< Luke 4 >

1 On returning from the Jordan, full of the Holy Spirit, Jesus was led by the power of the Spirit through the Wilderness for forty days, tempted by the Devil.
Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan River and was led by the Spirit into the desert,
2 All that time he ate nothing; and, when it was over, he became hungry.
where he was tempted by the devil for forty days. He didn't eat anything during that whole time, so at the end he was starving.
3 So the Devil said to him: “If you are God’s Son, tell this stone to become a loaf of bread.”
The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.”
4 And Jesus answered him: “Scripture says — ‘It is not on bread alone that man is to live.’”
“It is written in Scripture, ‘You shall not live on bread alone,’” Jesus answered.
5 And the Devil led Jesus up, and showing him in a single moment all the kingdoms of the earth, said to him:
The devil led him up to a high place, and in a rapid view showed him all the kingdoms of the world.
6 “I will give you all this power, and the splendour of them; for it has been given into my hands and I give it to whom I wish.
Then the devil said to Jesus, “I will give you authority over all of them, and their glory. This authority has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want.
7 If you, therefore, will do homage before me, it shall all be yours.”
Bow down and worship me and you can have it all.”
8 And Jesus answered him: “Scripture says — ‘Thou shalt do homage to the Lord thy God, and worship him only.’”
“It is written in Scripture, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and you shall serve only him,’” Jesus replied.
9 The Devil next led him into Jerusalem, and, placing him on the parapet of the Temple, said: “If you are God’s Son throw yourself down from here,
The devil took Jesus to Jerusalem, set him on the top of the Temple, and told him, “If you are the Son of God, then jump!
10 for Scripture says — ‘He will give his angels commands about thee, to guard thee safely,’
For it is written in Scripture, ‘He will order his angels to care for you,
11 And ‘On their hands they will upbear thee, Lest ever thou shouldst strike thy foot against a stone.’”
holding you up to protect you from stumbling over a stone.’”
12 But Jesus answered him: “It is said — ‘Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.’”
“It is written in Scripture, ‘You shall not tempt the Lord your God,’” Jesus replied.
13 When he had tried every kind of temptation, the Devil left Jesus, till another opportunity.
When the devil had completed all his temptations, he waited for another opportunity.
14 Moved by the power of the Spirit, Jesus returned to Galilee. Reports about him spread through all that neighbourhood;
Jesus returned to Galilee, full of the Spirit's power. News about him spread everywhere.
15 and he began to teach in their Synagogues, and was honoured by everyone.
Jesus taught in their synagogues, and everyone praised him.
16 Coming to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, Jesus, as was his custom, went on the Sabbath into the Synagogue, and stood up to read the Scriptures.
When he arrived in Nazareth, where he had grown up, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day as usual.
17 The book given him was that of the Prophet Isaiah; and Jesus opened the book and found the place where it says —
The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Jesus unrolled the scroll and found the place where it's written:
18 ‘The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, For he has consecrated me to bring Good News to the poor, He has sent me to proclaim release to captives and restoration of sight to the blind, To set the oppressed at liberty,
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, for he has anointed me to announce good news to the destitute. He has sent me to proclaim that prisoners will be released, the blind will see, the oppressed will be freed,
19 to proclaim the accepted year of the Lord.’
and to proclaim the time of the Lord's favor.”
20 Then, closing the book and returning it to the attendant, he sat down. The eyes of all in the Synagogue were fixed upon him,
He rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant. Then he sat down. Everybody in the synagogue was staring at him.
21 and Jesus began: “This very day this passage has been fulfilled in your hearing.”
“This Scripture you've just heard has been fulfilled today!” he told them.
22 All who were present spoke well of him, and were astonished at the beautiful words that fell from his lips. “Is not he Joseph’s son?” they asked.
Everybody expressed their approval of him, amazed at the gracious words that came from his lips. “Isn't this Joseph's son?” they wondered.
23 “Doubtless,” said Jesus, “you will remind me of the saying — ‘Doctor, cure yourself;’ and you will say ‘Do here in your own country all that we have heard that has been done at Capernaum.’
Jesus replied, “I'm sure you'll repeat this proverb to me, ‘Physician, heal yourself!’ and ask, ‘Why don't you do here in your own hometown what we heard you did in Capernaum?’
