independentparticipialpurposecausecontentconditionaldashed = verbless / suspended
Flush-left = a main (independent) clause. Each dependent line begins directly beneath the word it attaches to in the line above — the anchor word is dotted-underlined, and lights up when you hover its dependent clause; each tag also names the attachment. A dashed border marks verbless, elliptical, or suspended lines. Where a long sentence's staircase runs wider than the page, the diagram scrolls sideways. (In print, or without JavaScript, lines fall back to stepped indent columns.)
The temptation — three tests, three 'it is written's 4:1–11
vv. 1–2 — led up to be tested; the forty-day fast
1
Τότε ὁ Ἰησοῦς ἀνήχθη εἰς τὴν ἔρημον ὑπὸ τοῦ πνεύματος,independent — Matthew's Τότε opens the scene — divine passive: the Spirit of the baptism (3:16) leads to the test
πειρασθῆναι ὑπὸ τοῦ διαβόλου.purpose — purpose infinitive — the testing is God's design, the devil its instrument; πειράζω both 'tempt' and 'prove'
2
καὶ νηστεύσας ἡμέρας τεσσεράκοντα καὶ νύκτας τεσσεράκονταparticipial — preposed aorist participle — leans on ἐπείνασεν; the forty of Moses (Exod 34:28) and Israel's years
ὕστερον ἐπείνασεν.independent — ingressive aorist — true humanity; the hunger is the hinge to the first test
vv. 3–4 — stones to bread: answered from Deuteronomy 8:3
3
Καὶ προσελθὼνparticipial — preposed circumstantial — leans on εἶπεν; the tempter's approach
ὁ πειράζων εἶπεν αὐτῷ·independent — ὁ πειράζων — the articular participle as a title for the devil (cf. 1 Thess 3:5)
Εἰ υἱὸς εἶ τοῦ θεοῦ,conditional — protasis inside speech — first-class condition pressing the voice of 3:17: 'since you are'
εἰπὲcontent — the apodosis — one imperative: sonship urged into self-serving fiat
ἵνα οἱ λίθοι οὗτοι ἄρτοι γένωνται.content — ἵνα of content, not purpose — the desert stones ironically loaf-shaped
4
ὁ δὲ ἀποκριθεὶςparticipial — preposed pleonastic speech-participle — the Semitic 'answered and said' idiom
εἶπεν·independent — the reply-frame — Jesus' first words in the Gospel after the baptism
Γέγραπται·content — the first 'it stands written' — the intensive perfect of Scripture's abiding authority, the chapter's refrain
Οὐκ ἐπ’ ἄρτῳ μόνῳ ζήσεται ὁ ἄνθρωπος,content — Deut 8:3 — the wilderness lesson Israel was taught by its own hunger
ἀλλ’ ἐπὶ παντὶ ῥήματι ἐκπορευομένῳ διὰ στόματος θεοῦ.content — the true basis of life — the citation's ἀλλά sets God's ῥῆμα against the devil's bread
vv. 5–7 — the pinnacle: Psalm 91 misused, answered from Deuteronomy 6:16
5
Τότε παραλαμβάνει αὐτὸν ὁ διάβολος εἰς τὴν ἁγίαν πόλιν,independent — historic present παραλαμβάνει — the scene shifts to Jerusalem, 'the holy city' (cf. 27:53)
καὶ ἔστησεν αὐτὸν ἐπὶ τὸ πτερύγιον τοῦ ἱεροῦ,independent — πτερύγιον — the 'little wing,' the temple's highest point; the stage for the spectacle
6
καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ·independent — historic present — the second assault
Εἰ υἱὸς εἶ τοῦ θεοῦ,conditional — the protasis repeated verbatim — the same lever, leaning forward on βάλε
