Mateus 4

¹ God’s Spirit led Jesus into the desert wilderness. There he was tested tempted by the Devil.

² He fasted forty days and nights, and was very hungry.

³ Satan, the Tempter, said to him: »If since you are the Son of God order these stones to turn into bread.«

⁴ In reply Jesus answered: »It is written; man shall not live on bread alone, but on all everythingevery wordevery utteranceevery declaration that proceeds from the mouth of Jehovah.« (Deuteronomy 8:3)

⁵ Then the Devil took him into the holy city and had him stand on top of the Temple.

⁶ »If since you are the Son of God, throw yourself down. The Scriptures say: ‘God will give orders to his angels about you and they will hold you with their hands, so that not even your feet will strike the ground.’«

⁷ »Again it is written,« Jesus replied, »‘you must not put Jehovah your God to the test.’« (Deuteronomy 6:16)

⁸ This time the Devil took Jesus to an extremely high mountain. He showed him all the kingdoms of the world with all their greatness.

⁹ »I will give all this to you,« the Devil told Jesus, »if you kneel down and worship me.«

¹⁰ »Go away, Satan!« demanded Jesus. »It is written, »It is Jehovah your God you must worship, and it is to him alone you must render sacred service.’« (Deuteronomy 6:13-15)

¹¹ Then the Devil left Jesus, and the angels came and served him.

¹² Jesus heard that John had been arrested. So Jesus withdrew to Galilee.

¹³ He left Nazareth to reside at Capernaum, a town by Lake Galilee, in the districts of Zebulun and Naphtali.

¹⁴ Thus the prophecy revealed to Isaiah would be fulfilled:

¹⁵ »O land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, along the road of the sea, on the other side of the Jordan, Galilee of the nations!

¹⁶ »the people sitting in darkness saw a great light. Light rose upon those sitting in a region of deathly shadow.«

¹⁷ From that time on Jesus preached this message: »Repent for the Kingdom of heaven is near.«

¹⁸ Jesus walked on the shore of the Sea of Galilee. There he saw Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother. They were fishermen.

¹⁹ He said to them: »Follow me and I will teach you to catch people.«

²⁰ At once they abandoned their nets and followed him.

²¹ He saw two other brothers, James, the son of Zebedee, and John his brother. They were in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets. He called them.

²² Instantly they left the boat and their father, and went with him.

²³ Jesus walked all over Galilee teaching in the synagogues. He preached the Good News about the Kingdom. He also healed every kind of disease and infirmity among the people.

²⁴ News about him spread throughout the country of Syria. People sick and suffering from diseases, people with demons, epileptics and paralytics, came to him. Jesus healed them all.

²⁵ Because of this, large crowds followed him from Galilee, Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and the land on the other side of the Jordan.