Millenial Translation (mt): Temptation of Jesus
~*~ Hi guys this is just for fun but might be part of an ongoing series of Casual English translations. Let me know what you think! ~*~
(Based on Matthew 4:1-11)
Jesus felt the Spirit calling him into the wilderness. Satan the devil was an entity that had haunted him since childhood, but Jesus knew that he would soon confront him face-to-face. So, Jesus trekked into the unknown, and he ate nothing for forty days.
Jesus finally became deathly weak from hunger and thirst. The sun was perched high in the sky, and the heat was blazing. He could not muster any strength to walk further, so he sat down on a large boulder. At that moment, Jesus could sense that he was being stalked by a predator, and he was too weak to resist.
Satan leaned in and said, “You look famished. Why don’t you turn those stones into loaves of bread? Aren’t you the Son of God? It should be no obstacle for you.”
“I don’t think so,” Jesus said, "You know the Scriptures say that bread will never fully provide what God provides.”
“Let’s take a trip,” Satan said. The devil violently dragged Jesus up into the clouds and flew over to the Holy City of Jerusalem. Jesus had been handed over, and Satan took delight in it. The devil put Jesus on the edge of the Holy Temple’s roof. Satan yelled, “Jump, Son of God! What do you have to fear? You know it says in the Scriptures, ‘God will send angels to protect you, and they won’t let you hit the ground! What a sight that would be!’”
Jesus responded, “Did you forget that the Scriptures also say, ‘Don’t play games with God’?”
Satan realized that Jesus would not be easily manipulated or intimidated. Still, he had one more card he was willing to play. Again, he picked Jesus up and took him to the pinnacle of a mountain. When Jesus looked out, he saw an incredible vision. In the valley below, he saw all the kingdoms of the world, and they were all bowing down to him and singing his name.
“Isn’t it awe-inspiring?” the devil remarked. “Remember, I was given the keys to the world. I can give them to whomever I want. I want you to have them. You can rule the earth however you see fit. Worship me as your God, and I won’t stand in your way.”
Jesus turned to meet Satan’s eyes. “Get out of my sight, Satan! The Scriptures declare, ‘You must only worship the one true God.’” Satan disappeared instantly, but Jesus knew this was far from their last encounter.
After Satan went away, Jesus fell to the ground in exhaustion and began to cry. The angels swooped down and tended to him.
