ate nothing for forty days.

Jesus finally became deathly weak from hunger and thirst. The sun was perched high in the sky, and the heat was blazing. He could not muster any strength to walk further, so he sat down on a large boulder. At that moment, Jesus could sense that he was being stalked by a predator, and he was too weak to resist.

Satan leaned in and said, “You look famished. Why don’t you turn those stones into loaves of bread? Aren’t you the Son of God? It should be no obstacle for you.” 

“I don’t think so,” Jesus said, "You know the Scriptures say that bread will never fully provide what God provides.”

“Let’s take a trip,” Satan said. The devil violently dragged Jesus up into the clouds and flew over to the Holy City of Jerusalem. Jesus had been handed over, and Satan took delight in it. The devil put Jesus on the edge of the Holy Temple’s roof. Satan yelled, “Jump, Son of God! What do you have to fear? You know it says in the Scriptures, ‘God will send angels to protect you, and they won’t let you hit the ground! What a sight that would be!’”

Jesus responded, “Did you forget that the Scriptures also say, ‘Don’t play games with God’?”

Satan realized that Jesus would not be easily manipulated or intimidated. Still, he had one more card he was willing to play. Again, he picked Jesus up and took him to the pinnacle of a mountain. When Jesus looked out, he saw an incredible vision. In the valley below, he saw all the kingdoms of the world, and they were all bowing down to him and singing his name. 

“Isn’t it awe-inspiring?” the devil remarked. “Remember, I was given the keys to the world. I can give them to whomever I want. I want you to have them. You can rule the earth however you see fit. Worship me as your God, and I won’t stand in your way.”

Jesus turned to meet Satan’s eyes. “Get out of my sight, Satan! The Scriptures declare, ‘You must only worship the one true God.’” Satan disappeared instantly, but Jesus knew this was far from their last encounter.