Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them;
Parallel translations
- WEB Again, the devil took him to an exceedingly high mountain, and showed him all the kingdoms of the world, and their glory.
- BSB Again, the devil took Him to a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory.
- NKJV Again, the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory.
- NASB Again, the devil *took Him along to a very high mountain and *showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory;
- NLT Next the devil took him to the peak of a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The devil offers Jesus the kingdoms of the world and their glory. It frames the final temptation: a shortcut to dominion without the cross.
Overview
From a high mountain the devil displays the world's kingdoms in their splendor, claiming authority to grant them. This is a temptation to seize the rule that is rightly Christ's, but by worship of Satan rather than through suffering and obedience. Jesus, who will one day receive all authority in heaven and on earth (Matthew 28:18), refuses to gain His inheritance by any path but the Father's appointed way of the cross.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 11
- 1 Jn 2:15–16Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
- Rev 11:15And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.
- Luke 4:5–7And the devil, taking him up into an high mountain, shewed unto him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time.
- Ps 49:16–17Be not thou afraid when one is made rich, when the glory of his house is increased;
- Matt 16:26For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
- Heb 11:24–26By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter;
- 1 Pet 1:24For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away:
- Dan 4:30The king spake, and said, Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power, and for the honour of my majesty?
- Esth 5:11And Haman told them of the glory of his riches, and the multitude of his children, and all the things wherein the king had promoted him, and how he had advanced him above the princes and servants of the king.
- Esth 1:4When he shewed the riches of his glorious kingdom and the honour of his excellent majesty many days, even an hundred and fourscore days.
- Matt 4:5Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple,
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Christ at the center
Matthew presents Jesus as the promised King — son of David, son of Abraham — the new Moses and true Israel in whom every prophecy reaches 'that it might be fulfilled.'
How Matthew 4:8 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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