OET interlinear LUKE 4:4

4:4a

But Jesus answered: The Greek verb that the BSB literally translates as answered can also be translated as “replied” or “responded.” Jesus did not answer a question. He responded to what the devil suggested. Use a word from your language that matches this context. For example:

But Jesus told him (NLT)

But: The Greek word that the BSB translates as But is a conjunction that may also be translated as “and.” Some English versions, such as the ESV, translate it that way. Other versions, such as the NIV and NET, do not translate this conjunction here. Connect 4:4a to 4:3b in a way that is natural in your language.

It is written: Jesus used the phrase It is written to introduce words that were written in the Hebrew Scriptures (Deuteronomy 8:3). Some other ways to translate this are:

It is written in the Scriptures (NCV)

The scripture says (GNT)

4:4b

Man shall not live on bread alone: There is a textual issue here: (1) The earliest Greek manuscripts say, “Man will not live on bread alone.” Nearly every major English version follows these manuscripts (BSB, RSV, NIV, GNT, NJB, ESV, NASB, NLT, NLT, GW, CEV, NET, JBP, REB, NCV). (2) Other Greek manuscripts say, “man will not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.” The KJV follows these manuscripts. (3) A few manuscripts say, “man will not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds through the mouth of God.” No major English version follows these manuscripts. It is recommended that you follow option (1). It has early and strong manuscript support. Also, it is evident that copyists at an early date added “but by every word of God” or “but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God” to harmonize with the parallel account in Matthew or to the Septuagint version of Deuteronomy 8:3. If any of the longer versions of the text had been original, its omission from some of the earliest and most significant manuscripts would be unaccountable. (Based on Swanson, p. 63; the Greek NT UBS 4th ed.; and Metzger, p. 113.) You may want to give the longer reading in a footnote. A sample footnote is: “Some Greek manuscripts have ‘man will not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.’” The clause Man shall not live on bread alone is a quotation from Deuteronomy 8:3. Jesus was saying that bread (food) alone does not give true life. There is something more important than food.

Be careful not to translate this clause in a way that implies that Jesus was saying that people need a variety of foods in addition to bread. He was not saying that bread is not nutritious enough to sustain life. He was saying that food alone does not give true life.

Some other ways to translate this are:

It takes more than bread for man to live.

Food by itself is not enough to keep people alive.

No one can live only on food. (CEV)

Man: The word Man here refers to human beings. It refers to both males and females.

bread: In this context bread represents food in general. This is the same word as in 4:3b.