Matthew 4:4 But Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'"

◄ Matthew 4:4 ►

New International Version
Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

New Living Translation
But Jesus told him, “No! The Scriptures say, ‘People do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

English Standard Version
But he answered, “It is written, “‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

Berean Standard Bible
But Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

Berean Literal Bible
But answering He said, "It has been written: 'The man shall live not by bread alone, but by every word coming out of the mouth of God.'"

King James Bible
But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

New King James Version
But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’ ”

New American Standard Bible
But He answered and said, “It is written: ‘MAN SHALL NOT LIVE ON BREAD ALONE, BUT ON EVERY WORD THAT COMES OUT OF THE MOUTH OF GOD.’”

NASB 1995
But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘MAN SHALL NOT LIVE ON BREAD ALONE, BUT ON EVERY WORD THAT PROCEEDS OUT OF THE MOUTH OF GOD.’”

NASB 1977
But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘MAN SHALL NOT LIVE ON BREAD ALONE, BUT ON EVERY WORD THAT PROCEEDS OUT OF THE MOUTH OF GOD.’”

Legacy Standard Bible
But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘MAN SHALL NOT LIVE ON BREAD ALONE, BUT ON EVERY WORD THAT PROCEEDS OUT OF THE MOUTH OF GOD.’”

Amplified Bible
But Jesus replied, “It is written and forever remains written, ‘MAN SHALL NOT LIVE BY BREAD ALONE, BUT BY EVERY WORD THAT COMES OUT OF THE MOUTH OF GOD.’”

Christian Standard Bible
He answered, “It is written: Man must not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of God. ”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
But He answered, “It is written: Man must not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.”

American Standard Version
But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

Contemporary English Version
Jesus answered, "The Scriptures say: 'No one can live only on food. People need every word that God has spoken.'"

English Revised Version
But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Jesus answered, "Scripture says, 'A person cannot live on bread alone but on every word that God speaks.'"

Good News Translation
But Jesus answered, "The scripture says, 'Human beings cannot live on bread alone, but need every word that God speaks.'"

International Standard Version
But he answered, "It is written, 'One must not live on bread alone, but on every word coming out of the mouth of God.'"

Majority Standard Bible
But Jesus answered, ?It is written: ?Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.??

NET Bible
But he answered, "It is written, 'Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.'"

New Heart English Bible
But he answered and said, "It is written, 'Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.'"

Webster's Bible Translation
But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

Weymouth New Testament
"It is written," replied Jesus, "'It is not on bread alone that a man shall live, but on whatsoever God shall appoint.'"

World English Bible
But he answered, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of God’s mouth.’”

Literal Translations

Literal Standard Version
But He answering said, “It has been written: Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word coming forth from the mouth of God.”

Berean Literal Bible
But answering He said, "It has been written: 'The man shall live not by bread alone, but by every word coming out of the mouth of God.'"

Young's Literal Translation
But he answering said, 'It hath been written, Not upon bread alone doth man live, but upon every word coming forth from the mouth of God.'

Smith's Literal Translation
And he having answered, said, It has been written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word going forth through the mouth of God.

Catholic Translations

Douay-Rheims Bible
Who answered and said: It is written, Not in bread alone doth man live, but in every word that proceedeth from the mouth of God.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And in response he said, “It has been written: ‘Not by bread alone shall man live, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’ ”

New American Bible
He said in reply, “It is written: ‘One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.’ ”

New Revised Standard Version
But he answered, “It is written, ‘One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

Translations from Aramaic

Lamsa Bible
But he answered and said, It is written, that it is not by bread alone that man can live, but by every word which comes from the mouth of God.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
But he answered and said, “It is written: 'A man does not live by bread only, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.' “

NT Translations

Anderson New Testament
But he answered and said: It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.

Godbey New Testament
And He responding said; It has been written, A man shall not live upon bread alone, but upon every word coming forth through the mouth of God.

Haweis New Testament
But he answering said, It is written, ?Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.?

Mace New Testament
but Jesus answered him, It is written, "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every thing that God shall prescribe."

Weymouth New Testament
"It is written," replied Jesus, "'It is not on bread alone that a man shall live, but on whatsoever God shall appoint.'"

Worrell New Testament
But He, answering, said, "It has been written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.'"

Worsley New Testament
but He answered and said, It is written, "Man shall not live upon bread only, but on whatever proceedeth from the mouth of God."

Additional Translations ...

Audio Bible

Context

The Temptation of Jesus
…3The tempter came to Him and said, “If You are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” 4 But Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” 5Then the devil took Him to the holy city and set Him on the pinnacle of the temple.…

Berean Standard Bible · Download

Cross References

Deuteronomy 8:3
He humbled you, and in your hunger He gave you manna to eat, which neither you nor your fathers had known, so that you might understand that man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD.

