Bible Strands
Luke 4:12
But Jesus answered, “It also says, ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’”
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Jesus responds to the devil during a wilderness confrontation, immediately after the tempter quotes Scripture to demand miraculous protection. The exchange occurs at the conclusion of a specific temptation sequence before the devil withdraws.
The words — ἀποκριθεὶς (apokritheis) means "answering," and εἴρηται (eirētai) translates literally to "it has been said," marking the reply as a direct appeal to prior authoritative text.
The thread — The quoted prohibition originates in Deuteronomy 6:16, where Israel is forbidden from testing God at Massah, and is later referenced in 1 Corinthians 10:9 and Hebrews 3:8 regarding wilderness rebellion and hardened hearts.
Why it lands — The text explicitly commands against demanding conditional proof or forcing God into a predetermined response, requiring the reader to reject manipulative faith and submit to divine timing.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Greek words
King James Version
And Jesus answering said unto him, It is said, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.
Cross-references
- Deuteronomy 6:16 Do not test the LORD your God as you tested Him at Massah.
- 1 Corinthians 10:9 We should not test Christ, as some of them did, and were killed by snakes.
- Hebrews 3:8 do not harden your hearts, as you did in the rebellion, in the day of testing in the wilderness,
- Malachi 3:15 So now we call the arrogant blessed. Not only do evildoers prosper, they even test God and escape.’”
- Matthew 4:7 Jesus replied, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’”
- Psalms 95:9 where your fathers tested and tried Me, though they had seen My work.
- Psalms 106:14 They craved intensely in the wilderness and tested God in the desert.