Matthew 4
New Testament · English Majority Text Version with Greek parallel
Matthew chapter 4 is given here in full, verse by verse, in the English Majority Text Version (EMTV), with the Byzantine Majority Text set beneath each verse. The text follows the Byzantine textual tradition used in the Orthodox Church.
24 patristic excerpts are attached to this chapter, from 3 Fathers — Saint John Chrysostom, Blessed Theophylact of Ohrid, and Saint Augustine.
Matthew 4
1Then Jesus was led up into the wilderness by the Spirit, to be tempted by the devil.Τότε ὁ Ἰησοῦς ἀνήχθη εἰς τὴν ἔρημον ὑπὸ τοῦ Πνεύματος, πειρασθῆναι ὑπὸ τοῦ διαβόλου.
2And having fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry.καὶ νηστεύσας ἡμέρας τεσσαράκοντα καὶ νύκτας τεσσαράκοντα, ὕστερον ἐπείνασε.
3And approaching Him, the tempter said, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones may become bread.”καὶ προσελθὼν αὐτῷ ὁ πειράζων εἶπεν, Εἰ υἱὸς εἶ τοῦ Θεοῦ, εἰπὲ ἵνα οἱ λίθοι οὗτοι ἄρτοι γένωνται.
4But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.’ ”ὁ δὲ ἀποκριθεὶς εἶπε, Γέγραπται, Οὐκ ἐπ᾽ ἄρτῳ μόνῳ ζήσεται ἄνθρωπος, ἀλλ᾽ ἐπὶ παντὶ ῥήματι ἐκπορευομένῳ διὰ στόματος Θεοῦ.
5Then the devil took Him up into the holy city, and set Him on the pinnacle of the temple,τότε παραλαμβάνει αὐτὸν ὁ διάβολος εἰς τὴν ἁγίαν πόλιν, καὶ ἵστησιν αὐτὸν ἐπὶ τὸ πτερύγιον τοῦ ἱεροῦ,
6and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. For it is written: ‘He shall give His angels charge concerning you,’ and, ‘In their hands they will lift you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone.’ ”καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ, Εἰ υἱὸς εἶ τοῦ Θεοῦ, βάλε σεαυτὸν κάτω· γέγραπται γὰρ ὅτι Τοῖς ἀγγέλοις αὐτοῦ ἐντελεῖται περὶ σοῦ· καί, Ἐπὶ χειρῶν ἀροῦσί σε, μήποτε προσκόψῃς πρὸς λίθον τὸν πόδα σου.
7Jesus said to him, “Again, it is written, ‘You shall not tempt the Lord your God.’ ”ἔφη αὐτῷ ὁ Ἰησοῦς, Πάλιν γέγραπται, Οὐκ ἐκπειράσεις Κύριον τὸν Θεόν σου.
8Again, the devil took Him up on a very high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world, and their glory.πάλιν παραλαμβάνει αὐτὸν ὁ διάβολος εἰς ὄρος ὑψηλὸν λίαν, καὶ δείκνυσιν αὐτῷ πάσας τὰς βασιλείας τοῦ κόσμου καὶ τὴν δόξαν αὐτῶν,
9And he said to Him, “All these things will I give You, if You will fall down and worship me.”καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ, Ταῦτα πάντα σοι δώσω, ἐὰν πεσὼν προσκυνήσῃς μοι.
10Then Jesus said to him, “Get behind Me, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him alone you shall serve.’ ”τότε λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ Ἰησοῦς, Ὕπαγε ὀπίσω μου, Σατανᾶ· γέγραπται γάρ, Κύριον τὸν Θεόν σου προσκυνήσεις, καὶ αὐτῷ μόνῳ λατρεύσεις.
11Then the devil left Him, and behold, angels came and ministered to Him.τότε ἀφίησιν αὐτὸν ὁ διάβολος· καὶ ἰδού, ἄγγελοι προσῆλθον καὶ διηκόνουν αὐτῷ.