John 6:35
Jesus answered, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to Me will never hunger, and whoever believes in Me will never thirst.

John 6:63
The Spirit gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life.

John 4:34
Jesus explained, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to finish His work.

Hebrews 4:12
For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it pierces even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow. It judges the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

1 Peter 2:2
Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation,

Isaiah 55:2-3
Why spend money on that which is not bread, and your labor on that which does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of foods. / Incline your ear and come to Me; listen, so that your soul may live. I will make with you an everlasting covenant—My loving devotion promised to David.

Jeremiah 15:16
Your words were found, and I ate them. Your words became my joy and my heart’s delight. For I bear Your name, O LORD God of Hosts.

Psalm 119:103
How sweet are Your words to my taste—sweeter than honey in my mouth!

Psalm 19:7-10
The Law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the LORD is trustworthy, making wise the simple. / The precepts of the LORD are right, bringing joy to the heart; the commandments of the LORD are radiant, giving light to the eyes. / The fear of the LORD is pure, enduring forever; the judgments of the LORD are true, being altogether righteous. ...

2 Timothy 3:16-17
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for instruction, for conviction, for correction, and for training in righteousness, / so that the man of God may be complete, fully equipped for every good work.

Luke 4:4
But Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone.’”

John 6:68
Simon Peter replied, “Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words of eternal life.

1 Corinthians 10:3-4
They all ate the same spiritual food / and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ.

Job 23:12
I have not departed from the command of His lips; I have treasured the words of His mouth more than my daily bread.

Treasury of Scripture

But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.

It is.

Matthew 4:7,10
Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God…

Luke 4:4,8,12
And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God…

Romans 15:4
For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.

Man.

Deuteronomy 8:3
And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live.

Luke 4:4
And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.

but.

Matthew 14:16-21
But Jesus said unto them, They need not depart; give ye them to eat…

Exodus 16:8,15,35
And Moses said, This shall be, when the LORD shall give you in the evening flesh to eat, and in the morning bread to the full; for that the LORD heareth your murmurings which ye murmur against him: and what are we? your murmurings are not against us, but against the LORD…

Exodus 23:15
Thou shalt keep the feast of unleavened bread: (thou shalt eat unleavened bread seven days, as I commanded thee, in the time appointed of the month Abib; for in it thou camest out from Egypt: and none shall appear before me empty:)

but.

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Matthew 4

1. Jesus, fasting forty days,
3. is tempted by the devil and ministered unto by angels.
12. He dwells in Capernaum;
17. begins to preach;
18. calls Peter and Andrew,
21. James and John;
23. teaches and heals all the diseased.

Berean Study Bible

But Jesus answered
This phrase introduces the response of Jesus to the tempter, Satan, during His time in the wilderness. The Greek word for "answered" is "apokrinomai," which implies a thoughtful and deliberate response. Jesus, fully aware of His mission and identity, responds not with His own words but with Scripture, setting an example for believers to rely on God's Word in times of trial.

It is written
This phrase indicates that Jesus is quoting Scripture, specifically from the Old Testament. The Greek term "gegraptai" is in the perfect tense, suggesting that what is written remains authoritative and relevant. Jesus refers to the Scriptures as the ultimate authority, underscoring the enduring power and truth of God's Word.

‘Man shall not live on bread alone
Here, Jesus quotes Deuteronomy 8:3. The Greek word for "man" is "anthropos," which refers to humanity in general. The phrase emphasizes that physical sustenance, symbolized by "bread," is not sufficient for true life. In the historical context, the Israelites learned in the wilderness that reliance on God was more crucial than mere physical provision.

but on every word
The Greek term for "word" is "rhema," which often refers to the spoken word or a specific utterance. This highlights the dynamic and living nature of God's communication with humanity. The phrase "every word" suggests the completeness and sufficiency of God's revelation for guiding and sustaining life.

that comes from the mouth of God.’
This phrase underscores the divine origin of Scripture. The "mouth of God" is a metaphorical expression indicating that the Scriptures are not merely human words but are breathed out by God Himself. This affirms the inspiration and authority of the Bible, encouraging believers to seek spiritual nourishment and guidance from God's Word.

