Luke Chapter 4
Showing all 44 verses for Luke Chapter 4.
The People's Bible is written by people, for the people. Each verse below shows:
"And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, "
"Filled with God's Spirit, Jesus came back from the River Jordan and was guided by that same Spirit into the desert."
I let the Spirit lead me into a hard place before I stepped into my life's work, because facing difficulty honestly, rather than avoiding it, is how strength and clarity are built.
"Being forty days tempted of the devil. And in those days he did eat nothing: and when they were ended, he afterward hungered. "
"For forty days he was tested by the devil. He ate nothing during that time, and by the end he was starving."
I chose to face temptation at my most physically weak, so you'd know that real strength isn't about never feeling weak - it's about how you hold on when you are.
"And the devil said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, command this stone that it be made bread. "
"The devil said to him, "If you really are the Son of God, tell this stone to turn into bread.""
I was tempted to use my power just to satisfy my own immediate need, and I want you to see that real strength is knowing you could take the easy way and choosing not to when it would compromise something deeper.
"And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God. "
"Jesus replied, "Scripture says people don't live on bread alone.""
I answered temptation with a bigger truth rather than an argument, and I want you to know that meaning and purpose can carry you through times when your basic needs aren't being met.
"And the devil, taking him up into an high mountain, shewed unto him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. "
"The devil took him up to a high place and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in an instant."
I was shown the chance to gain the whole world without any sacrifice, and I want you to notice how tempting a shortcut to power or success can look - and how much it usually costs to take it.
"And 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. "
"The devil said, "I'll give you all this power and glory - it's been handed to me, and I can give it to whoever I want.""
I was offered power built on a false claim of ownership, and I want you to question who really controls the things the world tells you to chase - status and influence are rarely as solidly owned as they appear.
"If thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be thine. "
""So if you'll bow down and worship me, it's all yours.""
I was offered every kingdom on condition I'd worship something other than what is true and good, and I want you to recognise that same trade whenever ambition asks you to compromise your integrity for gain.
"And 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. "
"Jesus answered, "Get away from me, Satan! Scripture says worship God alone, and serve only him.""
I refused to trade my devotion for power, and I want you to hold onto whatever you truly value, even when the offer on the table looks bigger than what you already have.
"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 God, cast thyself down from hence: "
"The devil brought him to Jerusalem, stood him on the highest point of the Temple, and said, "If you're really the Son of God, jump.""
I was dared to prove myself with a dramatic stunt, and I want you to know that you don't need to perform or prove your worth publicly for it to be real.
"For it is written, He shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee: "
""Because scripture says God will command his angels to protect you, to keep you safe.""
Even I was tempted with scripture used out of context, and I want you to test any argument - even one dressed up in fine words - against whether it actually leads somewhere good.
"And in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone. "
""They'll catch you in their hands, so you won't even stub your foot on a stone.""
I saw through a promise of safety being used to push me towards recklessness, and I want you to notice when good words are used to justify a bad decision.
"And Jesus answering said unto him, It is said, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. "
"Jesus replied, "It also says, don't put the Lord your God to the test.""
I chose not to force a proof from God through a reckless act, and I want you to trust the path you're on without needing constant dramatic confirmation that it's working.
"And when the devil had ended all the temptation, he departed from him for a season. "
"When the devil had finished all his testing, he left Jesus alone - for the time being."
I overcame temptation this time, but I want you to know that opposition and difficulty return in life - staying grounded matters more than expecting one win to be the end of the struggle.
"And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee: and there went out a fame of him through all the region round about. "
"Jesus went back to Galilee, carrying the Spirit's power with him, and news about him spread through the whole area."
I came out of my hardest test stronger, not weaker, and I want you to trust that facing your own struggles honestly can leave you more capable, not less.
"And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified of all. "
"He taught in the synagogues, and everyone praised him."
I was welcomed and praised in many places before facing rejection in my own town, and I want you to know that others' approval can be fickle - don't build your sense of worth entirely on it.
"And 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. "
"He went to Nazareth, the town where he grew up, and as he usually did, went to the synagogue on the Sabbath and stood up to read."
I kept a regular habit of showing up to reflect and connect with my community, and I want you to know that steady, ordinary practices - not just dramatic moments - shape a meaningful life.
