And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.

MATTHEW 4:6KJV
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Matthew 4:6 (KJV)

What does Matthew 4:6 mean?

In Matthew 4:6, the devil challenges Jesus to jump from the temple, using a promise of angelic protection as his reason. The devil presents the jump as something Jesus could do if he is the Son of God.

The words “If thou be the Son of God” connect the challenge to Jesus’ identity. The picture of angels carrying someone in their hands comes from Psalm 91:11–12. The devil uses those words to support his demand that Jesus throw himself down.

The Greek behind Matthew 4:6

  • “give … charge” — ἐντέλλομαι (entellomai): This means to give an order or instruction. The Greek presents God’s protection as something he commands his angels to provide.
  • “lest at any time” — μήποτε (mēpote): This introduces something to be prevented. The image of a foot striking a stone shows how carefully the angels are to guard the person in the psalm.

Why Matthew 4:6 matters

  • The devil uses Scripture as part of his challenge. “It is written” introduces words from Psalm 91, placing a biblical promise beside the demand to jump.
  • The promise concerns protection, but the devil turns it into a reason for a deliberate fall. That shift matters for understanding why Jesus answers in Matthew 4:7 with another passage: “Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.”

Where else these words appear

“dash” Greek G4350 · used in 8 verses

  • Matthew 7:27 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.
  • John 11:9 Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world.
  • Romans 9:32 Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone;

“down” Greek G2736 · used in 11 verses

  • Matthew 2:16 Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently enquired of the wise men.
  • Mark 15:38 And the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom.
  • John 8:8 And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground.

“give” Greek G1781 · used in 17 verses

  • Matthew 15:4 For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death.
  • Mark 11:6 And they said unto them even as Jesus had commanded: and they let them go.
  • John 15:14 Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.

“time” Greek G3379 · used in 25 verses

  • Matthew 5:25 Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison.
  • Mark 14:2 But they said, Not on the feast day, lest there be an uproar of the people.
  • John 7:26 But, lo, he speaketh boldly, and they say nothing unto him. Do the rulers know indeed that this is the very Christ?