Bible/Luke/4

Luke 4:2

4:1 And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness,
Being forty days tempted of the devil. And in those days he did eat nothing: and when they were ended, he afterward hungered.

KJV

Save image

for forty days, being tempted by the devil. He ate nothing in those days. Afterward, when they were completed, he was hungry.

Being forty days tempted of the devil. And in those days he did eat nothing: and when they were ended, he afterward hungered.

Being forty days tempted of the devil. And in those days he did eat nothing: and when they were ended, he afterward hungry.

4:3 And the devil said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, command this stone that it be made bread.

What does Luke 4:2 mean?

Luke 4:2 is a verse in the book of Luke, in the New Testament. In the original Greek, key words include πειράζω (peirazo), τεσσεράκοντα (tessarakonta), ἡμέρα (hemera). It connects to 15 cross-referenced passages elsewhere in Scripture.

Greek interlinear

Full chapter interlinear →
Beingπειράζωpeirazo/pi-rad'-zo/G3985from 3984; to test (objectively), i.e. endeavor, scrutinize, entice, discipline:--assay, examine, go about, prove, tempt(-er), try.
fortyτεσσεράκονταtessarakonta/tes-sar-ak'-on-tah/G5062the decade of 5064; forty:--forty.
daysἡμέραhemera/hay-mer'-ah/G2250feminine (with 5610 implied) of a derivative of hemai (to sit; akin to the base of 1476) meaning tame, i.e. gentle; day, i.e. (literally) the time space between dawn and dark, or the whole 24 hours (but several days were usually reckoned by the Jews as inclusive of the parts of both extremes); figuratively, a period (always defined more or less clearly by the context):--age, + alway, (mid-)day (by day, (-ly)), + for ever, judgment, (day) time, while, years.
temptedπειράζωpeirazo/pi-rad'-zo/G3985from 3984; to test (objectively), i.e. endeavor, scrutinize, entice, discipline:--assay, examine, go about, prove, tempt(-er), try.
ofὑπόhupo/hoop-o'/G5259a primary preposition; under, i.e. (with the genitive case) of place (beneath), or with verbs (the agency or means, through); (with the accusative case) of place (whither (underneath) or where (below) or time (when (at)):--among, by, from, in, of, under, with. In the comparative, it retains the same general applications, especially of inferior position or condition, and specially, covertly or moderately.
the
devil.διάβολοςdiabolos/dee-ab'-ol-os/G1228from 1225; a traducer; specially, Satan (compare 7854):--false accuser, devil, slanderer.
Andκαίkai/kahee/G2532apparently, a primary particle, having a copulative and sometimes also a cumulative force; and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words:--and, also, both, but, even, for, if, or, so, that, then, therefore, when, yet.
inἐνen/en/G1722a primary preposition denoting (fixed) position (in place, time or state), and (by implication) instrumentality (medially or constructively), i.e. a relation of rest (intermediate between 1519 and 1537); "in," at, (up-)on, by, etc.:--about, after, against, + almost, X altogether, among, X as, at, before, between, (here-)by (+ all means), for (... sake of), + give self wholly to, (here-)in(-to, -wardly), X mightily, (because) of, (up-)on, (open-)ly, X outwardly, one, X quickly, X shortly, (speedi-)ly, X that, X there(-in, -on), through(-out), (un-)to(-ward), under, when, where(-with), while, with(-in). Often used in compounds, with substantially the same import; rarely with verbs of motion, and then not to indicate direction, except (elliptically) by a separate (and different) preposition.
thoseἐκεῖνοςekeinos/ek-i'-nos/G1565from 1563; that one (or (neuter) thing); often intensified by the article prefixed:--he, it, the other (same), selfsame, that (same, very), X their, X them, they, this, those. See also 3778.
daysἡμέραhemera/hay-mer'-ah/G2250feminine (with 5610 implied) of a derivative of hemai (to sit; akin to the base of 1476) meaning tame, i.e. gentle; day, i.e. (literally) the time space between dawn and dark, or the whole 24 hours (but several days were usually reckoned by the Jews as inclusive of the parts of both extremes); figuratively, a period (always defined more or less clearly by the context):--age, + alway, (mid-)day (by day, (-ly)), + for ever, judgment, (day) time, while, years.
he
did
eatἐσθίωphago/fag'-o/G5315a primary verb (used as an alternate of 2068 in certain tenses); to eat (literally or figuratively):--eat, meat.
nothing:οὐouG3756ouk ook, and (before an aspirate) ouch ookh a primary word; the absolute negative (compare 3361) adverb; no or not:--+ long, nay, neither, never, no (X man), none, (can-)not, + nothing, + special, un(-worthy), when, + without, + yet but. See also 3364, 3372.
andκαίkai/kahee/G2532apparently, a primary particle, having a copulative and sometimes also a cumulative force; and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words:--and, also, both, but, even, for, if, or, so, that, then, therefore, when, yet.
when
theyαὐτόςautos/ow-tos'/G846from the particle au (perhaps akin to the base of 109 through the idea of a baffling wind) (backward); the reflexive pronoun self, used (alone or in the comparative 1438) of the third person , and (with the proper personal pronoun) of the other persons:--her, it(-self), one, the other, (mine) own, said, (self-), the) same, ((him-, my-, thy- )self, (your-)selves, she, that, their(-s), them(-selves), there(-at, - by, -in, -into, -of, -on, -with), they, (these) things, this (man), those, together, very, which. Compare 848.
were
ended,συντελέωsunteleo/soon-tel-eh'-o/G4931from 4862 and 5055; to complete entirely; generally, to execute (literally or figuratively):--end, finish, fulfil, make.
he
afterwardὕστεροςhusteron/hoos'-ter-on/G5305neuter of 5306 as adverb; more lately, i.e. eventually:--afterward, (at the) last (of all).
hungered.πεινάωpeinao/pi-nah'-o/G3983from the same as 3993 (through the idea of pinching toil; "pine"); to famish (absolutely or comparatively); figuratively, to crave:--be an hungered.

