The Complete Sayings of Jesus

Christ's Long Fast in the Wilderness — Satan's Futile Wiles.

A.D. 27. Age 30 Judea.

Matthew 4, 1-11: Mark 1, 13: Luke 4, 1-13.

THEN was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. He was there in the wilderness forty days, and was with the wild beasts. In those days he did eat nothing. And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was a hungered. The tempter came: he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. But Jesus answered, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. Then, in Jerusalem, the holy city, on a pinnacle of the temple, the devil saith unto Jesus, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down from hence: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee, to keep thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash they foot against a stone. Jesus answering said, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. Again, up an exceeding high mountain, the devil sheweth him, in a moment of time, all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them, and saith unto Jesus, All these things will I give thee; all this power, and the glory of them: if thou wilt fall down and worship me, all shall be thine. And Jesus answered, Get thee behind me, Satan; get thee hence: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. Then the devil leaveth him.