Matthew Chapter Four Poem by Day Williams

MATTHEW CHAPTER FOUR


1 Then Jesus, led out by the Holy Spirit
Into the wilderness, was tempted by
The devil.2 After fasting forty days

And forty nights, he was quite hungry.3 Coming
To him, the tempter said, "If you're the Son
Of God, command these stones to turn to bread."

4 Jesus replied, "It's written: ‘Bread won't feed
Men's souls; obedience to every word
That comes out of the mouth of God is what

Man needs.'" 5 The devil then took him within
The holy city, to the temple roof,
And there he had him stand.6 He said, "Jump off,

If you're the Son of God, for it is written:
‘He'll send his angels to prevent your harm,
And they will lift you in their hands, so that

You will not strike your foot against a stone.'"
7 Jesus replied, "It's also written: ‘Do
Not give the Lord your God a foolish test.'"

8 Again, the devil took him to a high
Mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of
The world and their magnificence.9 "All this

I'll give you, " said he, "if you will bow down
And worship me." 10 "Forget it, Satan, " said
Jesus to him, "for it is written, ‘Worship

The Lord your God, and serve him only; '" 11 then
The devil went away, and angels came
And waited on him.12 Hearing John had been

Imprisoned, he returned to Galilee.
13 Soon he left Nazareth and went and moved
Into Capernaum upon the coast

In the locality of Zebulun
And Naphtali− 14 that it might be fulfilled
What was said through Isaiah's prophecy:

15 "Land of Zebulun, land of Naphtali,
Beside the sea, the countryside beyond
The Jordan, Galilee of Gentiles− 16 people

Who sat in darkness have seen great light; on
Those living in the land of death a light
Has dawned." 17 From then on Jesus started preaching,

"Repent, for heaven's kingdom is at hand."
18 One day as Jesus walked beside the Sea
Of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon

Called Peter and his brother Andrew. They
Were casting nets into the lake, for they
Were fishermen.19 "Come, follow me, "
said Jesus,

"And I will show you how to fish for souls
Of men." 20 At once they left their nets and went
With him.21 As he went on from there, he saw

Two other brothers, James and John, the sons
Of Zebedee, who sat inside a boat
With Zebedee, their father, mending nets.

22 Jesus called them, and instantly they left
Their father and the boat, and followed him.
23 Jesus went everywhere in Galilee,

Taught in their synagogues and preached the good
News of the kingdom, healing all diseases
And sicknesses among the people.24 News

About him spread all over Syria,
And people brought to him all who were sick
From various diseases, those who had

Intense distress, those whom the demons had
Possessed, those having seizures, and those who
Were paralyzed, and he healed them.25 Huge crowds

From Galilee, Jerusalem, the Ten
Cities, Judea and the farther ground
Across the Jordan followed him around.
Until its purpose is fulfilled.19 The one

Who breaks the least of these commands and teaches
Others to do the same will be called least
In heaven's kingdom, but whoever teaches

And practices them will be eminent
In heaven's kingdom,20 for I tell you that
Unless your righteousness surpasses that

Of Scribes and Pharisees, you won't go in
To heaven's kingdom.21 You have heard that it
Said to the people in the old days, ‘Do

Not murder; anyone who murders will
Stand trial; ' 22 but I tell you that anyone
Who's angry with his brother must stand on

Trial. Again, whoever calls his friend
An idiot must go before the court
And anyone who looks down on his friend

Will be in danger of the fire of hell,
23 And so, if you are offering your gift
Upon the altar and remember that

Your friend has a complaint against you,24 leave
Your gift before the altar: Go and be
Reconciled with your brother; then come back

And offer your gift.25 Settle matters fast
With your opponent who is taking you
To court. Do it while you are still with him

Along the way, or he may hand you to
The judge, and he may hand you to the guard,
And he may pitch you into prison.26 I

Tell you the truth, you won't get out until
You've paid the final penny.27 You have heard
It was said, ‘Don't commit adultery, '

28 But I tell you that anyone who looks
Lustfully at a woman has already
Practiced adultery with her within

His heart.29 If your right eye leads you astray,
Gouge it out and throw it away. It's better
For you to lose one of your members than

For your whole body to be thrown in hell,
30 And if your right hand causes you to sin,
Cut it off and throw it away. It's better

