Bible Reference / Bible Book Studies / Gospel of Luke / Chapter by Chapter / Luke 4
Luke 4 Summary
Luke 4 tells how Jesus begins his public ministry. Full of the Holy Spirit after his baptism, Jesus is tempted by the devil for forty days in the wilderness and answers every temptation with Scripture. He returns to Galilee in the power of the Spirit and preaches his first recorded sermon in his hometown synagogue in Nazareth, reading from Isaiah: "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me." The crowd turns on him and tries to throw him off a cliff. Jesus then goes to Capernaum, where he casts out a demon in the synagogue, heals Simon Peter's mother-in-law of a fever, and heals many sick people at sunset. The chapter ends with Jesus leaving Capernaum to proclaim the kingdom of God in other towns, "for I was sent for this purpose" (4:43).
In short, Luke 4 shows who Jesus is (the Spirit-anointed Son of God), what he came to do (bring good news and release), and how people respond to him (with amazement, rejection, and desperate need).
Luke 4 at a Glance
Verses: 44
Main events: the temptation of Jesus, the sermon at Nazareth, an exorcism in Capernaum, the healing of Peter's mother-in-law, healings at sunset, and Jesus' departure to preach elsewhere
Places: the Judean wilderness, the Temple in Jerusalem, Nazareth, and Capernaum
Key people: Jesus, the devil, the people of Nazareth, a man with an unclean spirit, Simon Peter and his mother-in-law
Old Testament quoted: Deuteronomy 8:3; 6:13; 6:16; Psalm 91:11-12; Isaiah 61:1-2 and 58:6
Old Testament figures named: Elijah, Elisha, the widow of Zarephath, and Naaman the Syrian
Key verse: Luke 4:18, "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor."
Parallel chapters: Matthew 4; Mark 1
Luke 4 Outline
The Temptation of Jesus in the Wilderness (4:1-13)
Jesus Returns to Galilee in the Power of the Spirit (4:14-15)
Jesus' First Sermon and Rejection in Nazareth (4:16-30)
Jesus Casts Out a Demon in Capernaum (4:31-37)
Jesus Heals Peter's Mother-in-Law and Many Others (4:38-41)
Jesus Preaches the Kingdom in Other Towns (4:42-44)
Luke 4 Chapter Summary, Section by Section
1. The Temptation of Jesus (Luke 4:1-13)
Jesus, "full of the Holy Spirit," is led by the Spirit in the wilderness for forty days, where the devil tempts him. When he is famished, the devil offers three temptations: turn a stone into bread, worship the devil in exchange for all the kingdoms of the world, and throw himself from the pinnacle of the Temple. Jesus answers each with a verse from Deuteronomy: "One does not live by bread alone" (4:4), "Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him" (4:8), and "Do not put the Lord your God to the test" (4:12). The devil leaves him "until an opportune time" (4:13).
Luke places this scene right after Jesus' genealogy, which ends with "son of Adam, son of God" (3:38). Where Adam failed his test in a garden and Israel failed for forty years in the wilderness, Jesus, the faithful Son, stands firm. Luke also changes Matthew's order so the final temptation happens in Jerusalem, the city where Jesus' story will reach its climax.
Read the full commentary: The Temptation of Jesus in the Wilderness: The Three Temptations (Luke 4:1-13).
2. Jesus Returns to Galilee (Luke 4:14-15)
Jesus goes into the wilderness "full of the Holy Spirit" and comes out "filled with the power of the Spirit" (4:14). He teaches in the synagogues of Galilee, news about him spreads through the whole region, and everyone praises him. These two verses are a summary statement, setting the stage for the scene in Nazareth.
3. Jesus' First Sermon and Rejection in Nazareth (Luke 4:16-30)
On the Sabbath, Jesus goes to the synagogue in Nazareth, where he grew up. He is handed the scroll of Isaiah and reads: "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor" (4:18-19). Then he sits down and says, "Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing" (4:21).
The crowd is impressed at first, then asks, "Is not this Joseph's son?" (4:22). Jesus answers with a proverb ("Doctor, cure yourself!") and a hard saying: "no prophet is accepted in the prophet's hometown" (4:24). He reminds them that God sent Elijah to a widow in Sidon and that Elisha cleansed Naaman the Syrian, foreigners both. Enraged, the people drive Jesus to the edge of the hill to throw him off, but he passes through the middle of the crowd and goes on his way.
