Luke  ◦   Chapter 4

1Jesus, with his human mind filled with the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan River and was led by the Spirit into the desert,2where, for forty days, he battled the devil and overcame his temptations. He ate nothing during those days, and by the end of them was very hungry.

3The devil came to him and said, "God's Son shouldn't starve to death; if you are him, command these stones to become bread — save yourself!"

4But Jesus answered, "The Scriptures teach that life doesn't come from eating bread alone (separated from God), but from partaking of all truth originating in God."

5Satan led Jesus to a high mountain and flashed before him a panorama of all the kingdoms of the world,6and then said to him, "All this has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I choose. I will give you all their power and glory;7just kiss my hand and recognize me as your one true lord, and it will all be yours."

8Jesus said, "The Scriptures teach, 'God alone is Lord; worship and serve only him.'"

9Then Satan took him to the top of the temple in Jerusalem and said, "If you are God's Son, then jump off from here.10For the Scriptures clearly state, 'God will direct his angels to watch over you, to protect and guard you, and keep you safe; and11'They will hold you in their hands, so you won't even hurt your foot stumbling on a stone.'"

12Jesus calmly replied, "It also says, 'Don't take actions designed to put God in the box of your predetermined ideas, testing to see if he will do what you believe is right in any given situation.'"

13When the devil ended that round of temptations, he left Jesus, but watched for another opportunity to tempt him again.

14With his humanity empowered by the Spirit, Jesus returned to Galilee where news about him quickly spread throughout the entire region.15He taught in their worship centers, and everyone praised him.

16He went to his home town of Nazareth, and as he always did on the Sabbath day, he went to the worship service. He stood up and read17from the book of God's spokesman Isaiah, which was handed to him. He unrolled the scroll and read from the place where it is written:

18"God's Spirit is on me because I am his anointed One to bring the Remedy to the afflicted. He has sent me to bring freedom to those held in the bondage of fear and selfishness, and a clear understanding to those blinded by Satan's lies, to exterminate oppression, to remove human brokenness,19and to make God's pleasure known this year."

20He then rolled up the scroll, handed it back to the minister, and sat down. Everyone in the sanctuary watched him closely,21and he told them plainly, "Today, right here, within the sound of my voice, this Scripture is fulfilled."

22Those who heard him recounted how well he spoke and were impressed with his wisdom, but they also asked, "But isn't this the son of Joseph the carpenter?"

23Jesus said to them, "Are you now going to quote this proverb to me: 'Physician, heal your own sickness' or 'do some miracles here like we heard you did in Capernaum'?

24"The truth is," Jesus continued, "no spokesperson of God is listened to in their hometown.25In Elijah's day, when it didn't rain for three and a half years and there was severe famine throughout the land, there were many widows in Israel,26but Elijah was not sent to live with any of them. No! He was sent to a widow in Zarephath in Sidon.27And when Elisha was God's spokesman, there were many in Israel with leprosy, yet not one of them was healed–just Naaman the Syrian. Stop waiting for miracles and embrace the truth already revealed."

28When the worshippers heard this, they became enraged.29The mob rose up and drove him out of the town to the edge of the cliff on which the town was built so they could throw him off.30But he walked right through the riotous crowd and continued on his way.

31Then he went to the town of Capernaum, in Galilee, and on the Sabbath began teaching the people.32They were overwhelmed with awe at his message because it resonated with the authority of truth.

33In the worship center was a man whose mind was controlled by a demon — a fallen angel. He screamed as loud as he could,34"You! What are you going to do to us, Jesus of Nazareth? Are you here to kill us? I know you are the Holy God!"

35 "Silence!" Jesus said and commanded, "Leave him!" Then the demon caused the man to fall down and left him without harming him.

36The people were dumbfounded and wondered to each other, "What kind of a decree is this? He orders demons and has the authority and power to make them leave!"37And his fame spread throughout the surrounding countryside.

38Jesus then left the worship center and went to Simon's house. Simon's mother-in-law was sick with a high fever, and they asked Jesus to help her.39So he leaned over her and ordered her body to be well, and the fever went away. She immediately got up and began serving them.

40At sunset the people brought to Jesus those suffering with a variety of illnesses and disabilities. He laid hands on them and healed them all.41Not only that, but from many he commanded demons to leave and they left shouting, "You are God the Son!" But he gave them firm instructions to be silent and would not grant them permission to speak, because they knew he was the Messiah.

42At dawn Jesus went to a remote location. The people searched for him and when they found him, they tried to keep him with them.43But he said, "I must take the Remedy from God's kingdom of love to other towns as well; that is why I was sent."44And he continued spreading the truth about God's Remedy at worship centers throughout Judea.