NIV
New International Version · 1978 (rev. 2011)
Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’”
21 words · Balance of accuracy and readability
Matthew 4:10 — Compare Translations
Read this verse in 6 Bible translations — from word-for-word to thought-for-thought.
Dynamic equivalence
KJV
King James Version · 1611
Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.
26 words · Formal / word-for-word
ESV
English Standard Version · 2001 (rev. 2016)
Then Jesus said to him, “Be gone, Satan! For it is written, “‘You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.’”
25 words · Essentially literal
NLT
New Living Translation · 1996 (rev. 2015)
“Get out of here, Satan,” Jesus told him. “For the Scriptures say, ‘You must worship the LORD your Godand serve only him.’ ”
23 words · Thought-for-thought clarity
MSG
The Message · 2002
Jesus' refusal was curt: "Beat it, Satan!" He backed his rebuke with a third quotation from Deuteronomy: "Worship the Lord your God, and only him. Serve him with absolute single-heartedness."
30 words · Contemporary paraphrase
NASB
New American Standard Bible · 1971 (rev. 2020)
Then Jesus said to him, 'Go, Satan! For it is written, 'YOU SHALL WORSHIP THE LORD YOUR GOD, AND SERVE HIM ONLY.''
22 words · Most literal English translation
Translation Length Comparison
NIV
21 words
KJV
26 words
ESV
25 words
NLT
23 words
MSG
30 words
NASB
22 words
Frequently Asked Questions
How many Bible translations are there for Matthew 4:10?
Bible Verse Randomizer offers Matthew 4:10 in 6 translations: New International Version, King James Version, English Standard Version, New Living Translation, The Message, New American Standard Bible. Each uses a different translation philosophy — from word-for-word (KJV, ESV, NASB) to thought-for-thought (NIV, NLT) to paraphrase (MSG).
Which translation of Matthew 4:10 is best?
No single translation is "best" — it depends on your purpose. For deep study, use the ESV or NASB (word-for-word). For devotional reading, the NIV balances accuracy and readability. The NLT and MSG are excellent for understanding the general meaning in modern English. Comparing multiple translations helps grasp the full richness of the text.
What is the difference between literal and dynamic Bible translations?
Literal (formal equivalence) translations like KJV, ESV, and NASB translate word-for-word from the original Hebrew/Greek. Dynamic equivalence translations like NIV and NLT translate thought-for-thought for clarity. The MSG is a paraphrase that captures the spirit in contemporary language. Each approach has strengths — that's why comparing translations is valuable.