“And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.”
King James Version (KJV)
4:3 Coming to him - In a visible form; probably in a human shape, as one that desired to inquire farther into the evidences of his being the Messiah.
Mt 4:3 The tempter came to him. The devil. He chose his time craftily, as he always does when he assails man. Whether he came in a personal form or as the whisper of the evil spirit is uncertain. If thou be the Son of God. "If" suggests a doubt, and, perhaps, a taunt. It is a cunning appeal to Christ to work a miracle to satisfy his hunger and to display his power. It would seem an innocent thing for Christ to make bread when he was hungry, for himself, as he afterwards did for the five thousand. Why not? Because if he had availed himself of his Divine power to escape the discomforts and sufferings of humanity he would have failed to suffer as we do, to set us an example in all things, to be tempted in all points as we are; and besides, he "came to minister" (Mt 20:28 Mr 10:45) never to use his Divine power for their own benefit. To have so exerted it for selfish and vainglorious purposes would have been sinful, and a distrust of God. Christ came to save others, not himself. Self-denial was the law of his mission.
And when the tempter came to him, hee said, If thou be the sonne of God, command that these stones bee made bread.
- King James Version (1611) - View 1611 Bible Scan
And the tempter came and said to Him, "If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread."
- New American Standard Version (1995)
And the tempter came and said unto him, If thou art the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.
- American Standard Version (1901)
And the Evil One came and said to him, If you are the Son of God, give the word for these stones to become bread.
- Basic English Bible
And the tempter coming up to him said, If thou be Son of God, speak, that these stones may become loaves of bread.
- Darby Bible
And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou art the son of God, command that these stones be made bread.
- Webster's Bible
So the Tempter came and said, "If you are the Son of God, command these stones to turn into loaves."
- Weymouth Bible
The tempter came and said to him, "If you are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread."
- World English Bible
And the tempter cam nyy, and seide to hym, If thou art Goddis sone, seie that thes stoones be maad looues.
- Wycliffe Bible
And the Tempter having come to him said, `If Son thou art of God -- speak that these stones may become loaves.'
- Youngs Literal Bible