Matthew 4

Jesus Is Tested in the Wilderness

1Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tested by the devil. 2After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 3The tempter came and said to him, “If you are God's Son, tell these stones to become loaves of bread.” 4But Jesus answered, “It is written:
‘A person shall not live by bread alone,
but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

5Then the devil took him into the holy city, set him on the highest point of the temple, 6and said, “If you are God's Son, throw yourself down, because it is written:
‘He will command his angels concerning you,’
and,
‘On their hands they will lift you up,
so that you do not strike your foot against a stone.’” 7Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘You shall not test the Lord your God.’”

8Again the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. 9He said to him, “I will give you all these things if you fall down and worship me.” 10Then Jesus said to him, “Go away, Satan! For it is written:
‘You shall worship the Lord your God,
and serve him alone.’” 11Then the devil left him, and angels came and began serving him.

Jesus Begins His Ministry in Galilee

12When Jesus heard that John had been handed over, he withdrew to Galilee. 13Leaving Nazareth, he came and lived in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, 14so that what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled: 15“Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali,
the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan,
Galilee of the Gentiles— 16the people sitting in darkness
have seen a great light,
and for those sitting in the land and shadow of death,
light has dawned.” 17From that time Jesus began to proclaim, “Repent, because the kingdom of heaven has drawn near.”

Jesus Calls His First Disciples

18As 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 sea, because they were fishermen. 19He said to them, “Come after me, and I will make you fishers of people.” 20Immediately they left their nets and followed him. 21Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets. He called them, 22and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.

Jesus Teaches and Heals

23Jesus went throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and every sickness among the people. 24News about him spread throughout all Syria. They brought to him everyone suffering from various diseases and severe pains, those oppressed by demons, those having seizures, and those who were paralyzed, and he healed them. 25Large crowds followed him from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and beyond the Jordan.