Luke 4

Luke 4

The big picture

Luke 4 opens in verse 1 with “And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit…”, reaches its middle movement near verse 22 with “And all bare him witness, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his…”, and closes in verse 44 with “And he preached in the synagogues of Galilee.” Repeated or prominent terms include devil, Jesus, synagogue, city, days. Together, those details trace this chapter’s own movement from its opening to its conclusion.

Scripture beside the summary

Luke · King James Version · 44

Luke 4:1-8

1–8: Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by…

Luke 4:1–8 opens with “And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the…” and reaches “And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Jesus reading Isaiah at Nazareth, facing rejection, and healing with authority in Capernaum, with particular weight carried by devil, Jesus, bread.

Context that brings the passage to life

“And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness,” Naming Ghost and Holy keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“And the devil said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, command this stone that it be made bread.” Naming Son keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

Luke 4:1-8

King James Version

1And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness,

2Being forty days tempted of the devil. And in those days he did eat nothing: and when they were ended, he afterward hungered.

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

4And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.

5And the devil, taking him up into an high mountain, shewed unto him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time.

6And the devil said unto him, All 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.

7If thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be thine.

8And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.

Luke 4:9-16

9–16: He brought him to Jerusalem, and set him on a pinnacle of the temple…

Luke 4:9–16 opens with “And he brought him to Jerusalem, and set him on a pinnacle of the temple, and said unto him, If…” and reaches “And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Jesus reading Isaiah at Nazareth, facing rejection, and healing with authority in Capernaum, with particular weight carried by Jesus, angels, answering.

Context that brings the passage to life

“And he brought him to Jerusalem, and set him on a pinnacle of the temple, and said unto him, If thou be the Son of…” Naming Jerusalem keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“And in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

Luke 4:9-16

King James Version

9And he brought 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:

10For it is written, He shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee:

11And in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.

12And Jesus answering said unto him, It is said, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.

13And when the devil had ended all the temptation, he departed from him for a season.

14And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee: and there went out a fame of 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, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read.

Luke 4:17-24

17–24: There was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he…

Luke 4:17–24 opens with “And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the…” and reaches “And he said, Verily I say unto you, No prophet is accepted in his own country.” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Jesus reading Isaiah at Nazareth, facing rejection, and healing with authority in Capernaum, with particular weight carried by book, preach, country.

Context that brings the passage to life

This block contains 1 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.

“And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place…” Naming Esaias keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.” The verse names Lord rather than leaving the action without a source. Watch whether the next line continues, answers, or contrasts that action.

Luke 4:17-24

King James Version

17And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written,

18The Spirit 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,

19To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.

20And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him.

21And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.

22And all bare him witness, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth. And they said, Is not this Joseph’s son?

23And he said unto them, Ye will surely say unto me this proverb, Physician, heal thyself: whatsoever we have heard done in Capernaum, do also here in thy country.

24And he said, Verily I say unto you, No prophet is accepted in his own country.

Luke 4:25-32

25–32: I tell you of a truth, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elias…

Luke 4:25–32 opens with “But I tell you of a truth, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elias, when the heaven was…” and reaches “And they were astonished at his doctrine: for his word was with power.” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Jesus reading Isaiah at Nazareth, facing rejection, and healing with authority in Capernaum, with particular weight carried by city, days, Elias.

Context that brings the passage to life

“But I tell you of a truth, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elias, when the heaven was shut up three years…” The number three makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.

“And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Eliseus the prophet; and none of them was cleansed, saving Naaman the…” Naming Eliseus and Israel keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

Luke 4:25-32

King James Version

25But I tell you of a truth, many 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;

26But unto none of them was Elias sent, save unto Sarepta, a city of Sidon, unto a woman that was a widow.

27And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Eliseus the prophet; and none of them was cleansed, saving Naaman the Syrian.

28And all they in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath,

29And rose up, and 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.

30But he passing through the midst of them went his way,

31And came down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, and taught them on the sabbath days.

32And they were astonished at his doctrine: for his word was with power.

Luke 4:33-40

33–40: In the synagogue there was a man, which had a spirit of an unclean…

Luke 4:33–40 opens with “And in the synagogue there was a man, which had a spirit of an unclean devil, and cried out with…” and reaches “Now when the sun was setting, all they that had any sick with divers diseases brought them unto…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Jesus reading Isaiah at Nazareth, facing rejection, and healing with authority in Capernaum, with particular weight carried by arose, devil, fever.

Context that brings the passage to life

This block contains 1 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.

“And in the synagogue there was a man, which had a spirit of an unclean devil, and cried out with a loud voice,” The line’s distinctive content terms include cried, devil, loud. Its relationship to verses 34 shows what work it does in this passage.

“And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace, and come out of him. And when the devil had thrown him in the midst, he…” Naming Hold and Jesus keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

Luke 4:33-40

King James Version

33And in the synagogue there was a man, which had a spirit of an unclean devil, and cried out with a loud voice,

34Saying, Let 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.

35And Jesus 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.

36And they 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.

37And the fame of him went out into every place of the country round about.

38And 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 they besought him for her.

39And he stood over her, and rebuked the fever; and it left her: and immediately she arose and ministered unto them.

40Now 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.

Luke 4:41-44

41–44: Devils also came out of many, crying out, and saying, Thou art Christ…

Luke 4:41–44 opens with “And devils also came out of many, crying out, and saying, Thou art Christ the Son of God. And he…” and reaches “And he preached in the synagogues of Galilee.” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Jesus reading Isaiah at Nazareth, facing rejection, and healing with authority in Capernaum, with particular weight carried by Christ, cities, crying.

Context that brings the passage to life

“And devils also came out of many, crying out, and saying, Thou art Christ the Son of God. And he rebuking them…” Naming Christ keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

Luke 4:41-44

King James Version

41And devils also came out of many, crying 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.

42And when 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.

43And he said unto them, I must preach the kingdom of God to other cities also: for therefore am I sent.

44And he preached in the synagogues of Galilee.

Details worth noticing

44verses in this reading
6major movements
11verses with speech
2questions in the KJV text

The opening image

Luke 4:1 begins with “And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness,”

Where the chapter turns

Luke 4:22 forms a natural hinge: “And all bare him witness, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth. And they said, Is not this Joseph’s son?”

The final note

Luke 4:44 leaves the reader with “And he preached in the synagogues of Galilee.”

A word trail through the chapter

The words devil, Jesus, synagogue, city, days, Lord help reveal the chapter’s repeated concerns.

What opportunity exists before the murder?

Cain receives a warning and a call to resist sin in verse 7. Anger is not treated as an irresistible excuse.

What do the two speeches about vengeance reveal?

God limits retaliation against Cain; Lamech celebrates escalation.

KJV words made clear

unto
to
thee
you
thou
you
thy
your
hath
has

Text first

Where readers differ

The chapter summary begins with what the passage says and how its parts fit together. It does not assume one denomination has already settled every question. Where a conclusion depends on a tradition, literary theory, or historical reconstruction, that dependence is named openly.

The KJV text is presented first. Interpretive conclusions are labeled, and differences are introduced only when they help a reader understand why serious communities do not always reach the same answer.

Comparative interpretive notes for this chapter are in preparation. Until reviewed notes are ready, this page separates the KJV text from summary and application without claiming that serious readers agree on every question.