βάλε σεαυτὸν κάτω·content — the apodosis-demand — a self-endangering display to extort God's rescue
γέγραπται γὰρ ὅτιcause — the devil parrots Jesus' own formula — γάρ grounds the demand in misread Scripture; recitative ὅτι
Τοῖς ἀγγέλοις αὐτοῦ ἐντελεῖται περὶ σοῦcontent — Ps 91:11 — with 'in all your ways' silently dropped: protection promised for the pilgrim, not the leaper
καὶ ἐπὶ χειρῶν ἀροῦσίν σε,content — Ps 91:12 — the second colon of the catena
μήποτε προσκόψῃς πρὸς λίθον τὸν πόδα σου.purpose — μήποτε — negative purpose inside the citation; the layout's deepest point, Scripture inside Scripture
7
ἔφη αὐτῷ ὁ Ἰησοῦς·independent — ἔφη — the terse reply-frame
Πάλιν γέγραπται·content — Πάλιν — Scripture misused is answered by Scripture rightly read, text set beside text
Οὐκ ἐκπειράσεις κύριον τὸν θεόν σου.content — Deut 6:16 (Massah) — οὐ + imperatival future; to demand proof of God is to distrust him
vv. 8–10 — the kingdoms for worship: answered from Deuteronomy 6:13
8
Πάλιν παραλαμβάνει αὐτὸν ὁ διάβολος εἰς ὄρος ὑψηλὸν λίαν,independent — historic present — the third, climactic test; the mountain motif Matthew loves (5:1; 28:16)
καὶ δείκνυσιν αὐτῷ πάσας τὰς βασιλείας τοῦ κόσμου καὶ τὴν δόξαν αὐτῶν,independent — historic present δείκνυσιν — the world's βασιλεῖαι displayed, counterpoint to the βασιλεία of v. 17
9
καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ·independent — the speech-frame for the naked offer
Ταῦτά σοι πάντα δώσω,content — fronted Ταῦτά … πάντα — the all-encompassing bribe; the devil disposes of what he does not own
ἐὰν πεσὼν προσκυνήσῃς μοι.conditional — backward protasis — anchored on δώσω; the price named at last: προσκυνέω, the reverence owed God alone
10
τότε λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ Ἰησοῦς·independent — historic present — the dismissal
Ὕπαγε, Σατανᾶ·content — the adversary named at the moment of his rout; the Byzantine text adds ὀπίσω μου (cf. 16:23)
γέγραπται γάρ·cause — the third and final refrain — the dismissal grounded in Scripture
Κύριον τὸν θεόν σου προσκυνήσειςcontent — Deut 6:13 — Κύριον emphatically fronted; the devil's own verb προσκυνέω turned against him
καὶ αὐτῷ μόνῳ λατρεύσεις.content — μόνῳ — the exclusivity that ends the negotiation
v. 11 — the devil departs; angels minister
11
Τότε ἀφίησιν αὐτὸν ὁ διάβολος,independent — historic present ἀφίησιν — the defeated tempter withdraws
καὶ ἰδοὺ ἄγγελοι προσῆλθονindependent — ἰδού — the angels of the misquoted psalm arrive unbidden
καὶ διηκόνουν αὐτῷ.independent — durative imperfect — the care refused as a test (v. 6) now freely given; cf. Mark 1:13
Withdrawal to Galilee — the light dawns 4:12–17
vv. 12–13 — the withdrawal and the settling in Capernaum
12
Ἀκούσας δὲparticipial — preposed circumstantial — leans on ἀνεχώρησεν; the report that moves the story
ὅτι Ἰωάννης παρεδόθηcontent — παρεδόθη — the verb that will be Jesus' own (17:22; 26:2); the forerunner's arrest as omen
