Luke 4:12 kjv
And Jesus answering said unto him, It is said, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.
Luke 4:12 nkjv
And Jesus answered and said to him, "It has been said, 'You shall not tempt the LORD your God.' "
Luke 4:12 niv
Jesus answered, "It is said: 'Do not put the Lord your God to the test.'"
Luke 4:12 esv
And Jesus answered him, "It is said, 'You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.'"
Luke 4:12 nlt
Jesus responded, "The Scriptures also say, 'You must not test the LORD your God.' "
Luke 4 12 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Deut 6:16 | You shall not put the LORD your God to the test, as you tested Him at Massah. | Original source of Jesus' quote, highlights historical sin. |
| Matt 4:7 | Jesus said to him, "Again it is written, 'You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.'" | Parallel account in Matthew's Gospel. |
| Exod 17:1-7 | And they tested the LORD by saying, "Is the LORD among us or not?" | Israel's rebellious testing for water at Massah/Meribah. |
| Num 14:22 | "...tested me these ten times and have not obeyed my voice..." | God recounts Israel's repeated testing through disobedience. |
| Ps 78:18-19 | They tested God in their heart by demanding the food they craved... | Israelites challenging God by craving food, expressing distrust. |
| Ps 95:8-9 | "Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, and as in the day of temptation in the wilderness: when your fathers tempted me..." | A psalmic warning against repeating Israel's rebellion at Meribah. |
| Heb 3:8-9 | "...do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, on the day of testing in the wilderness..." | New Testament application of Ps 95, warns against unbelief. |
| 1 Cor 10:9 | We must not put Christ to the test, as some of them did and were destroyed by serpents... | New Testament warning against provoking Christ. |
| Acts 5:9 | But Peter said to her, "How is it that you have agreed together to test the Spirit of the Lord?" | Confrontation with Ananias and Sapphira for deceiving God. |
| Luke 11:29 | "This generation is an evil generation. It seeks for a sign..." | Jesus' consistent refusal to give a sign to satisfy an unbelieving demand. |
| John 6:30-31 | So they said to him, "Then what sign do you do...?" | Crowd seeking further signs even after Jesus multiplied bread. |
| Deut 8:2 | "...the LORD your God led you these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart..." | Distinction: God tests humans to reveal hearts, humans must not test God. |
| Mal 3:10 | "Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the LORD of hosts..." | The singular exception where God invites "testing" through obedient giving, to prove His faithfulness to bless. |
| Prov 3:5-6 | Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. | Fostering trust in God's ways rather than challenging them. |
| Rom 14:23 | "...whatever does not proceed from faith is sin." | Actions rooted in lack of faith (like testing God) are sin. |
| James 1:13 | Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am being tempted by God," for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. | God is beyond human manipulation; we don't tempt Him. |
| 2 Tim 3:16-17 | All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching... | Upholds the supreme authority and utility of "It is written." |
| Phil 2:14-16 | Do all things without grumbling or questioning, that you may be blameless... | Opposes a complaining attitude which can lead to testing God. |
| Heb 12:5-6 | "...for the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives." | God's "testing" through discipline is for our good, not to satisfy His doubt. |
| 1 Pet 1:6-7 | ...you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire... | Distinguishes God's refining trials from human presumptuous testing. |
| Jer 17:5-7 | Thus says the LORD: "Cursed is the man who trusts in man... Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD..." | Trusting God instead of demanding signs validates that trust. |
| Gen 22:1 | After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, "Abraham!" | Illustrates legitimate testing originating from God, not man. |
| Pss 119:105 | Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. | Reinforces the truth that Scripture provides sufficient guidance. |
Luke 4 verses
Luke 4 12 Meaning
Luke 4:12 conveys Jesus' foundational principle of unwavering faith and submission to God's written Word, specifically in the face of temptation. It directly prohibits challenging or presumptuously demanding proofs from God. This means not putting God in a position where He is forced to prove Himself through a miraculous display to satisfy our doubt or presumption, especially when such a demand arises from a lack of trust or a twisted interpretation of His promises. It affirms God's sovereignty and His right to be trusted, rather than tested on human terms.