12Now when Jesus heard that John had been imprisoned, He departed into Galilee.Ἀκούσας δὲ ὁ Ἰησοῦς ὅτι Ἰωάννης παρεδόθη, ἀνεχώρησεν εἰς τὴν Γαλιλαίαν·
13And leaving Nazareth behind, He came and settled down in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the regions of Zebulun and Naphtali,καὶ καταλιπὼν τὴν Ναζαρέτ, ἐλθὼν κατῴκησεν εἰς Καπερναοὺμ τὴν παραθαλασσίαν, ἐν ὁρίοις Ζαβουλὼν καὶ Νεφθαλείμ·
14so that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying:ἵνα πληρωθῇ τὸ ῥηθὲν διὰ Ἡσαΐου τοῦ προφήτου, λέγοντος,
15“The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, by the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles,Γῆ Ζαβουλὼν καὶ γῆ Νεφθαλείμ, ὁδὸν θαλάσσης, πέραν τοῦ Ἰορδάνου, Γαλιλαία τῶν ἐθνῶν,
16the people sitting in darkness have seen a great light, and to those who sat in the land and the shadow of death, light has dawned.”ὁ λαὸς ὁ καθήμενος ἐν σκότει εἶδε φῶς μέγα, καὶ τοῖς καθημένοις ἐν χώρᾳ καὶ σκιᾷ θανάτου, φῶς ἀνέτειλεν αὐτοῖς.
17From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”Ἀπὸ τότε ἤρξατο ὁ Ἰησοῦς κηρύσσειν καὶ λέγειν, Μετανοεῖτε· ἤγγικε γὰρ ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν.
18Now as He was walking alongside the Sea of Galilee, He saw two brothers, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen.Περιπατῶν δὲ παρὰ τὴν θάλασσαν τῆς Γαλιλαίας εἶδε δύο ἀδελφούς, Σίμωνα τὸν λεγόμενον Πέτρον, καὶ Ἀνδρέαν τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ, βάλλοντας ἀμφίβληστρον εἰς τὴν θάλασσαν· ἦσαν γὰρ ἁλιεῖς.
19Then He said to them, “Come after Me, and I will make you fishers of men.”καὶ λέγει αὐτοῖς, Δεῦτε ὀπίσω μου, καὶ ποιήσω ὑμᾶς ἁλιεῖς ἀνθρώπων.
20They immediately left their nets and followed Him.οἱ δὲ εὐθέως ἀφέντες τὰ δίκτυα ἠκολούθησαν αὐτῷ.
21And having gone forth from there, He saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets. And He called them.καὶ προβὰς ἐκεῖθεν, εἶδεν ἄλλους δύο ἀδελφούς, Ἰάκωβον τὸν τοῦ Ζεβεδαίου καὶ Ἰωάννην τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ, ἐν τῷ πλοίῳ μετὰ Ζεβεδαίου τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτῶν, καταρτίζοντας τὰ δίκτυα αὐτῶν· καὶ ἐκάλεσεν αὐτούς.
22And immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed Him.οἱ δὲ εὐθέως ἀφέντες τὸ πλοῖον καὶ τὸν πατέρα αὐτῶν ἠκολούθησαν αὐτῷ.
23And Jesus went about all of Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every disease and every illness among the people.Καὶ περιῆγεν ὅλην τὴν Γαλιλαίαν ὁ Ἰησοῦς, διδάσκων ἐν ταῖς συναγωγαῖς αὐτῶν, καὶ κηρύσσων τὸ εὐαγγέλιον τῆς βασιλείας, καὶ θεραπεύων πᾶσαν νόσον καὶ πᾶσαν μαλακίαν ἐν τῷ λαῷ.
24And the report of Him went throughout all Syria; and they brought to Him all those who were sick, and who were suffering with various diseases and torments, and those who were demon-possessed, epileptics, and paralytics; and He healed them.καὶ ἀπῆλθεν ἡ ἀκοὴ αὐτοῦ εἰς ὅλην τὴν Συρίαν· καὶ προσήνεγκαν αὐτῷ πάντας τοὺς κακῶς ἔχοντας, ποικίλαις νόσοις καὶ βασάνοις συνεχομένους, καὶ δαιμονιζομένους, καὶ σεληνιαζομένους, καὶ παραλυτικούς· καὶ ἐθεράπευσεν αὐτούς.
25And large crowds followed Him from Galilee and from Decapolis, and Jerusalem, and Judea, and beyond the Jordan.καὶ ἠκολούθησαν αὐτῷ ὄχλοι πολλοὶ ἀπὸ τῆς Γαλιλαίας καὶ Δεκαπόλεως καὶ Ἱεροσολύμων καὶ Ἰουδαίας καὶ πέραν τοῦ Ἰορδάνου.
