📖 Luke — Chapter 4 (KJV)
Read the complete King James Version chapter below, then explore the passage sections, check what you remember, and keep your private study notes.
Red lettering identifies words spoken by Jesus; it is an editorial reading aid. Scripture source: Project Gutenberg KJV, ebook 10.
Luke 4:1 And RJesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness,
Luke 4:2 Being Rforty days tempted of the devil. And in those days he did eat nothing: and when they were ended, he afterward hungered.
Luke 4:3 And the devil said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, command this stone that it be made bread.
Luke 4:4 And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, RThat man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.
Luke 4:5 And the devil, Rtaking him up into an high mountain, shewed unto him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time.
Luke 4:6 And the devil said unto him, RAll this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it.
Luke 4:7 If thou therefore wilt Rworship me, all shall be thine.
Luke 4:8 And Jesus answered and said unto him, RGet thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.
Luke 4:9 And he Rbrought him to Jerusalem, and set him on a pinnacle of the temple, and said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down from hence:
Luke 4:10 For it is written, He shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee:
Luke 4:11 And in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.
Luke 4:12 And Jesus answering said unto him, It is said, RThou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.
Luke 4:13 And when the devil had ended all the temptation, he departed from him for a season.
Luke 4:14 And Jesus Rreturned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee: and there went out a fame of him through all the region round about.
Luke 4:15 And he taught in their synagogues, Rbeing glorified of all.
Luke 4:16 And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, Rand stood up for to read.
Luke 4:17 And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found Rthe place where it was written,
Luke 4:18 The RSpirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,
Luke 4:19 RTo preach the acceptable year of the Lord.
Luke 4:20 And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, Rand sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him.
Luke 4:21 And he began to say unto them, RThis day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.
Luke 4:22 And all bare him witness, and wondered at Rthe gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth. And they said, Is not this Joseph’s son?
Luke 4:23 And he said unto them, Ye will surely say unto me this proverb, RPhysician, heal thyself: whatsoever we have heard done in Capernaum, do also here in thy country.
Luke 4:24 And he said, Verily I say unto you, No prophet is accepted in his own country.
Luke 4:25 But I tell you of a truth, Rmany widows were in Israel in the days of Elias, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when great famine was throughout all the land;
Luke 4:26 But unto none of them was Elias sent, Rsave unto Sarepta, a city of Sidon, unto a woman that was a widow.
Luke 4:27 And many lepers were in Israel in the time of REliseus the prophet; and none of them was cleansed, saving Naaman the Syrian.
Luke 4:28 And all they in the synagogue, when they heard these things, Rwere filled with wrath,
Luke 4:29 And rose up, Rand thrust him out of the city, and led him unto the brow of the hill whereon their city was built, that they might cast him down headlong.
Luke 4:30 RBut he passing through the midst of them went his way,
Luke 4:31 And Rcame down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, and taught them on the sabbath days.
Luke 4:32 RAnd they were astonished at his doctrine: for his word was with power.
Luke 4:33 And in the synagogue there was a man, which had a spirit of an unclean devil, and cried out with a loud voice,
Luke 4:34 Saying, RLet us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art; the Holy One of God.
Luke 4:35 And RJesus rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace, and come out of him. And when the devil had thrown him in the midst, he came out of him, and hurt him not.
Luke 4:36 And Rthey were all amazed, and spake among themselves, saying, What a word is this! for with authority and power he commandeth the unclean spirits, and they come out.
Luke 4:37 And Rthe fame of him went out into every place of the country round about.
Luke 4:38 And he arose out of the synagogue, and entered into Simon’s house. And Simon’s wife’s mother was taken with a great fever; and Rthey besought him for her.
Luke 4:39 And he stood over her, Rand rebuked the fever; and it left her: and immediately she arose and ministered unto them.
Luke 4:40 Now Rwhen the sun was setting, all they that had any sick with divers diseases brought them unto him; and he laid his hands on every one of them, and healed them.
Luke 4:41 And devils also came out of many, Rcrying out, and saying, Thou art Christ the Son of God. And he rebuking them suffered them not to speak: for they knew that he was Christ.