This scene works as Jesus' inaugural address. Nearly every theme of Luke's Gospel appears in it: the Spirit, good news for the poor, release for captives, grace for outsiders, and rejection by those closest to Jesus.
Read the full commentary: Jesus' First Sermon in Nazareth: Rejected in His Hometown (Luke 4:14-30).
4. Jesus Casts Out a Demon in Capernaum (Luke 4:31-37)
Jesus goes down to Capernaum on the Sea of Galilee, the hometown of Peter and Andrew, and teaches in the synagogue on the Sabbath. The people are astounded "because he spoke with authority" (4:32). A man with an unclean demon cries out, "I know who you are, the Holy One of God" (4:34). Jesus rebukes the demon, it throws the man down, and it comes out without harming him. The crowd asks, "What kind of utterance is this? For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits, and out they come!" (4:36).
This is the first miracle Luke narrates in Jesus' public ministry. In Nazareth, Jesus announced release to the captives; in Capernaum, he shows what that release looks like.
Read the full commentary: Jesus Casts Out a Demon in Capernaum (Luke 4:31-37).
5. Jesus Heals Peter's Mother-in-Law and Many Others (Luke 4:38-41)
From the synagogue, Jesus goes to Simon Peter's house, where Peter's mother-in-law has a high fever. Jesus stands over her and "rebuked the fever," the same word he used against the demon, and it leaves her. She gets up at once and begins to serve them. At sunset, when the Sabbath ends, people bring their sick to Jesus, and he lays his hands on each of them and heals them. Demons come out shouting, "You are the Son of God!" (4:41), but Jesus silences them because they know he is the Messiah.
6. Jesus Preaches the Kingdom in Other Towns (Luke 4:42-44)
At daybreak, Jesus goes to a deserted place. The crowds find him and try to keep him from leaving, but he says, "I must proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God to the other cities also; for I was sent for this purpose" (4:43). This is the first mention of "the kingdom of God" in Luke, a phrase that will become the heart of Jesus' preaching. He continues to preach in the synagogues of Judea, which Luke uses here for the whole land of the Jews.
Read the full commentary on sections 5 and 6: Jesus Heals Peter's Mother-in-Law (Luke 4:38-44).
Key Themes in Luke 4
The Holy Spirit. The Spirit appears at every turn: Jesus is "full of the Holy Spirit" (4:1), "led by the Spirit" (4:1), returns "filled with the power of the Spirit" (4:14), and reads, "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me" (4:18). Luke shows that Jesus' whole ministry flows from the Spirit, a theme that continues in the Holy Spirit in the book of Acts.
The authority of Jesus' word. In the wilderness, Jesus defeats temptation with the written word. In Nazareth, he announces that Scripture is fulfilled in his word. In Capernaum, people are astonished that his word carries authority, and a single command from him drives out a demon and a fever.
"Today." Luke loves the word "today" because it signals that God's promises have arrived. "Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing" (4:21) echoes the angels' announcement at Jesus' birth (2:11) and anticipates Jesus' words to Zacchaeus (19:9) and the criminal on the cross (23:43).
Good news for outsiders. By naming the widow of Zarephath and Naaman, Jesus shows that God's grace has always reached beyond Israel's borders. This theme runs through Luke and into Acts, where the gospel spreads to the Gentiles. See Acts and the inclusion of the Gentiles and the book of Luke themes.
Rejection and the cross. The devil leaves "until an opportune time," and Nazareth tries to kill Jesus. From the first chapter of his ministry, Luke shows the opposition that will lead to Jerusalem and the cross.
The kingdom of God. The chapter ends with Jesus' first statement of his mission in his own words: to proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God. See Bible verses about the kingdom of God.
Key Verses in Luke 4
Luke 4:4: "One does not live by bread alone."
Luke 4:8: "Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him."
Luke 4:12: "Do not put the Lord your God to the test."
Luke 4:18-19: "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor."
Luke 4:21: "Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing."
Luke 4:24: "No prophet is accepted in the prophet's hometown."