The Fathers on Matthew 4
Saint John Chrysostom, Blessed Theophylact of Ohrid, and Saint Augustine comment on this chapter. Each excerpt below is drawn from the full text held in the Fathers Library; follow the link on any entry to read the whole work.
On Matthew 4:1Saint John ChrysostomThen. When? After the descent of the Spirit, after the voice that was borne from above, and said, “This is My Beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” And what was marvellous, it was of the Holy Spirit; for this, he here saith, led Him up.
Read Homilies on the Gospel of Matthew →
On Matthew 4:1Blessed Theophylact of Ohrid1. Then was Jesus led up by the Spirit into the wilderness. Teaching us that it is especially after our baptism that we should expect temptations, He is led up by the Holy Spirit; for He did nothing apart from the Holy Spirit. He is led into the wilderness to show us that the...
Read The Explanation by Blessed Theophylact of the Holy Gospel According to St. Matthew →
On Matthew 4:12Saint John Chrysostom1. Wherefore doth He depart? Again instructing us not to go to meet temptations,561but to give place and withdraw ourselves. For it is no reproach, the not casting one’s self into danger, but the failing to stand manfully when fallen into it. To teach us this accordingly, and to soothe the envy of the Jews, He retires to Capernaum; at once fulfilling the prophecy,562and making haste to catch the teachers of the world: for they, as 84 you know, were abiding there, following their craft.
Read Homilies on the Gospel of Matthew →
On Matthew 4:12Saint AugustineMatthew’s narrative is continued thus: “Now when Jesus had heard that John was cast into prison, He departed into Galilee.” Mark states the same fact, as also does Luke, only Luke says nothing in the present section as to John being cast into prison.
Read The Harmony of the Gospels →
On Matthew 4:12Saint AugustineFurthermore, we must consider the question how the evangelist John, before there is any mention of the casting of John the Baptist into prison, tells us that Jesus went into Galilee.
Read The Harmony of the Gospels →
On Matthew 4:12–13Blessed Theophylact of Ohrid12-13. Now when Jesus had heard that John had been handed over, He departed into Galilee; and leaving Nazareth, He came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is upon the sea coast, in the borders of Zabulon and Nephthalim. Jesus departs, teaching us not to throw ourselves into...
Read The Explanation by Blessed Theophylact of the Holy Gospel According to St. Matthew →
On Matthew 4:4Saint AugustineMatthew proceeds with his narrative in these terms: “Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness, to be tempted of the devil.
Read The Harmony of the Gospels →
On Matthew 4:4Blessed Theophylact of Ohrid4. But He answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. This testimony is from the Old Testament, from the words of Moses (Deut 8:3). The Hebrews, too, had been fed by manna, not by real bread;...
Read The Explanation by Blessed Theophylact of the Holy Gospel According to St. Matthew →
On Matthew 4:2Blessed Theophylact of Ohrid2. And when He had fasted. He fasted to show us that fasting is a great weapon against temptations, just as the love of delicacies was the beginning of all sin. Forty days and forty nights. He fasts as long as Moses and Elijah did, for if He had fasted longer, it would have...
Read The Explanation by Blessed Theophylact of the Holy Gospel According to St. Matthew →
On Matthew 4:3Blessed Theophylact of Ohrid3. And when the tempter came to Him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. That prowler, the devil, had heard the voice from heaven, and then he saw the Lord hunger, and he was in doubt, wondering how the Son of God could hunger....
Read The Explanation by Blessed Theophylact of the Holy Gospel According to St. Matthew →
On Matthew 4:5–6Blessed Theophylact of Ohrid5-6. Then the devil taketh Him up into the Holy City, and setteth Him on a pinnacle of the temple, and saith unto Him, If Thou be the Son of God, cast Thyself down: for it is written, He shall give His angels charge concerning thee, and in their hands they shall bear thee up,...
Read The Explanation by Blessed Theophylact of the Holy Gospel According to St. Matthew →
On Matthew 4:7Blessed Theophylact of Ohrid7. Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. Christ calmly repels the devil, teaching us to defeat the demons with meekness.