Luke 4 12 Context
Luke 4:12 is a pivotal moment in Jesus' temptation narrative (Luke 4:1-13) in the wilderness, immediately following His baptism and filling with the Holy Spirit. After 40 days of fasting, Jesus confronts the devil. The devil presents three temptations designed to lure Jesus away from complete obedience to God. The third temptation, to which Luke 4:12 is the response, involves the devil challenging Jesus to jump from the pinnacle of the Temple, quoting Ps 91:11-12 to seemingly assure divine protection. The historical context reflects Israel's repeated sin of grumbling against God and demanding proof of His presence and provision during their wilderness journey (e.g., at Massah, Exod 17:1-7; Num 14:22). This testing revealed their unbelief. By citing Deut 6:16, Jesus contrasts His perfect trust and obedience with Israel's past failures, demonstrating that true Sonship is not defined by demanding miraculous displays, but by unwavering faith in God's Word and will, without presumption.
Luke 4 12 Word analysis
- And Jesus: Connects directly to the previous exchange, highlighting Jesus' active and decisive role in spiritual warfare.
- answered and said to him: Emphasizes Jesus' clear, verbal confrontation and rebuttal to the devil's subtle twisting of Scripture. His response is authoritative.
- 'It is written,': (Greek: γέγραπται, gegraptai). This is a perfect passive verb, meaning "it has been written and stands written." It signifies the permanent, authoritative, and unchanging nature of the Scripture. Jesus uses this phrase as His supreme and unassailable authority, showing His full submission to God's revealed Word and His refusal to debate beyond it. It signifies divine authorship and enduring truth.
- "You shall not put...": (Greek: οὐκ ἐκπειράσεις, ouk ekpeiraseis). The strong negative particle "ouk" combined with the future active indicative verb forms an emphatic prohibition. This is a command from the Deuteronomic law.
- "to the test.": (Greek: ἐκπειράζω, ekpeirazō). This verb is an intensification of peirazō (to try, tempt). The prefix ek- implies pushing something to its limit or testing it exhaustively. In this context, it means to challenge God to prove Himself, to presumptuously demand a sign or action, or to push the boundaries of His grace out of a lack of faith or a desire for selfish gain. It implies putting God to a trial of His character, power, or faithfulness in a hostile or unholy manner. It's distinct from being tested by God, which is legitimate (e.g., God tested Abraham), and from discerning spirits, which is commanded. It is forbidden because it expresses deep distrust in God's providence and character.
- "the Lord your God.": Refers to Yahweh, the covenant-keeping God of Israel. "The Lord" (κύριος, kyrios) and "your God" (ὁ θεός σου, ho theos sou) emphasize His sovereign authority, His unique identity, and the covenantal relationship He holds with His people. To "test" Him implies doubting His very nature and commitment to His covenant.
Luke 4 12 Bonus section
- Jesus’ consistent use of "It is written" across the temptations highlights the sufficiency and authority of Scripture as the ultimate weapon against spiritual deception and temptation. He did not engage in theological debate outside of what God had already revealed.
- The incident on the Temple pinnacle underscores the danger of misapplying or twisting Scripture to justify sin or presumption. The devil quoted Ps 91, which promises divine protection, but used it to suggest a course of action that was a presumptuous challenge to God.
- Jesus, as the perfect Man and obedient Son, modeled reliance on God's Word without recourse to His divine power for personal gain or display. This teaches believers that genuine faith walks by trust, not by demanding signs.
- The victory in Luke 4:12 completes Jesus' triumph over temptation, showcasing His resolve to walk solely in obedience to the Father's will, laying the foundation for His sinless life and ultimate atoning work.
Luke 4 12 Commentary
Luke 4:12 records Jesus' definitive retort to the devil's third and climactic temptation: a solemn prohibition against challenging God. By quoting Deut 6:16, Jesus affirmed the supreme authority of God's written Word as the unwavering standard for faith and conduct. This statement serves as a potent reminder that while God's protection is real for His obedient children, it is not an entitlement to be invoked for frivolous displays, self-serving vanity, or a test of His power when trust is lacking. The devil’s strategy was to induce presumption, distorting God's promises into a basis for a faithless dare. Jesus' response reveals that true faith does not demand extraordinary proofs; it simply trusts. This act also sets Jesus apart as the obedient Israel, unlike the ancient Israelites who repeatedly tested God in their wilderness journey. It demonstrates that living by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God means not putting Him on trial, but humbly submitting to His will and sovereignty.