Aussie Bible logo: gum tree, cross and Uluru at sunset over an open book Aussie BibleFair Dinkum Edition

Matthew 4

Jesus is led into the wilderness and tempted by the devil for forty days. He refuses each temptation with Scripture. He begins his ministry in Galilee, calls his first disciples by the lake, and preaches and heals throughout the region.

Now reading: Fair Dinkum

You’re in Study Mode. Each verse shows our Fair Dinkum rendering with the King James Version (1611) underneath, so you can compare them. Use the button above to switch back to plain reading.

The temptation

Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. The tempter came to him and said, If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread. Jesus answered, It is written: Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God. Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. If you are the Son of God, he said, throw yourself down. For it is written: He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone. Jesus answered him, It is also written: Do not put the Lord your God to the test. Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendour. All this I will give you, he said, if you will bow down and worship me. Jesus said to him, Away from me, Satan. For it is written: Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only. Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.

1

Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.

King James Version, 1611

Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.

2

After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry.

King James Version, 1611

And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred.

3

The tempter came to him and said, If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.

King James Version, 1611

And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.

4

Jesus answered, It is written: Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.

King James Version, 1611

But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

5

Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple.

King James Version, 1611

Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple,

6

If you are the Son of God, he said, throw yourself down. For it is written: He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.

King James Version, 1611

And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.

7

Jesus answered him, It is also written: Do not put the Lord your God to the test.

King James Version, 1611

Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.

8

Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendour.

King James Version, 1611

Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them;

9

All this I will give you, he said, if you will bow down and worship me.

King James Version, 1611

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

10

Jesus said to him, Away from me, Satan. For it is written: Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.

King James Version, 1611

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.

11

Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.

King James Version, 1611

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

Ministry begins; first disciples called

When Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, he withdrew to Galilee. Leaving Nazareth, he went and lived in Capernaum, which was by the lake in the area of Zebulun and Naphtali — to fulfil what was said through the prophet Isaiah: Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles — the people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned. From that time on Jesus began to preach, Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near. As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. Come, follow me, Jesus said, and I will send you out to fish for people. At once they left their nets and followed him. Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them, and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him. Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people. News about him spread all over Syria, and people brought to him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering severe pain, the demon-possessed, those having seizures, and the paralysed; and he healed them. Large crowds from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea and the region across the Jordan followed him.

12

When Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, he withdrew to Galilee.

King James Version, 1611

Now when Jesus had heard that John was cast into prison, he departed into Galilee;

13

Leaving Nazareth, he went and lived in Capernaum, which was by the lake in the area of Zebulun and Naphtali —

King James Version, 1611

And leaving Nazareth, he came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is upon the sea coast, in the borders of Zabulon and Nephthalim:

14

to fulfil what was said through the prophet Isaiah:

King James Version, 1611

That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying,

15

Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles —

King James Version, 1611

The land of Zabulon, and the land of Nephthalim, by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles;

16

the people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.

King James Version, 1611

The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up.

17

From that time on Jesus began to preach, Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.

King James Version, 1611

From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

18

As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen.

King James Version, 1611

And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers.

19

Come, follow me, Jesus said, and I will send you out to fish for people.

King James Version, 1611

And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.

20

At once they left their nets and followed him.

King James Version, 1611

And they straightway left their nets, and followed him.

21

Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them,

King James Version, 1611

And going on from thence, he saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and he called them.

22

and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.

King James Version, 1611

And they immediately left the ship and their father, and followed him.

23

Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people.

King James Version, 1611

And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people.

24

News about him spread all over Syria, and people brought to him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering severe pain, the demon-possessed, those having seizures, and the paralysed; and he healed them.

King James Version, 1611

And his fame went throughout all Syria: and they brought unto him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatick, and those that had the palsy; and he healed them.

25

Large crowds from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea and the region across the Jordan followed him.

King James Version, 1611

And there followed him great multitudes of people from Galilee, and from Decapolis, and from Jerusalem, and from Judaea, and from beyond Jordan.