"And 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, "
"He was handed the scroll of the prophet Isaiah. He unrolled it and found the passage that reads:"
I chose this particular passage to define my mission publicly, and I want you to think just as clearly about what you stand for, and be ready to say it plainly when the moment comes.
"The 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, "
""God's Spirit is on me, because he's chosen me to bring good news to the poor. He's sent me to comfort the broken-hearted, announce freedom for prisoners, give sight back to the blind, and release those who are oppressed,""
I announced that my purpose is good news and freedom for the poor, the broken-hearted, and the oppressed, and I want you to know that if you feel overlooked or weighed down, this message was always meant for you first, not last.
"To preach the acceptable year of the Lord. "
""...and to announce the time when God puts everything right.""
I declared a time of release and a fresh start, and I want you to know that whatever debts - financial, emotional, or otherwise - are weighing on you, a genuine fresh start is possible.
"And 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. "
"He rolled the scroll back up, handed it to the attendant, and sat down. Every eye in the synagogue was fixed on him."
I paused before speaking the words that mattered most, and I want you to know that a moment of stillness before an important truth isn't hesitation - it's letting the weight of it land.
"And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears. "
"He began by saying, "Today, this scripture has come true, right in front of you.""
I told the people in front of me that the promise was being fulfilled that very day, and I want you to know that hope and change aren't only for some distant future - they can start right now, in your actual life.
"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? "
"Everyone spoke well of him at first, amazed by how gracious his words were. But then they said, "Isn't this just Joseph's son?""
I was doubted by people who thought they already knew exactly who I was, and I want you to be careful not to underestimate someone - or yourself - just because they seem too familiar or ordinary to be capable of something great.
"And 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. "
"He said to them, "You'll probably quote me this saying: 'Doctor, heal yourself.' You'll say, 'Do here in your hometown what we heard you did in Capernaum.'""
I named the demand for proof before anyone even asked, and I want you to notice how often people want performance before they'll give trust - real credibility isn't owed to anyone on demand.
"And he said, Verily I say unto you, No prophet is accepted in his own country. "
""I'm telling you the truth: no prophet is ever accepted in his own hometown.""
I told you plainly that even I wasn't accepted where I grew up, and I want you to know that if the people closest to your past don't recognise your growth, that says more about them than about your worth.
"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 and six months, when great famine was throughout all the land; "
""There were many widows in Israel in Elijah's time, when there was no rain for three and a half years and a terrible famine across the land.""
I reminded people of a time of shared hardship to make a point about who receives help, and I want you to remember that need is rarely distributed fairly - and compassion shouldn't be either.
"But unto none of them was Elias sent, save unto Sarepta, a city of Sidon, unto a woman that was a widow. "
""But Elijah wasn't sent to any of them - only to a widow in Sarepta, in the region of Sidon, outside Israel altogether.""
I reminded my own people that grace has always reached beyond the insiders, and I want you to widen your circle of who deserves compassion - never assume it belongs only to people like you.
"And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Eliseus the prophet; and none of them was cleansed, saving Naaman the Syrian. "
""There were also many people with leprosy in Israel in Elisha's time, but none of them was healed - only Naaman, a Syrian, an outsider and even an enemy soldier.""
I chose an example of a former enemy receiving healing to challenge my own community's assumptions, and I want you to examine who you've quietly written off as undeserving of kindness or a fresh start.
"And all they in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath, "
"When they heard this, everyone in the synagogue became furious."
I provoked real anger simply by pointing out that grace isn't limited to any one favoured group, and I want you to notice when your own anger comes from wounded pride rather than genuine wrong.
"And 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. "
"They got up, drove him out of the town, and marched him to the edge of the hill their town was built on, meaning to throw him off it."
I faced a murderous crowd in my own hometown the moment I spoke an uncomfortable truth, and I want you to know that standing for something honest sometimes costs you the approval - or safety - of the very people you hoped would understand you.
"But he passing through the midst of them went his way, "
"But he simply walked right through the middle of the crowd and went on his way."
I walked calmly through a crowd that meant to kill me, and I want you to trust that you can move through real danger and hostility with a steadiness that doesn't need to match anger with panic.
