Matthew 4:10

10 Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’[a]

Matthew 4:10 in Other Translations

King James Version (KJV)
10 Then saith Jesus unto him,Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.
English Standard Version (ESV)
10 Then Jesus said to him, "Be gone, Satan! For it is written, "'You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.'"
New Living Translation (NLT)
10 “Get out of here, Satan,” Jesus told him. “For the Scriptures say, ‘You must worship the Lord your God and serve only him.’ ”
The Message Bible (MSG)
10 Jesus' refusal was curt: "Beat it, Satan!" He backed his rebuke with a third quotation from Deuteronomy: "Worship the Lord your God, and only him. Serve him with absolute single-heartedness."
American Standard Version (ASV)
10 Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.
GOD'S WORD Translation (GW)
10 Jesus said to him, "Go away, Satan! Scripture says, 'Worship the Lord your God and serve only him.'"
Holman Christian Standard Bible (CSB)
10 Then Jesus told him, "Go away, Satan! For it is written: Worship the Lord your God, and serve only Him. "
New International Reader's Version (NIRV)
10 Jesus said to him, "Get away from me, Satan! It is written, 'Worship the Lord your God. He is the only one you should serve.' "(Deuteronomy 6:13)

Matthew 4:10 Meaning and Commentary

Matthew 4:10

Then saith Jesus to him, get thee hence, Satan.
&c.] In ( Luke 4:8 ) it is "get thee behind me": and so some copies read here, and is expressive of indignation and abhorrence; see ( Matthew 16:23 ) rebuking his impudence, and detesting his impiety: he had borne his insults and temptations with great patience; he had answered him with mildness and gentleness; but now his behaviour to him was intolerable, which obliged him to show his resentment, exert his power and authority, and rid himself at once of so vile a creature; giving this reason for it;

for it is written, thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only
shalt thou serve.
The place referred to is in ( Deuteronomy 6:13 )

thou shalt fear the Lord thy God, and serve him:
to fear the Lord, and to worship him, is the same thing. Worship includes both an internal and external reverence of God: the word "only" is not in the original text, but is added by our Lord; and that very justly; partly to express the emphasis which is on the word "him"; and in perfect agreement with the context, which requires it; since it follows,

ye shall not go after other Gods.
Moreover, not to take notice of the Septuagint version, in which the word "only" is also added, Josephus F17, the Jewish historian, referring to this law, says, because God is one, (kai dei touton sebesyai monon) , "therefore he only is to be worshipped". And Aben Ezra F18, a Jewish writer, explaining the last clause in the verse,

and thou shalt swear by his name,
uses the word "only"; and which indeed, of right, belongs to every clause in it. The meaning of our Lord in citing it is; that since the Lord God is the alone object of worship, it was horrid blasphemy in Satan to desire it might be given to him, and which could not be done without the greatest impiety.


FOOTNOTES:

F17 Antiq. Jud. l. 3. c. 5. sect. 5.
F18 In Deut. vi. 13.

Matthew 4:10 In-Context

8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor.
9 “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.”
10 Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’”
11 Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.
12 When Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, he withdrew to Galilee.

Cross References 2

  • 1. 1 Chronicles 21:1; Job 1:6-9; Matthew 16:23; Mark 4:15; Luke 10:18; Luke 13:16; Luke 22:3,31; Romans 16:20; 2 Corinthians 2:11; 2 Corinthians 11:14; 2 Thessalonians 2:9; Revelation 12:9
  • 2. Deuteronomy 6:13

Footnotes 1

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