Matthew 4
1 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit {[God’s] Spirit led Jesus} into a desolate area to be tempted by the devil {in order that the devil would tempt him}.
Then Jesus was led up into the wilderness by the Spirit to be tempted by the devil.
2 After he did not eat food for 40 days, and 40 nights. he was hungry.
And, after he had fasted for forty days and forty nights, he became hungry.
3 [Satan], the tempter, came to him and said, “Because you [claim that you have a relationship with] God [as] a son [has with his father] [MET], [prove it] by commanding these stones to become bread [so that you can eat them]!”
The Tempter came to him, and said: ‘If you are God’s Son, tell these stones to become loaves of bread.’
4 But Jesus said [to him], “[No! I will not change stones into bread, because] it is written [in the Scriptures] {in the Scriptures [Moses] wrote}, [‘Eating] food [SYN] [sustains] people [physically, but] it does not sustain them [spiritually] [SYN]. Instead, [paying attention to] everything that God has spoken [to them is what sustains people spiritually].’”
But Jesus answered, ‘Scripture says – “It is not on bread alone that a person is to live, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.”’
5 Then the devil took Jesus to [Jerusalem], the city that is dedicated to God. He set him on the highest part of the Temple,
Then the devil took him to the Holy City, and, placing him on the parapet of the temple, said to him,
6 and said to him, “Because you [claim that you have a relationship with] God [as] a son [has with his father, prove it by] jumping down [to the ground. You will not be hurt], because it is written [in the Scriptures], [‘God] will command his angels to protect you. They will lift you up in their hands [when you are falling], in order that [you will not get hurt]. You will not [even] strike your foot on a stone.’”
‘If you are God’s Son, throw yourself down, for scripture says – “He will give his angels commands about you, and on their hands they will lift you up, so you do not even strike your foot against a stone.”’
7 But Jesus said, “[No! I] will not [jump down, because] in another place [in the Scriptures] it is written {there are these words that [Moses] wrote}: ‘Do not [try to] test the Lord your God [to see if he will prevent something bad from happening to you when you do something foolish!]’”
‘Scripture also says,’ answered Jesus, ‘“You must not tempt the Lord your God.”’
8 Then the devil took him on [top of] a very high mountain. There he showed him all the nations in the world and the magnificent things in those nations.
The third time, the devil took Jesus to a very high mountain, and, showing him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendour, said to him:
9 And then he said to him, “I will [let you rule all these nations and] give you the magnificent things in them if you bow down and worship me.”
‘All these I will give you, if you will fall at my feet and worship me.’
10 But Jesus said to him, “[No, I will not worship you], Satan, [so] go away! It is written in the Scriptures, ‘It is the Lord your God whom you [(pl)] must worship, and you [(pl)] must serve only him!’”
Then Jesus said to him, ‘Go away, Satan! For scripture says – “You must worship the Lord your God, and worship him only.”’
11 Then the devil went away, and right away, angels came to Jesus and took care of him.
Then the devil left him alone, and angels came and helped him.
12 [While] Jesus [was in Judea, John the Baptizer’s disciples] told him that John had been put in prison and kept there {that [Herod Antipas] had put John [the Baptizer] in prison [and kept him there]}. [So] Jesus returned to Galilee [District]. While he was in Galilee, he first went to Nazareth [town].
When Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he returned to Galilee.
13 Then he left Nazareth and went to Capernaum [city in order to live there. Capernaum is located beside Galilee Lake in the region which was formerly] the regions of [the tribes of] Zebulun and Naphtali.
Afterwards, leaving Nazareth, he went and settled at Capernaum, which is by the side of the sea, within the borders of Zebulun and Naphtali;
14 [One reason that he went there] was so that [these words] that were written by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled {so that he might fulfill these words that the prophet Isaiah wrote}:
in fulfilment of these words in the prophet Isaiah –
15 “Zebulun region and Naphtali region [are on] the road [which is] near Galilee [Lake and] on the eastern side of the Jordan [River. They are] the regions in Galilee [District where many] non-Jews [are living].
“The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, the land of the Road by the sea, and beyond the Jordan, with Galilee of the Gentiles –
16 [Although the people there will be like] people who sit in a dark place [MET], [they will suddenly perceive clearly a new teaching, as] people who have seen a big light shining on them [MET] perceive everything clearly. [The] people who are located in a dangerous [MET] region [will suddenly perceive clearly what God teaches], as people on whom a light shines perceive things clearly [MET, DOU].
The people who were living in darkness have seen a great light, and, for those who were living in the shadow-land of death, a light has dawned!”
17 From that time, [while] Jesus was [in Capernaum city, he began to preach this to people: “God [MTY/EUP] will very soon begin to rule, and he will judge you when he rules]. So you [(pl)] need to turn from your sinful ways [so that God will not punish you].”
At that time Jesus began to proclaim – ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.’
18 [One day] while Jesus was walking by Galilee Lake, he saw two men, Simon, who was [later] called Peter, and Andrew, his [younger] brother. They were casting their [fishing] net into the lake because they [earned money by] catching [and selling] fish.
As Jesus was walking along the shore of the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers – Simon, also known as Peter, and his brother Andrew – casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen.
19 He said to them, “[Just like you have been] gathering fish, come with me and I will teach you how to gather people [to become my disciples].” [MET]
‘Come and follow me,’ Jesus said, ‘and I will teach you to fish for people.’
20 They immediately left [the work that they were doing with] their [fishing] nets, and they went with him.
The two men left their nets at once and followed him.
21 As [the three of them] walked on from there, Jesus saw two other men, James, and John, the [younger] brother of James. [They were] in their boat with Zebedee, their father, mending their [fishing] nets. Jesus told them that [they should leave their work and] go with him.
Going further on, he saw two other men who were also brothers, James, Zebedee’s son, and his brother John, in their boat with their father, mending their nets. Jesus called them,
22 They immediately left their fishing boat and their father, and they went with Jesus.
and they at once left their boat and their father, and followed him.
23 Jesus went [with those four men] throughout all of Galilee [District]. He was teaching [the people] in the buildings where we Jews worship God. He was preaching the good message that tells how to become members of the group of people whose lives God rules over. He was also healing all [the Galileans] who had diseases or who were sick.
Jesus went all through Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and curing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness among the people;
24 When people who lived in other parts of Syria [District] heard [PRS] what he was doing, they brought to him people who suffered from illnesses, people who suffered from many kinds of diseases, people who [suffered from] severe pains, people who were controlled by demons {whom demons controlled}, people who were epileptics, and people who were paralyzed. And Jesus healed them all.
and his fame spread all through Syria. They brought to him all who were ill with any form of disease, or who were suffering pain – any who were either possessed by demons, or were lunatic, or paralysed; and he cured them.
25 Then crowds started to go with him. [They were people from] Galilee [District], (from the Decapolis/from the Ten Towns [area]), from Jerusalem [city], from other [parts of] Judea [district], and from areas east of the Jordan [River].
He was followed by large crowds from Galilee, the district of the Ten Towns, Jerusalem, Judea, and from beyond the Jordan.