"And came down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, and taught them on the sabbath days. "
"He went down to Capernaum, a town in Galilee, and taught there on the Sabbath."
I didn't dwell on being rejected in my hometown - I moved on to where I could do good, and I want you to do the same when you're turned away somewhere: don't let one closed door define your whole path.
"And they were astonished at his doctrine: for his word was with power. "
"The people were amazed at his teaching, because he spoke with real authority."
I spoke with a directness that came from genuine conviction, not from repeating others, and I want you to find your own voice - speak from what you actually know and believe, not just what you've been told to say.
"And in the synagogue there was a man, which had a spirit of an unclean devil, and cried out with a loud voice, "
"In the synagogue there was a man controlled by an evil spirit, and it shouted out loudly,"
I encountered real suffering breaking into a supposedly ordinary moment, and I want you to know that pain doesn't wait for a convenient time - and it deserves a response whenever it surfaces.
"Saying, 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. "
""Leave us alone! What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know exactly who you are - God's Holy One.""
I was recognised by what was destroying this man before I was recognised by respected onlookers, and I want you to know that real insight into what's true doesn't always come from the expected, respectable places.
"And 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. "
"Jesus told the spirit firmly, "Be quiet, and come out of him." The spirit threw the man down in front of everyone but came out without actually hurting him."
I confronted what was harming this man directly, but made sure he came out of it unhurt, and I want you to know that real help sometimes means acting firmly against what's damaging you, without adding to the damage.
"And 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. "
"Everyone was stunned and said to each other, "What kind of message is this? He gives orders to evil spirits with real authority and power, and they obey!""
I backed up my words with real, visible change in someone's life, and I want you to judge any teaching - mine included - not just by how persuasive it sounds, but by whether it actually produces good.
"And the fame of him went out into every place of the country round about. "
"News about him spread everywhere in the surrounding area."
I let what I actually did speak for itself rather than seeking out attention, and I want you to trust that genuine good work tends to be noticed without you having to chase recognition for it.
"And 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. "
"He left the synagogue and went to Simon's house. Simon's mother-in-law was suffering from a high fever, and the people there asked Jesus to help her."
I responded to a private, family request for help just as readily as I did to public crowds, and I want you to know that ordinary, quiet acts of care in someone's own home matter just as much as anything done publicly.
"And he stood over her, and rebuked the fever; and it left her: and immediately she arose and ministered unto them. "
"He stood over her and told the fever to leave, and it did. She got up immediately and started serving them."
I healed her completely enough that she was straight back to caring for others, and I want you to notice that real healing - physical or otherwise - shows itself in a renewed capacity to give, not just relief from pain.
"Now 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. "
"As the sun went down, people brought all their sick, with every kind of illness, to Jesus. He put his hands on each one and healed them."
I gave individual attention to every single person, even surrounded by a crowd, and I want you to know that you are never just one face in a mass to me - you matter individually, however many others need help too.
"And 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. "
"Evil spirits also came out of many people, shouting, "You are the Christ, the Son of God!" But Jesus silenced them and wouldn't let them speak, because they knew who he was."
I refused to let even a true statement about me come from a harmful source shouting for attention, and I want you to be careful about accepting a claim just because it's loudly and confidently declared - character and consistency matter more than volume.
"And 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. "
"At daybreak, Jesus went off to a quiet, deserted place. But the crowds went looking for him, found him, and tried to stop him leaving."
I stepped away to a quiet place even when crowds needed me, and I want you to know that protecting your own time for rest and reflection isn't selfish - it's necessary, even when others want to hold onto you.
"And he said unto them, I must preach the kingdom of God to other cities also: for therefore am I sent. "
"He told them, "I have to announce the good news of God's kingdom in other towns too - that's exactly why I was sent.""
I chose not to stay where I was already loved and needed, because my purpose called me further, and I want you to be willing to move on from comfort when there's more good you're meant to do elsewhere.
"And he preached in the synagogues of Galilee. "
"And he kept on preaching in the synagogues throughout Galilee."
I kept going, town after town, rather than stopping once things had gone well in one place, and I want you to keep showing up and doing good consistently, not just when it's dramatic or immediately rewarding.