Commentary on Luke 4:2

HENRY_FULL · Luke 4:2
" We left Christ newly baptized, and owned by a voice from heaven and the descent of the Holy Ghost upon him. Now, in this chapter, we have, I. A further preparation of him for his public ministry by his being tempted in the wilderness, of which we had the same account before in Matthew as we have here, ver. 1-13 . II. His entrance upon his public work in Galilee ( ver. 14, 15 ), particularly, 1. At Nazareth, the city where he had been bred up ( ver. 16-30 ), which we had no account of before in Matthew. 2 . At Capernaum, where, having preached to admiration ( ver. 31-32 ), he cast the devil out of a man that was possessed ( ver. 33-37 ), cured Peter's mother-in-law of a fever ( ver. 38, 39 ), and many others that were sick and possessed ( ver. 40, 41 ), and then went and did the same in other cities of Galilee, ver. 42-44 . The Temptation

Cross-references

Related passages from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

Genesis 3:15

And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

Exodus 24:18

And Moses went into the midst of the cloud, and gat him up into the mount: and Moses was in the mount forty days and forty nights.

Exodus 34:28

And he was there with the LORD forty days and forty nights; he did neither eat bread, nor drink water. And he wrote upon the tables the words of the covenant, the ten commandments. commandments: Heb. words

Deuteronomy 9:9

When I was gone up into the mount to receive the tables of stone, even the tables of the covenant which the LORD made with you, then I abode in the mount forty days and forty nights, I neither did eat bread nor drink water:

Deuteronomy 9:18

And I fell down before the LORD, as at the first, forty days and forty nights: I did neither eat bread, nor drink water, because of all your sins which ye sinned, in doing wickedly in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger.

Deuteronomy 9:25

Thus I fell down before the LORD forty days and forty nights, as I fell down at the first; because the LORD had said he would destroy you.

1 Samuel 17:16

And the Philistine drew near morning and evening, and presented himself forty days.

1 Kings 19:8

And he arose, and did eat and drink, and went in the strength of that meat forty days and forty nights unto Horeb the mount of God.

Esther 4:16

Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day: I also and my maidens will fast likewise; and so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish. present: Heb. found

Jonah 3:7

And he caused it to be proclaimed and published through Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles, saying, Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste any thing: let them not feed, nor drink water: published: Heb. said nobles: Heb. great men

Matthew 4:2

And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred.

Matthew 21:18

Now in the morning as he returned into the city, he hungered.

John 4:6

Now Jacob's well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well: and it was about the sixth hour.

Hebrews 2:18

For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.

Hebrews 4:15

For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.

Topics

HungerSatanTemptation

Verses like this

Other verses that share key original-language words with Luke 4:2.

Mark 1:13

And he was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted of Satan; and was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered unto him.

Matthew 2:16

Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently enquired of the wise men.

Matthew 3:1

In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea,

Matthew 3:6

And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins.

Matthew 4:1

Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.

Matthew 4:2

And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred.

Hebrews 3:9

When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years.

Mark 1:9

And it came to pass in those days, that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized of John in Jordan.

Frequently asked questions

What does Luke 4:2 say?

Luke 4:2 (King James Version) reads: "Being forty days tempted of the devil. And in those days he did eat nothing: and when they were ended, he afterward hungered."

Is Luke 4:2 in the Old or New Testament?

Luke 4:2 is in the New Testament of the Bible, in the book of Luke.

Reflect

As you read Luke 4:2, what is one truth here you can carry into today?

Plan a sermon or study on Luke 4:2
4:1Read all of Luke 44:3