Luke 4:1
What does Luke 4:1 mean?
A plain-English look at Luke 4:1 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Luke 4:1 means
Luke 4:1 tells us that Jesus, filled with the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness. The phrase “full of the Holy Spirit” highlights Jesus’ dependence on and empowerment by the Spirit for his mission. Being led into the wilderness emphasizes obedience: the Spirit guides Jesus into testing, not away from it. This shows the disciplined beginning of his public ministry and models a Spirit-directed life where trials are permitted for God’s purposes, preparing Jesus for the work ahead.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan, and was led in the Spirit in the wilderness
KJV
King James Version · 1611And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness,
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan, and was led in the Spirit in the wilderness
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, came back from the Jordan, and was guided by the Spirit in the waste land
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, turned back from the Jordan, and was brought in the Spirit to the wilderness,
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost, returned from the Jordan and was led the by the spirit into the desert,
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890But Jesus, full of [the] Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan, and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness
Context
This verse begins the chapter by connecting Jesus’ baptism at the Jordan with the immediate next stage: testing and preparation. What came before was affirmation from the Father and empowerment by the Spirit; what follows is the wilderness temptation and Jesus’ use of Scripture. Reading it in this flow shows that trials do not contradict God’s calling but often confirm and refine it, setting the stage for Jesus’ public ministry.
v.1This passage
v.2during forty days, being tempted of the devil. And he did eat nothing in those days: and when they were completed, he hungered.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Acts 8:39
And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip; and the eunuch saw him no more, for he went on his way rejoicing.
- Matthew 4:1
Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.
- John 3:34
For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for he giveth not the Spirit by measure.
- Luke 3:21
Now it came to pass, when all the people were baptized, that, Jesus also having been baptized, and praying, the heaven was opened,
- Luke 4:14
And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee: and a fame went out concerning him through all the region round about.
- John 1:32
And John bare witness, saying, I have beheld the Spirit descending as a dove out of heaven; and it abode upon him.
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