Nazarene Course of Study · Y1C4 — New Testament Scripture and Theology

Comparing Accounts of the Temptation of Jesus in the Synoptic Gospels

The Temptation of Jesus is recorded in each of the synoptic gospels: Matthew 4:1–11, Mark 1:12–13, and Luke 4:1–13. This assignment presents each account side by side in the English Standard Version and highlights the texts to show material that is unique to each account, or common between two or more accounts.

Color key

Highlighting is by phrase-level judgment. Plain text is left for minor differences and for the one phrase shared only by Matthew and Mark (the ministering angels), which wasn't discussed in the assignment coloring key.

Matthew 4:1–11

The Temptation of Jesus

1Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 3And the tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” 4But he answered, “It is written,

“‘Man shall not live by bread alone,

but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

5Then the devil took him to the holy city and set him on the pinnacle of the temple 6and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written,

“‘He will command his angels concerning you,’

and

“‘On their hands they will bear you up,

lest you strike your foot against a stone.’”

7Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’” 8Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. 9And he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.” 10Then Jesus said to him, “Be gone, Satan! For it is written,

“‘You shall worship the Lord your God

and him only shall you serve.’”

11Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and were ministering to him.

Mark 1:12–13

The Temptation of Jesus

12The Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. 13And he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan. And he was with the wild animals, and the angels were ministering to him.

Luke 4:1–13

The Temptation of Jesus

1And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness 2for forty days, being tempted by the devil. And he ate nothing during those days. And when they were ended, he was hungry. 3The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.” 4And Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone.’” 5And the devil took him up and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time, 6and said to him, “To you I will give all this authority and their glory, for it has been delivered to me, and I give it to whom I will. 7If you, then, will worship me, it will all be yours.” 8And Jesus answered him, “It is written,

“‘You shall worship the Lord your God,

and him only shall you serve.’”

9And he took him to Jerusalem and set him on the pinnacle of the temple and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here, 10for it is written,

“‘He will command his angels concerning you,

to guard you,’

11and

“‘On their hands they will bear you up,

lest you strike your foot against a stone.’”

12And Jesus answered him, “It is said, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’” 13And when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from him until an opportune time.