Luke 4:42 And Rwhen it was day, he departed and went into a desert place: and the people sought him, and came unto him, and stayed him, that he should not depart from them.
Luke 4:43 And he said unto them, RI must preach the kingdom of God to other cities also: for therefore am I sent.
Luke 4:44 And he preached in the synagogues of Galilee.
📚 Study This Chapter
📖 What We’re Reading
Luke 4:1–13 — Jesus resists temptation with God’s word
🌱 What These Verses Teach Us
Led by the Spirit into the wilderness, Jesus faces temptations concerning bread, power, and protection. He answers with Scripture and refuses to turn trust in the Father into a test of God.
Key Truth: Let obedience govern desire for provision, power, or spectacle.
Check What You Remember
1. Complete the KJV wording: “… Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the ____ into the wilderness,” (Luke 4:1)
Find it in Luke 4:1 (KJV).
2. Complete the KJV wording: “If thou therefore ____ worship me, all shall be thine.” (Luke 4:7)
Find it in Luke 4:7 (KJV).
3. Complete the KJV wording: “And when the ____ had ended all the temptation, he departed from him for …” (Luke 4:13)
Find it in Luke 4:13 (KJV).
📖 What We’re Reading
Luke 4:14–30 — Nazareth hears the fulfilled Scripture but rejects Jesus
🌱 What These Verses Teach Us
Jesus reads Isaiah in the synagogue and announces its fulfillment. His examples concerning Elias and Eliseus challenge hometown entitlement, and anger leads the people to attempt violence against him.
Key Truth: Receive God’s mercy without claiming it as an exclusive privilege.
Check What You Remember
1. Complete the KJV wording: “And Jesus returned in the power of the ____ into Galilee: and there went out a fame of him …” (Luke 4:14)
Find it in Luke 4:14 (KJV).
2. Complete the KJV wording: “And all bare him witness, and wondered at the gracious ____ which proceeded out of his mouth. And they said, Is …” (Luke 4:22)
Find it in Luke 4:22 (KJV).
3. Complete the KJV wording: “But he ____ through the midst of them went his way,” (Luke 4:30)
Find it in Luke 4:30 (KJV).
📖 What We’re Reading
Luke 4:31–44 — Authority, healing, and preaching mark the ministry
🌱 What These Verses Teach Us
In Capernaum Jesus teaches with authority, delivers a man from an unclean spirit, and heals Simon’s mother-in-law and many others. He withdraws, then continues preaching the kingdom rather than staying at the crowd’s request.
Key Truth: Let compassionate service remain directed by the mission God gives.
Check What You Remember
1. Complete the KJV wording: “And ____ down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, and taught them …” (Luke 4:31)
Find it in Luke 4:31 (KJV).
2. Complete the KJV wording: “… the synagogue, and entered into Simon’s house. And Simon’s wife’s ____ was taken with a great fever; and they besought him …” (Luke 4:38)
Find it in Luke 4:38 (KJV).
3. Complete the KJV wording: “And he ____ in the synagogues of Galilee.” (Luke 4:44)
Find it in Luke 4:44 (KJV).
Related Scripture (KJV)
Isaiah 61:1 — Jesus reads this announcement of Spirit-anointed good tidings in Nazareth.
This related passage is selected for its connection with this chapter. It is separate from the chapter text.
Reflect and Apply
Where could entitlement or desire for approval hinder your response to God’s word?
Advanced Questions and Answers
Study this chapter’s wording, patterns, contrasts, and meaning in greater depth.
1. Which account best distinguishes Luke 4:1–13 (Jesus resists temptation with God’s word) from the other movements of this chapter?
2. Which account best distinguishes Luke 4:14–30 (Nazareth hears the fulfilled Scripture but rejects Jesus) from the other movements of this chapter?
3. Which account best distinguishes Luke 4:31–44 (Authority, healing, and preaching mark the ministry) from the other movements of this chapter?
4. What does Jesus' answer about bread establish in the temptation?
5. Why does Jesus refuse to confine his preaching to one city?
Notes
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