For you to lose a member than for your
Whole body to go into hell.31 The Law
Of Moses said he who desires divorce

Can give his wife a letter of dismissal,
32 But I tell you that anyone divorcing
His wife, except for fornication, makes

Her into an adulteress, and he
Who marries her commits adultery.
33 Again, the law of Moses said, ‘Don't break

Your oath, but keep the oaths you've made to God.'
34 But I tell you, don't swear by heaven, for
It is God's throne,35 nor by the earth, for it's


MATTHEW CHAPTER FOUR


1 Then Jesus, led out by the Holy Spirit
Into the wilderness, was tempted by
The devil.2 After fasting forty days

And forty nights, he was quite hungry.3 Coming
To him, the tempter said, "If you're the Son
Of God, command these stones to turn to bread."

4 Jesus replied, "It's written: ‘Bread won't feed
Men's souls; obedience to every word
That comes out of the mouth of God is what

Man needs.'" 5 The devil then took him within
The holy city, to the temple roof,
And there he had him stand.6 He said, "Jump off,

If you're the Son of God, for it is written:
‘He'll send his angels to prevent your harm,
And they will lift you in their hands, so that

You will not strike your foot against a stone.'"
7 Jesus replied, "It's also written: ‘Do
Not give the Lord your God a foolish test.'"

8 Again, the devil took him to a high
Mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of
The world and their magnificence.9 "All this

I'll give you, " said he, "if you will bow down
And worship me." 10 "Forget it, Satan, " said
Jesus to him, "for it is written, ‘Worship

The Lord your God, and serve him only; '" 11 then
The devil went away, and angels came
And waited on him.12 Hearing John had been

Imprisoned, he returned to Galilee.
13 Soon he left Nazareth and went and moved
Into Capernaum upon the coast

In the locality of Zebulun
And Naphtali− 14 that it might be fulfilled
What was said through Isaiah's prophecy:

15 "Land of Zebulun, land of Naphtali,
Beside the sea, the countryside beyond
The Jordan, Galilee of Gentiles− 16 people

Who sat in darkness have seen great light; on
Those living in the land of death a light
Has dawned." 17 From then on Jesus started preaching,

"Repent, for heaven's kingdom is at hand."
18 One day as Jesus walked beside the Sea
Of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon

Called Peter and his brother Andrew. They
Were casting nets into the lake, for they
Were fishermen.19 "Come, follow me, "
said Jesus,

"And I will show you how to fish for souls
Of men." 20 At once they left their nets and went
With him.21 As he went on from there, he saw

Two other brothers, James and John, the sons
Of Zebedee, who sat inside a boat
With Zebedee, their father, mending nets.

22 Jesus called them, and instantly they left
Their father and the boat, and followed him.
23 Jesus went everywhere in Galilee,

Taught in their synagogues and preached the good
News of the kingdom, healing all diseases
And sicknesses among the people.24 News

About him spread all over Syria,
And people brought to him all who were sick
From various diseases, those who had

Intense distress, those whom the demons had
Possessed, those having seizures, and those who
Were paralyzed, and he healed them.
25 Huge crowds

From Galilee, Jerusalem, the Ten
Cities, Judea and the farther ground
Across the Jordan followed him around.
MATTHEW CHAPTER FOUR


1 Then Jesus, led out by the Holy Spirit
Into the wilderness, was tempted by
The devil.2 After fasting forty days

And forty nights, he was quite hungry.3 Coming
To him, the tempter said, "If you're the Son
Of God, command these stones to turn to bread."

4 Jesus replied, "It's written: ‘Bread won't feed
Men's souls; obedience to every word
That comes out of the mouth of God is what

Man needs.'" 5 The devil then took him within
The holy city, to the temple roof,
And there he had him stand.6 He said, "Jump off,

If you're the Son of God, for it is written:
‘He'll send his angels to prevent your harm,
And they will lift you in their hands, so that

You will not strike your foot against a stone.'"
7 Jesus replied, "It's also written: ‘Do
Not give the Lord your God a foolish test.'"

