Luke Chapter 4

New Testament Gospel 44 Verses

What is Luke 4 about?

The most detailed Gospel — Jesus as the Son of Man, with special emphasis on the poor, women, prayer, and the Holy Spirit. The complete chapter text below provides the immediate literary context for study.

Text — American Standard Version (1901)

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. For original Hebrew/Greek interlinear text, open in BibleWord.ai.
1And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan, and was led in the Spirit in the wilderness
2during forty days, being tempted of the devil. And he did eat nothing in those days: and when they were completed, he hungered.
3And the devil said unto him, if thou art the Son of God, command this stone that it become bread.
4And Jesus answered unto him, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone.
5And he led him up, and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time.
6And the devil said unto him, To thee will I give all this authority, and the glory of them: for it hath been delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it.
7If thou therefore wilt worship before me, it shall all be thine.
8And Jesus answered and said unto him, It is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.
9And he led him to Jerusalem, and set him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said unto him, If thou art the Son of God, cast thyself down from hence:
10for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee, to guard thee:
11and, On their hands they shall bear thee up, Lest haply thou dash thy foot against a stone.
12And Jesus answering said unto him, It is said, Thou shalt not make trial of the Lord thy God.
13And when the devil had completed every temptation, he departed from him for a season.
14And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee: and a fame went out concerning him through all the region round about.
15And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified of all.
16And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and he entered, as his custom was, into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up to read.
17And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Isaiah. And he opened the book, and found the place where it was written,
18The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, Because he anointed me to preach good tidings to the poor: He hath sent me to proclaim release to the captives, And recovering of sight to the blind, To set at liberty them that are bruised,
19To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.
20And he closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant, and sat down: and the eyes of all in the synagogue were fastened on him.
21And he began to say unto them, To-day hath this scripture been fulfilled in your ears.
22And all bare him witness, and wondered at the words of grace which proceeded out of his mouth: and they said, Is not this Joseph`s son?
23And he said unto them, Doubtless ye will say unto me this parable, Physician, heal thyself: whatsoever we have heard done at Capernaum, do also here in thine own country.
24And he said, Verily I say unto you, No prophet is acceptable in his own country.
25But of a truth I say unto you, There were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when there came a great famine over all the land;
26and unto none of them was Elijah sent, but only to Zarephath, in the land of Sidon, unto a woman that was a widow.
27And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet; and none of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian.
28And they were all filled with wrath in the synagogue, as they heard these things;
29and they rose up, and cast him forth out of the city, and led him unto the brow of the hill whereon their city was built, that they might throw him down headlong.
30But he passing through the midst of them went his way.
31And he came down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee. And he was teaching them on the sabbath day:
32and they were astonished at his teaching; for his word was with authority.
33And in the synagogue there was a man, that had a spirit of an unclean demon; and he cried out with a loud voice,
34Ah! what have we to do with thee, Jesus thou Nazarene? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art, the Holy One of God.
35And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace, and come out of him. And when the demon had thrown him down in the midst, he came out of him, having done him no hurt.
36And amazement came upon all, and they spake together, one with another, saying, What is this word? for with authority and power he commandeth the unclean spirits, and they come out.
37And there went forth a rumor concerning him into every place of the region round about.
38And he rose up from the synagogue, and entered into the house of Simon. And Simon`s wife`s mother was holden with a great fever; and they besought him for her.
39And he stood over her, and rebuked the fever; and it left her: and immediately she rose up and ministered unto them.
40And when 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.
41And demons also came out from many, crying out, and saying, Thou art the Son of God. And rebuking them, he suffered them not to speak, because they knew that he was the Christ.
42And when it was day, he came out and went into a desert place: and the multitudes sought after him, and came unto him, and would have stayed him, that he should not go from them.
43But he said unto them, I must preach the good tidings of the kingdom of God to the other cities also: for therefore was I sent.
44And he was preaching in the synagogues of Galilee.

What do historical commentaries say about this chapter?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · on verse 1
“And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost, etc.] The Spirit of God having descended on him at his baptism, and afresh anointed, and filled his human nature with his gifts, whereby, as man, he was abundantly furnished for the great work of the public ministry, he was just about to enter upon; yet must first go through a series of temptations, and which, through the fulness of the Holy Spirit in him, he was sufficiently fortified against. Returned from Jordan; where he came, and had been with John, and was baptized by him; which, when over, he went back from the same side of Jordan, to which he came: and was led by…”
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Jamieson, Fausset & Brown
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown · Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible · on verse 1
“JESUS ENTERING ON HIS PUBLIC MINISTRY, MAKES A CIRCUIT OF GALILEE--REJECTION AT NAZARETH. (Luke 4:14-32) as his custom was--Compare Act 17:2. stood up for to read--Others besides rabbins were allowed to address the congregation. (See Act 13:15.)”
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Barnes' Notes
Albert Barnes (1798–1870) · Notes on the Whole Bible · on verse 1
“On the temptation of Jesus, see the notes at Matthew 4:1-11. Luke 4:2 Being forty days tempted - That is, through forty days he was “tried” in various ways by the devil. The temptations, however, which are recorded by Matthew and Luke did not take place until the forty days were finished. See Matthew 4:2-3. He did eat nothing - He was sustained by the power of God during this season of extraordinary fasting. Luke 4:13 Departed for a season - For a time. From this it appears that our Saviour was “afterward” subjected to temptations by Satan, but no “particular” temptations are recorded after this. From John 14:30,…”
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Wesley's Explanatory Notes
John Wesley (1703–1791) · Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament and Old Testament notes · on verse 1
“The wilderness - Supposed by some to have been in Judea; by others to have been that great desert of Horeb or Sinai, where the children of Israel were tried for forty years, and Moses and Elijah fasted forty days. Mat 4:1; Mar 1:12. Luke 4:4”
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Tyndale Open Study Notes
Tyndale House Publishers · Tyndale Open Study Notes · on verse 1
“4:1-13 Satan tempted Jesus to bypass his Father’s plan of salvation by taking power and glory for himself. The forty-day temptation in the wilderness parallels Israel’s forty years of testing in the wilderness. Israel failed when tested, but Jesus was victorious.”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · on verse 1
“am 4031, ad 27 Jesus: Mat 4:1-11 full: Luk 4:14, Luk 4:18, Luk 3:22; Isa 11:2-4, Isa 61:1; Mat 3:16; Joh 1:32, Joh 3:34; Act 1:2, Act 10:38 and was: Luk 2:27; Kg1 18:12; Eze 3:14; Mar 1:12, Mar 1:13; Act 8:39 wilderness: Kg1 19:4; Mar 1:13 Luke 4:2”
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