UJesu wayeseholelwa nguMoya ehlane ukuba alingwe nguSathane. Kwathi esezile ukudla izinsuku ezingama-40 nobusuku obungama-40, ekugcineni walamba. Kwase kufika umlingi, wathi kuye: “Uma uyiNdodana kaNkulunkulu, yisho kulawa matshe abe yizinkwa.”
Kepha uJesu waphendula wathi: “Kulotshiwe ukuthi: ‘Akusinkwa sodwa umuntu angaphila ngaso, kodwa ngamazwi wonke aphuma emlonyeni kaNkulunkulu.’ ”
USathane wamthatha, wamyisa emzini ongcwele, wammisa esiqongweni sethempeli, wathi kuye: “Uma uyiNdodana kaNkulunkulu, ziphonse phansi, ngokuba kulotshiwe ukuthi:
“ ‘Uyakuyala izingelosi zakhe ngawe, zikuthwale ngezandla,
funa unyawo lwakho luqhuzuke etsheni.’ ”
UJesu wathi kuye: “Kulotshiwe futhi ukuthi: ‘Ungayilingi iNkosi uNkulunkulu wakho.’ ”
USathane wabuye wamyisa entabeni ende kakhulu, wamkhombisa imibuso yonke yomhlaba nenkazimulo yayo; wathi kuye: “Konke lokhu ngizakukunika khona, uma ungikhothamela, ukhuleke kimi.”
UJesu wayesethi kuye: “Suka, Sathane, ngokuba kulotshiwe ukuthi: ‘Wokhuleka eNkosini uNkulunkulu wakho, umkhonze Yena yedwa.’ ”
USathane wayesesuka kuye; kwafika izingelosi zamkhonza.
Kuthe uJesu esezwile ukuthi uJohane uboshiwe, wahamba waya eGalile. Wasuka eNazaretha, wayohlala eKhaphernawume elingasolwandle, ezifundeni kwaZebuloni nakwaNafethali ukuze kugcwaliseke okwakhulunywa ngo-Izaya umphrofethi, ukuthi:
“Izwe lakwaZebuloni nelakwaNafethali
elisemgwaqweni oya olwandle phesheya kweJordani,
iGalile labezizwe;
isizwe esasihlezi ebumnyameni
sibonile ukukhanya okukhulu;
nababehlezi ezweni esigayegayeni sethunzi lokufa,
ukukhanya kubakhanyisele.”
Kusukela ngaleso sikhathi, uJesu waqala ukushumayela, ethi: “Phendukani, ngokuba umbuso wezulu ususondele.”