Luke 4:32: "They were astounded at his teaching, because he spoke with authority."
Luke 4:43: "I must proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God to the other cities also; for I was sent for this purpose."
Luke 4 Compared with Matthew 4 and Mark 1
All three Synoptic Gospels tell of Jesus' temptation and early ministry in Galilee, but Luke arranges the material in his own way.
The temptation order. Matthew ends the temptations on a high mountain with the kingdoms of the world. Luke ends at the Temple in Jerusalem.
The Nazareth sermon. Matthew and Mark tell of Jesus' rejection in his hometown much later (Matthew 13:53-58; Mark 6:1-6). Luke moves it to the start and gives it in full, making it the programmatic sermon for his whole Gospel.
The call of Peter. Mark tells the call of the first disciples before the healing of Peter's mother-in-law. Luke tells the healing first, so Peter has already seen Jesus' power at work in his own home before he leaves everything to follow him in Luke 5:1-11.
Where Luke 4 Fits in the Gospel of Luke
Luke 4 is the hinge between Jesus' preparation and his public ministry. The chapters before it tell of his birth, childhood, and baptism; Luke 3 ends with John the Baptist's preaching, Jesus' baptism, and his genealogy. The chapters after it follow his ministry in Galilee; Luke 5 begins with the call of the first disciples and more healings. To see the whole Gospel in order, visit the Gospel of Luke chapter by chapter.
Luke 4 also previews Luke's second volume. Jesus begins in the synagogues, faces rejection, and extends God's grace to outsiders, the same pattern the apostles follow in Acts. Read more about who wrote Luke and when Luke was written.
Luke 4 Meaning for Today
Your response to temptation is what defines you. Jesus shows that resisting temptation is possible through trust in God and his word. See Bible verses about temptation.
Faithfulness may lead to rejection. Like Jesus in Nazareth, our obedience may not be applauded, but it still matters.
God's kingdom is for all. Jesus reaches beyond borders, inviting everyone into God's story of redemption.
Authority and compassion belong together. The one who commands demons also lays his hands on each sick person, one at a time.
FAQ: Luke 4 Summary and Meaning
What is Luke chapter 4 about? Luke 4 is about the beginning of Jesus' public ministry. It includes his temptation in the wilderness, his first sermon and rejection in Nazareth, an exorcism in Capernaum, the healing of Peter's mother-in-law, healings at sunset, and his decision to preach the kingdom of God in other towns.
What is the main message of Luke 4? Luke 4 shows that Jesus is the Spirit-anointed Son of God, sent to bring good news to the poor and release to the captives. He proves faithful under temptation, announces his mission in Nazareth, and demonstrates his authority over evil and sickness in Capernaum.
What is the key verse in Luke 4? Luke 4:18 is usually considered the key verse: "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor." It serves as Jesus' mission statement for the whole Gospel.
What are the three temptations in Luke 4? The devil tempts Jesus to turn a stone into bread, to worship the devil in exchange for the kingdoms of the world, and to throw himself from the pinnacle of the Temple. Jesus answers each with Scripture from Deuteronomy.
Why was Jesus rejected in Nazareth? The people of Nazareth could not accept that Joseph's son was the one Isaiah promised, and they were enraged when Jesus pointed out that God had sent Elijah and Elisha to foreigners. His words challenged their sense of privilege as God's people.
What miracles happen in Luke 4? Jesus casts a demon out of a man in the Capernaum synagogue, heals Simon Peter's mother-in-law of a fever, and heals many sick and demon-possessed people at sunset. For the full list, see the 18 miracles in the Gospel of Luke.
Why did Jesus silence the demons in Luke 4? Though the demons spoke the truth about his identity, Jesus refused their testimony. He revealed himself on his own terms, through his words and works and ultimately through the cross and resurrection.
Why does Jesus leave Capernaum at the end of Luke 4? Jesus says he must proclaim the kingdom of God in other towns because that is why he was sent (4:43). His mission could not be confined to one place or one people.
Scripture quotations are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Works Consulted
Darrell L. Bock, Luke (NIV Application Commentary)
Joel B. Green, The Gospel of Luke (New International Commentary on the New Testament)
Joseph A. Fitzmyer, The Gospel According to Luke I-IX (Anchor Bible)