24 I tell you,” he continued, “that no Prophet is acceptable in his own country.
But I tell you the truth, no prophet is accepted in his hometown.
25 There were, doubtless, many widows in Israel in Elijah’s days, when the heavens were closed for three years and six months, and a severe famine prevailed throughout the country;
I guarantee that there were many widows in Israel during the time of Elijah when there was a drought for three and a half years, causing a great famine throughout the country.
26 and yet it was not to one of them that Elijah was sent, but to a widow at Zarephath in Sidonia.
Yet Elijah wasn't sent to any of them. He was sent to a widow in Zarephath in the region of Sidon!
27 And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of the Prophet Elisha, yet it was not one of them who was made clean, but Naaman the Syrian.”
Even though there were many lepers in Israel in the time of Elisha, the only one who was healed was Naaman the Syrian!”
28 All the people in the Synagogue, as they listened to this, became enraged.
When they heard this everyone in the synagogue became furious.
29 Starting up, they drove Jesus out of the town, and led him to the brow of the hill on which their town stood, intending to hurl him down.
They jumped to their feet and threw him out of the town. Then they dragged him to the top of the hill on which the town was built in order to throw him off the cliff.
30 But he passed through the middle of the crowd and went on his way.
But he walked right through them and went on his way.
31 Then Jesus went down to Capernaum, a city in Galilee. On the Sabbath he taught the people.
Jesus went down to Capernaum, a town in Galilee. On Sabbath he started teaching them.
32 They were amazed at his teaching, because his words were spoken with authority.
They were amazed at what he taught them for he spoke with authority.
33 In the Synagogue there was a man with the spirit of a foul demon in him, who called out loudly:
In the synagogue there was a man who was possessed by a demon. He cried out,
34 “Stop! What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are — the Holy One of God!”
“So, what do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are: God's Holy One!”
35 But Jesus rebuked the demon. “Be silent! Come out from him,” he said. The demon flung the man down in the middle of the people, and then came out from him, without causing him further harm.
Jesus interrupted him, saying. “Be quiet!” Then he ordered the demon, “Come out of him!” Throwing him to the ground right before them, the demon left the man without injuring him.
36 And they were all lost in amazement, and kept saying to one another: “What words are these? For he gives his commands to the foul spirits with a marvellous authority, and they come out.”
They were all amazed and asked each other, “What is this teaching? With power and authority he orders evil spirits to leave—and they do!”
37 And rumours about Jesus traveled through every place in the neighbourhood.
News about Jesus spread throughout the nearby region.
38 On leaving the Synagogue, Jesus went into Simon’s house. Now Simon’s mother-in-law was suffering from a severe attack of fever, and they asked Jesus to cure her.
Leaving the synagogue, Jesus went to Simon's house. Simon's mother-in-law was sick with a high fever and those who were there asked Jesus to help.
39 Bending over her, he rebuked the fever; the fever left her, and she immediately got up and began to wait upon them.
Jesus went and stood over her. He told the fever to leave her—which it did. She got up right away and prepared a meal for them.
40 At sunset, all who had friends suffering from various diseases took them to Jesus; and he placed his hands upon every one of them and cured them.
When the sun set, they brought to him all who were sick, suffering from various diseases. Jesus placed his hands on them, one after the other, and he healed them.
41 And even demons came out from many people, screaming ‘You are the Son of God.’ Jesus rebuked them, and would not allow them to speak, because they knew that he was the Christ.
Demons came out of many people, shouting, “You are the Son of God.” But Jesus stopped them and refused to let them speak because they knew he was the Christ.
42 At daybreak, Jesus went out and walked to a lonely spot. But crowds of people began to look for him; and they came to where he was and tried to detain him and prevent his leaving them.
Early the following morning Jesus left to find some peace and quiet. But the crowds went out looking for him, and finally found him. They tried to stop him leaving because they did not want him to go.
43 Jesus, however, said to them: “I must take the Good News of the Kingdom of God to the other town also, for that was why I was sent.”
But he told them, “I have to go to other towns to tell them the good news of the kingdom of God too, because that is what I was sent to do.”
44 And he continued to make his proclamation in the Synagogues of Judea.
So Jesus went on traveling around, teaching the good news in the synagogues of Judea.

< Luke 4 >