The Beginning

Do Not Forget the Lord

8 Be careful to follow every command I am giving you today, so that you may live^(A) and increase and may enter and possess the land the Lord promised on oath to your ancestors.^{(B) 2} Remember how the Lord your God led^(C) you all the way in the wilderness these forty years, to humble and test^(D) you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands. ³ He humbled^(E) you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna,^(F) which neither you nor your ancestors had known, to teach^(G) you that man does not live on bread^(H) alone but on every word that comes from the mouth^(I) of the Lord.^{(J) 4} Your clothes did not wear out and your feet did not swell during these forty years.^{(K) 5} Know then in your heart that as a man disciplines his son, so the Lord your God disciplines you.^(L)

⁶ Observe the commands of the Lord your God, walking in obedience to him^(M) and revering him.^{(N) 7} For the Lord your God is bringing you into a good land^(O)—a land with brooks, streams, and deep springs gushing out into the valleys and hills;^{(P) 8} a land with wheat and barley,^(Q) vines^(R) and fig trees,^(S) pomegranates, olive oil and honey;^{(T) 9} a land where bread^(U) will not be scarce and you will lack nothing;^(V) a land where the rocks are iron and you can dig copper out of the hills.^(W)

¹⁰ When you have eaten and are satisfied,^(X) praise the Lord your God for the good land he has given you. ¹¹ Be careful that you do not forget^(Y) the Lord your God, failing to observe his commands, his laws and his decrees that I am giving you this day. ¹² Otherwise, when you eat and are satisfied, when you build fine houses and settle down,^{(Z) 13} and when your herds and flocks grow large and your silver and gold increase and all you have is multiplied, ¹⁴ then your heart will become proud and you will forget^(AA) the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. ¹⁵ He led you through the vast and dreadful wilderness,^(AB) that thirsty and waterless land, with its venomous snakes^(AC) and scorpions. He brought you water out of hard rock.^{(AD) 16} He gave you manna^(AE) to eat in the wilderness, something your ancestors had never known,^(AF) to humble and test^(AG) you so that in the end it might go well with you. ¹⁷ You may say to yourself,^(AH) “My power and the strength of my hands^(AI) have produced this wealth for me.” ¹⁸ But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth,^(AJ) and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your ancestors, as it is today.

¹⁹ If you ever forget the Lord your God and follow other gods^(AK) and worship and bow down to them, I testify against you today that you will surely be destroyed.^{(AL) 20} Like the nations^(AM) the Lord destroyed before you, so you will be destroyed for not obeying the Lord your God.^(AN)

God’s Final Word: His Son

1 In the past God spoke^(A) to our ancestors through the prophets^(B) at many times and in various ways,^{(C) 2} but in these last days^(D) he has spoken to us by his Son,^(E) whom he appointed heir^(F) of all things, and through whom^(G) also he made the universe.^{(H) 3} The Son is the radiance of God’s glory^(I) and the exact representation of his being,^(J) sustaining all things^(K) by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins,^(L) he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.^{(M) 4} So he became as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is superior to theirs.^(N)

The Son Superior to Angels

⁵ For to which of the angels did God ever say,

Or again,

⁶ And again, when God brings his firstborn^(Q) into the world,^(R) he says,

⁷ In speaking of the angels he says,

⁸ But about the Son he says,

¹⁰ He also says,

¹³ To which of the angels did God ever say,

¹⁴ Are not all angels ministering spirits^(AF) sent to serve those who will inherit^(AG) salvation?^(AH)

Jesus Is Tested in the Wilderness^(A)

4 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted^[a](B) by the devil.^{(C) 2} After fasting forty days and forty nights,^(D) he was hungry. ³ The tempter^(E) came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God,^(F) tell these stones to become bread.”

⁴ Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’^[b]”^(G)

⁵ Then the devil took him to the holy city^(H) and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. ⁶ “If you are the Son of God,”^(I) he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written:

⁷ Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’^[d]”^(K)

⁸ Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. ⁹ “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.”

¹⁰ Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan!^(L) For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’^[e]”^(M)

¹¹ Then the devil left him,^(N) and angels came and attended him.^(O)

Jesus Begins to Preach

¹² When Jesus heard that John had been put in prison,^(P) he withdrew to Galilee.^{(Q) 13} Leaving Nazareth, he went and lived in Capernaum,^(R) which was by the lake in the area of Zebulun and Naphtali— ¹⁴ to fulfill^(S) what was said through the prophet Isaiah:

¹⁷ From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven^(U) has come near.”

Jesus Calls His First Disciples^(V)

¹⁸ As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee,^(W) he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter^(X) and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. ¹⁹ “Come, follow me,”^(Y) Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” ²⁰ At once they left their nets and followed him.^(Z)

²¹ Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John.^(AA) They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them, ²² and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.^(AB)

Jesus Heals the Sick

²³ Jesus went throughout Galilee,^(AC) teaching in their synagogues,^(AD) proclaiming the good news^(AE) of the kingdom,^(AF) and healing every disease and sickness among the people.^{(AG) 24} News about him spread all over Syria,^(AH) and people brought to him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering severe pain, the demon-possessed,^(AI) those having seizures,^(AJ) and the paralyzed;^(AK) and he healed them. ²⁵ Large crowds from Galilee, the Decapolis,^[g] Jerusalem, Judea and the region across the Jordan followed him.^(AL)