Read The Explanation by Blessed Theophylact of the Holy Gospel According to St. Matthew →
On Matthew 4:8–9Blessed Theophylact of Ohrid8-9. Again, the devil taketh Him up onto an exceeding high mountain, and showeth Him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; and saith unto Him, All these things will I give Thee, if Thou wilt fall down and worship me. Some think that the high mountain is the...
Read The Explanation by Blessed Theophylact of the Holy Gospel According to St. Matthew →
On Matthew 4:10Blessed Theophylact of Ohrid10. Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee behind Me, Satan. For it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and Him only shalt thou serve. The Lord became angry with him when He saw him appropriating what was God’s and saying, "All these things will I give Thee," as if...
Read The Explanation by Blessed Theophylact of the Holy Gospel According to St. Matthew →
On Matthew 4:11Blessed Theophylact of Ohrid11. Then the devil leaveth Him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto Him. The Lord conquered the three temptations of gluttony, vainglory, and avarice. These are the chief passions, and by conquering them, how much more so does He conquer the others. Wherefore Luke...
Read The Explanation by Blessed Theophylact of the Holy Gospel According to St. Matthew →
On Matthew 4:14–16Blessed Theophylact of Ohrid14-16. That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying, The land of Zabulon, and the land of Nephthalim, by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles; the people which sat in darkness saw a great light; and on them which sat in the...
Read The Explanation by Blessed Theophylact of the Holy Gospel According to St. Matthew →
On Matthew 4:17Blessed Theophylact of Ohrid17. From that time Jesus began to preach and to say. From the time John was arrested, Jesus began to preach. For Jesus waited for John to first bear witness to Him and to prepare the way for Him, in the same manner in which servants make preparations for their masters. Being...
Read The Explanation by Blessed Theophylact of the Holy Gospel According to St. Matthew →
On Matthew 4:18–19Blessed Theophylact of Ohrid18-19. As He was walking by the Sea of Galilee, He saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishermen; and He saith unto them. These two had been disciples of John, and while John was still living they had...
Read The Explanation by Blessed Theophylact of the Holy Gospel According to St. Matthew →
On Matthew 4:19–20Blessed Theophylact of Ohrid19-20. Come follow Me and I will make you fishers of men. And they straightway left their nets, and followed Him. Behold obedient men, who followed Him immediately. From this it is clear that this is the second time that He called them. For they had been taught by Christ on a...
Read The Explanation by Blessed Theophylact of the Holy Gospel According to St. Matthew →
On Matthew 4:21Blessed Theophylact of Ohrid21. And going on from thence, He saw two other brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a boat with Zebedee their father. It is the greatest of virtues to care for one’s father in his old age, and for the father to be supported by the just labors of his...
Read The Explanation by Blessed Theophylact of the Holy Gospel According to St. Matthew →
On Matthew 4:22Blessed Theophylact of Ohrid22. And they immediately left the boat and their father, and followed Him. It appears that Zebedee did not believe and it is for this reason that they left him. Do you see when it becomes necessary to leave one’s father? When the father becomes an impediment to virtue and...
Read The Explanation by Blessed Theophylact of the Holy Gospel According to St. Matthew →
On Matthew 4:23Blessed Theophylact of Ohrid23. And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the Gospel of the kingdom. Jesus enters the synagogues of the Hebrews to show that He is not opposed to the law. And healing every disease and every infirmity among the people. He begins with...
Read The Explanation by Blessed Theophylact of the Holy Gospel According to St. Matthew →
On Matthew 4:24Blessed Theophylact of Ohrid24. And His fame went throughout all Syria: and they brought unto Him all sick people that were afflicted with various diseases and torments, and lunatics, and paralytics, and He healed them. Christ did not ask for faith from any of the sick that were brought to Him, for the...
Read The Explanation by Blessed Theophylact of the Holy Gospel According to St. Matthew →
On Matthew 4:25Open Matthew 4 in the interactive reader Switch translations, hear the chapter read aloud, tap any verse for its patristic commentary, and study the Greek word by word.Blessed Theophylact of Ohrid25. And there followed Him great multitudes of people from Galilee, and from Decapolis, and from Jerusalem, and from Judea, and from beyond the Jordan.
Read The Explanation by Blessed Theophylact of the Holy Gospel According to St. Matthew →