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(4) It is written.--The words of all the three answers to the Tempter come from two chapters of Deuteronomy, one of which (Deuteronomy 6) supplied one of the passages (6:4-9) for the phylacteries or frontlets worn by devout Jews. The fact is every way suggestive. A prominence was thus given to that portion of the book, which made it an essential part of the education of every Israelite. The words which our Lord now uses had, we must believe, been familiar to Him from His childhood, and He had read their meaning rightly. With them He may have sustained the faith of others in the struggles of the Nazareth home with poverty and want. And now He finds in them a truth which belongs to His high calling as well as to His life of lowliness. "Not by bread only doth man live, but by the word, i.e., the will, of God." He can leave His life and all that belongs to it in His Father's hands. In so losing His life, if that should be the issue, He is certain that He shall save it. If His Father has given Him a work to do, He will enable Him to fulfil it. As this act of faith throws us back on the training of the childhood, so we trace its echoes in the after-teaching of the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 6:25-32), of Matthew 10:39, yet more in that of John 6. The experience of the wilderness clothed the history of the bread from heaven with a new significance.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 4. - It is written. Our Lord's three quotations are from Deuteronomy 8:3; Deuteronomy 6:16, 13. Some portion of Deuteronomy (Deuteronomy 6:4-9; 11:13-21, because included in the Sh'ma) was the first part of Scripture taught a Jewish child. Possibly, though there is no evidence upon the subject, the neighbouring portions were often added. If they had been in our Lord's case, such a recurrence of them to his mind in his present state of exhaustion is in complete accord with psychological probability. Man... God (Deuteronomy 8:3, LXX.). As we could not accept Weiss's interpretation of the object of the devil's temptation, so neither can we accept his interpretation of our Lord's reply, that it is equivalent to "Not by means either natural or supernatural, is man's life really sustained, but by exact obedience to God's command." Our Lord quotes the passage in its primary meaning, which was fully applicable to the present occasion. It is equivalent to "Man lives, not necessarily by natural means, but by even supernatural means, if God so wishes." "The creative word, the ῤῆμα Θεοῦ, which alone imparts to the bread its sustaining power, can sustain, even as he is confident that in the present need it will sustain, apart from the bread" (Trench, 'Studies,' p. 35). The words of Deuteronomy are paraphrased in Wisd. 16:26, where the author, in a thoroughly Jewish exposition, enumerates the lessons taught by the giving of the manna. "It was altered... that thy children, O Lord, whom thou lovest, might know that it is not the growing of fruits that nourisheth man; but that it is thy Word, which preserveth them that put their trust in thee." By every word. Ἐπί (Textus Receptus; Westcott and Hort) is doubtless right. The alteration to ἐν (Lath-mann, Tregelles) is probably due to a tendency towards the simple expression of means, but perhaps to the feeling that life, especially spiritual life, is maintained rather in a sphere than on a basis (cf. Romans 10:5; Galatians 3:12).

Parallel Commentaries ...

Greek

But
δὲ (de)
Conjunction
Strong's 1161: A primary particle; but, and, etc.

[Jesus] answered,
ἀποκριθεὶς (apokritheis)
Verb - Aorist Participle Passive - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 611: From apo and krino; to conclude for oneself, i.e. to respond; by Hebraism to begin to speak.

“It is written:
Γέγραπται (Gegraptai)
Verb - Perfect Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 1125: A primary verb; to 'grave', especially to write; figuratively, to describe.

‘Man
ἄνθρωπος (anthrōpos)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 444: A man, one of the human race. From aner and ops; man-faced, i.e. A human being.

shall not live
ζήσεται (zēsetai)
Verb - Future Indicative Middle - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 2198: To live, be alive. A primary verb; to live.

on
ἐπ’ (ep’)
Preposition
Strong's 1909: On, to, against, on the basis of, at.

bread
ἄρτῳ (artō)
Noun - Dative Masculine Singular
Strong's 740: Bread, a loaf, food. From airo; bread or a loaf.

alone,
μόνῳ (monō)
Adjective - Dative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3441: Only, solitary, desolate. Probably from meno; remaining, i.e. Sole or single; by implication, mere.

but
Ἀλλ’ (All’)
Conjunction
Strong's 235: But, except, however. Neuter plural of allos; properly, other things, i.e. contrariwise.

on
ἐπὶ (epi)
Preposition
Strong's 1909: On, to, against, on the basis of, at.

every
παντὶ (panti)
Adjective - Dative Neuter Singular
Strong's 3956: All, the whole, every kind of. Including all the forms of declension; apparently a primary word; all, any, every, the whole.

word
ῥήματι (rhēmati)
Noun - Dative Neuter Singular
Strong's 4487: From rheo; an utterance, ; by implication, a matter or topic; with a negative naught whatever.

that comes
ἐκπορευομένῳ (ekporeuomenō)
Verb - Present Participle Middle or Passive - Dative Neuter Singular
Strong's 1607: From ek and poreuomai; to depart, be discharged, proceed, project.

from
διὰ (dia)
Preposition
Strong's 1223: A primary preposition denoting the channel of an act; through.

[the] mouth
στόματος (stomatos)
Noun - Genitive Neuter Singular
Strong's 4750: The mouth, speech, eloquence in speech, the point of a sword.

of God.’”
Θεοῦ (Theou)
Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 2316: A deity, especially the supreme Divinity; figuratively, a magistrate; by Hebraism, very.

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NT Gospels: Matthew 4:4 But he answered It is written 'Man (Matt. Mat Mt)