Being forty days tempted of the devil. And in those days he did eat nothing: and when they were ended, he afterward hungered.

LUKE 4:2KJV
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Luke 4:2 (KJV)

What does Luke 4:2 mean?

Luke 4:2 describes how Jesus spent forty days in the wilderness, during which time he was tempted by the devil and ate nothing, so that when the forty days ended, he was very hungry. This verse sets the scene for the temptations that follow, showing both Jesus’ physical weakness and the spiritual testing he faced.

In this passage, Luke is narrating the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry. Jesus is alone in the wilderness, and the devil is the one tempting him. The detail that Jesus ate nothing for forty days emphasizes the intensity of his experience and his humanity—he felt real hunger. This verse prepares the reader for the specific temptations that are described in the following verses.

The Greek behind Luke 4:2

  • "Tempted" (πειραζόμενος, peirazomenos): This word means to test, try, or tempt. In this context, it carries the sense of being put to the test, not just being enticed to do wrong. It highlights that Jesus was being challenged in a deep way, not just facing simple suggestions.
  • "Devil" (διαβόλου, diabolou): This term refers to the adversary or accuser. The Greek word emphasizes the role of the devil as one who opposes and tries to undermine.
  • "Forty days" (τεσσεράκοντα ἡμέρας, tessarakonta hēmeras): The number forty often appears in the Bible as a period of testing or preparation, which would have been familiar to Luke’s readers.
  • "Hungered" (ἐπείνασεν, epeinasen): This word means to become hungry, showing that Jesus experienced real physical needs and weakness.

Why Luke 4:2 matters

  • Luke 4:2 clarifies that Jesus’ temptations were not just brief moments but lasted throughout the entire forty days, showing the depth of his testing.
  • The verse highlights Jesus’ humanity by noting his hunger, making it clear that he faced real physical struggles, not just spiritual ones.
  • This verse connects Jesus’ experience to other biblical stories of forty-day periods, such as Moses on Mount Sinai or Israel in the wilderness, helping readers see Jesus as part of a larger story of testing and faithfulness.

Where else these words appear

“ended” Greek G4931 · used in 7 verses

  • Matthew 7:28 And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine:
  • Luke 4:13 And when the devil had ended all the temptation, he departed from him for a season.
  • Romans 9:28 For he will finish the work, and cut it short in righteousness: because a short work will the Lord make upon the earth.

“afterward” Greek G5305 · used in 12 verses

  • Matthew 4:2 And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred.
  • Matthew 21:37 But last of all he sent unto them his son, saying, They will reverence my son.
  • Mark 16:14 Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen.

“forty” Greek G5062 · used in 21 verses

  • Matthew 4:2 And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred.
  • Acts 7:36 He brought them out, after that he had shewed wonders and signs in the land of Egypt, and in the Red sea, and in the wilderness forty years.
  • Hebrews 3:17 But with whom was he grieved forty years? was it not with them that had sinned, whose carcases fell in the wilderness?

“hungered” Greek G3983 · used in 23 verses

  • Matthew 4:2 And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred.
  • Matthew 25:42 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:
  • Luke 6:25 Woe unto you that are full! for ye shall hunger. Woe unto you that laugh now! for ye shall mourn and weep.