8 Again, the devil took him to a high
Mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of
The world and their magnificence.9 "All this

I'll give you, " said he, "if you will bow down
And worship me." 10 "Forget it, Satan, " said
Jesus to him, "for it is written, ‘Worship

The Lord your God, and serve him only; '" 11 then
The devil went away, and angels came
And waited on him.12 Hearing John had been

Imprisoned, he returned to Galilee.
13 Soon he left Nazareth and went and moved
Into Capernaum upon the coast

In the locality of Zebulun
And Naphtali− 14 that it might be fulfilled
What was said through Isaiah's prophecy:

15 "Land of Zebulun, land of Naphtali,
Beside the sea, the countryside beyond
The Jordan, Galilee of Gentiles− 16 people

Who sat in darkness have seen great light; on
Those living in the land of death a light
Has dawned." 17 From then on Jesus started preaching,

"Repent, for heaven's kingdom is at hand."
18 One day as Jesus walked beside the Sea
Of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon

Called Peter and his brother Andrew. They
Were casting nets into the lake, for they
Were fishermen.19 "Come, follow me, "
said Jesus,

"And I will show you how to fish for souls
Of men." 20 At once they left their nets and went
With him.21 As he went on from there, he saw

Two other brothers, James and John, the sons
Of Zebedee, who sat inside a boat
With Zebedee, their father, mending nets.

22 Jesus called them, and instantly they left
Their father and the boat, and followed him.
23 Jesus went everywhere in Galilee,

Taught in their synagogues and preached the good
News of the kingdom, healing all diseases
And sicknesses among the people.24 News

About him spread all over Syria,
And people brought to him all who were sick
From various diseases, those who had

Intense distress, those whom the demons had
Possessed, those having seizures, and those who
Were paralyzed, and he healed them.
25 Huge crowds

From Galilee, Jerusalem, the Ten
Cities, Judea and the farther ground
Across the Jordan followed him around.

MATTHEW CHAPTER FOUR


1 Then Jesus, led out by the Holy Spirit
Into the wilderness, was tempted by
The devil.2 After fasting forty days

And forty nights, he was quite hungry.3 Coming
To him, the tempter said, "If you're the Son
Of God, command these stones to turn to bread."

4 Jesus replied, "It's written: ‘Bread won't feed
Men's souls; obedience to every word
That comes out of the mouth of God is what

Man needs.'" 5 The devil then took him within
The holy city, to the temple roof,
And there he had him stand.6 He said, "Jump off,

If you're the Son of God, for it is written:
‘He'll send his angels to prevent your harm,
And they will lift you in their hands, so that

You will not strike your foot against a stone.'"
7 Jesus replied, "It's also written: ‘Do
Not give the Lord your God a foolish test.'"

8 Again, the devil took him to a high
Mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of
The world and their magnificence.9 "All this

I'll give you, " said he, "if you will bow down
And worship me." 10 "Forget it, Satan, " said
Jesus to him, "for it is written, ‘Worship

The Lord your God, and serve him only; '" 11 then
The devil went away, and angels came
And waited on him.12 Hearing John had been

Imprisoned, he returned to Galilee.
13 Soon he left Nazareth and went and moved
Into Capernaum upon the coast

In the locality of Zebulun
And Naphtali− 14 that it might be fulfilled
What was said through Isaiah's prophecy:

15 "Land of Zebulun, land of Naphtali,
Beside the sea, the countryside beyond
The Jordan, Galilee of Gentiles− 16 people

Who sat in darkness have seen great light; on
Those living in the land of death a light
Has dawned." 17 From then on Jesus started preaching,

"Repent, for heaven's kingdom is at hand."
18 One day as Jesus walked beside the Sea
Of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon

Called Peter and his brother Andrew. They
Were casting nets into the lake, for they
Were fishermen.19 "Come, follow me, "
said Jesus,

"And I will show you how to fish for souls
Of men." 20 At once they left their nets and went
With him.21 As he went on from there, he saw

Two other brothers, James and John, the sons
Of Zebedee, who sat inside a boat
With Zebedee, their father, mending nets.

22 Jesus called them, and instantly they left
Their father and the boat, and followed him.
23 Jesus went everywhere in Galilee,

Taught in their synagogues and preached the good
News of the kingdom, healing all diseases
And sicknesses among the people.24 News

About him spread all over Syria,
And people brought to him all who were sick
From various diseases, those who had

Intense distress, those whom the demons had
Possessed, those having seizures, and those who
Were paralyzed, and he healed them.
25 Huge crowds

From Galilee, Jerusalem, the Ten
Cities, Judea and the farther ground
Across the Jordan followed him around.