Luke 4:7

Authorized King James Version

PDF

If thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be thine.

Original Language Analysis

σὺ thou G4771
σὺ thou
Strong's: G4771
Word #: 1 of 9
thou
οὖν therefore G3767
οὖν therefore
Strong's: G3767
Word #: 2 of 9
(adverbially) certainly, or (conjunctionally) accordingly
ἐὰν If G1437
ἐὰν If
Strong's: G1437
Word #: 3 of 9
a conditional particle; in case that, provided, etc.; often used in connection with other particles to denote indefiniteness or uncertainty
προσκυνήσῃς wilt worship G4352
προσκυνήσῃς wilt worship
Strong's: G4352
Word #: 4 of 9
to fawn or crouch to, i.e., (literally or figuratively) prostrate oneself in homage (do reverence to, adore)
ἐνώπιον me G1799
ἐνώπιον me
Strong's: G1799
Word #: 5 of 9
in the face of (literally or figuratively)
μοῦ, G3450
μοῦ,
Strong's: G3450
Word #: 6 of 9
of me
ἔσται shall be G2071
ἔσται shall be
Strong's: G2071
Word #: 7 of 9
will be
σοῦ thine G4675
σοῦ thine
Strong's: G4675
Word #: 8 of 9
of thee, thy
πάντα all G3956
πάντα all
Strong's: G3956
Word #: 9 of 9
all, any, every, the whole

Cross References

Revelation 4:10The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying,Revelation 5:8And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints.Revelation 22:8And I John saw these things, and heard them. And when I had heard and seen, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel which shewed me these things.Isaiah 46:6They lavish gold out of the bag, and weigh silver in the balance, and hire a goldsmith; and he maketh it a god: they fall down, yea, they worship.Isaiah 45:14Thus saith the LORD, The labour of Egypt, and merchandise of Ethiopia and of the Sabeans, men of stature, shall come over unto thee, and they shall be thine: they shall come after thee; in chains they shall come over, and they shall fall down unto thee, they shall make supplication unto thee, saying, Surely God is in thee; and there is none else, there is no God.Psalms 72:11Yea, all kings shall fall down before him: all nations shall serve him.Matthew 2:11And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.Luke 8:28When he saw Jesus, he cried out, and fell down before him, and with a loud voice said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God most high? I beseech thee, torment me not.Luke 17:16And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan.

Analysis & Commentary

If thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be thine. Satan's second temptation distills to its essence: proskyneō moi (προσκυνέω μοι, worship me). The verb proskyneō (προσκυνέω) means to bow down in reverence, pay homage, or worship—the exclusive prerogative of deity alone. Satan demands what belongs only to God, revealing his fundamental rebellion: the desire to usurp divine worship (Isaiah 14:13-14). The condition 'if thou therefore wilt' (ean oun sy proskynesēs, ἐὰν οὖν σὺ προσκυνήσῃς) makes the offer conditional on a single act of worship.

This temptation presents a Satanic shortcut to messianic dominion without the cross. All shall be thine (estai sou pasa, ἔσται σοῦ πᾶσα) promises immediate universal authority—what Psalm 2:8 and Daniel 7:13-14 already guarantee Christ will receive through suffering and resurrection. The essence of every false religion appears here: worshiping created things rather than the Creator (Romans 1:25). Satan offers Jesus His rightful inheritance through compromise, bypassing the Father's redemptive plan requiring substitutionary atonement.

Historical Context

First-century Jewish messianic expectations centered on political liberation from Rome and establishment of a Davidic kingdom. The Zealot movement advocated armed rebellion against Roman occupation. Satan's offer of immediate kingdoms without the 'scandal' of a crucified Messiah (1 Corinthians 1:23) would have seemed pragmatically attractive from a worldly perspective. Yet Jesus understood His mission required the cross—only through His death could redemption be accomplished and true dominion over sin, death, and Satan be secured. This temptation would recur when crowds sought to make Jesus king by force (John 6:15) and when Peter rebuked Jesus for predicting His death (Matthew 16:22-23).

Questions for Reflection

Related Resources

Explore related topics, people, and study resources to deepen your understanding of this passage.

People

Study Resources

Bible Stories