What Does Matthew 4:1 Mean in the King James?

Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.

Matthew 4:1 · KJV

The analysis reads the King James wording.

King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.

THE KEY

The Breath leads Jesus into the very wilderness where the Slanderer tests him; exposure itself does not mean the Breath is absent.

THE MEANING

The Breath leads Jesus into the wilderness, where the Slanderer tests him. Guidance and exposure stand together: the presence of testing does not mean the Breath has withdrawn. The verse holds a real adversarial pressure within the path of divine leading.

WHAT THIS UNDOES

It undoes the belief that a path guided by God must be free of testing.

THE ROOT

πνεῦμα

pneuma

GROWS FROM

πνε-

pne-

Breathe, blow; breath or moving air.

The Greek word carries the senses of breath, wind, and spirit together. English selects “Spirit” here, while the root keeps breath and moving air within hearing: the Breath leads Jesus into the wilderness.

ALSO GROWS

pneō: Breathe, blow.

πνέω

This verb shares the family’s breath and moving-air sense with the word translated “Spirit.”

pnoē: Breath, blast of wind.

πνοή

This branch makes audible how breath and wind belong to the same word family.

πειρασθῆναι

peirasthēnai

GROWS FROM

πειρα

peira

Trial, attempt, or putting to proof.

“tempted” in this verse is peirasthēnai. This word family carries both testing and enticement. The Slanderer is named as the agent, so the test has a double edge: it puts Jesus to proof while pressing toward a fall.

ALSO GROWS

peirazō: Test, try, put to proof; also tempt.

πειράζω

This verb names the testing action in the verse and holds its range of proving and enticement.

peirasmos: Test, trial, temptation.

πειρασμός

This related noun keeps trial and temptation within one family, showing the pressure’s shared shape.

διάβολος

diabolos

GROWS FROM

βάλλω

ballō

Throw, cast.

“devil” in this verse is diabolos. The Greek name carries the work of slander: an accusation thrown across. In this verse, the test comes through the voice of the Slanderer.

ALSO GROWS

diaballō: Slander, accuse.

διαβάλλω

This compound verb names the act carried by the Slanderer’s name.

diabolē: Slander, accusation.

διαβολή

This related noun makes the accusation itself visible as part of the word family.

THE PATTERN

Testing brings what is held within into view and puts trust to proof.

And thou shalt remember all the way which the LORD thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no.

Deuteronomy 8:2 · KJVThe test brings the heart’s contents into view, just as this verse places Jesus in the wilderness under pressure.

That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:

1 Peter 1:7 · KJVA trial puts trust to proof, revealing what endures under pressure.

THE THREAD

For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.

Hebrews 4:15 · KJV

The testing verb belongs to the same Greek family as “tempted” here: ⁨πειράζω⁩ (peirazō), to test or put to proof. Hebrews holds the pressure and the blameless outcome together, showing that being tested does not itself mean being overcome.

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