ἀνεχώρησεν εἰς τὴν Γαλιλαίαν.independent — ἀναχωρέω — Matthew's verb of strategic withdrawal (2:12–14, 22), not flight
13
καὶ καταλιπὼν τὴν Ναζαρὰparticipial — preposed aorist participle — the hometown left behind
ἐλθὼνparticipial — second preposed participle — the double step before the verb strikes
κατῴκησεν εἰς Καφαρναοὺμ τὴν παραθαλασσίαν ἐν ὁρίοις Ζαβουλὼν καὶ Νεφθαλίμ·independent — ingressive aorist — Capernaum becomes 'his own city' (9:1); the tribal names load the citation to come
vv. 14–16 — the fulfilment formula: Isaiah 8:23–9:1
14
ἵνα πληρωθῇ τὸ ῥηθὲν διὰ Ἠσαΐου τοῦ προφήτου λέγοντος·purpose — the fulfilment formula without its γέγονεν frame — ἵνα hangs directly on the narrative verb; the geography is prophecy
15
Γῆ Ζαβουλὼν καὶ γῆ Νεφθαλίμ, ὁδὸν θαλάσσης, πέραν τοῦ Ἰορδάνου, Γαλιλαία τῶν ἐθνῶν,content — Isa 8:23 — verbless address piling up the region's names; the Via Maris; 'Galilee of the nations' anticipates 28:19
16
ὁ λαὸς ὁ καθήμενος ἐν σκότει φῶς εἶδεν μέγα,content — Isa 9:1 — καθήμενος: settled, fixed in the dark; the light is the arrival just narrated
καὶ τοῖς καθημένοις ἐν χώρᾳ καὶ σκιᾷ θανάτου φῶς ἀνέτειλεν αὐτοῖς.content — the parallel colon — ἀνέτειλεν, the light rises like the sun; resumptive αὐτοῖς a Semitic pleonasm
v. 17 — Ἀπὸ τότε: the proclamation begins
17
Ἀπὸ τότε ἤρξατο ὁ Ἰησοῦς κηρύσσειν καὶ λέγειν·independent — Ἀπὸ τότε — the structural hinge Matthew reuses at 16:21; the public ministry opens
Μετανοεῖτε,content — present imperative — the ongoing demand; John's message (3:2) taken over word for word
ἤγγικεν γὰρ ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν.cause — ἤγγικεν — 'drawn near' or 'arrived,' the famous crux left open; 'of the heavens,' Matthew's reverent periphrasis
The call of the first disciples 4:18–22
vv. 18–20 — Simon and Andrew: the nets left
18
Περιπατῶν δὲ παρὰ τὴν θάλασσαν τῆς Γαλιλαίαςparticipial — preposed circumstantial — leans on εἶδεν; the lakeside setting of both calls
εἶδεν δύο ἀδελφούς, Σίμωνα τὸν λεγόμενον Πέτρον καὶ Ἀνδρέαν τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ,independent — Jesus' seeing initiates the call; Πέτρον proleptic — the name given at 16:18 used already
βάλλοντας ἀμφίβληστρον εἰς τὴν θάλασσαν·participial — supplementary participle — caught mid-work; ἀμφίβληστρον, the round casting-net
ἦσαν γὰρ ἁλεεῖς.cause — narrator's aside — the γάρ that sets up 'fishers of men'
19
καὶ λέγει αὐτοῖς·independent — historic present — the summons
Δεῦτε ὀπίσω μου,content — the call — discipleship as walking behind the master
καὶ ποιήσω ὑμᾶς ἁλεεῖς ἀνθρώπων.content — the promissory future — their trade transposed into mission
20
οἱ δὲ εὐθέως ἀφέντες τὰ δίκτυαparticipial — preposed aorist participle — εὐθέως: the livelihood abandoned before the verb strikes
ἠκολούθησαν αὐτῷ.independent — ἀκολουθέω — the discipleship verb; one word answers the call
vv. 21–22 — James and John: boat and father left
21
Καὶ προβὰς ἐκεῖθενparticipial — preposed circumstantial — leans on εἶδεν; the pattern repeats (cf. Mark 1:19)
εἶδεν ἄλλους δύο ἀδελφούς, Ἰάκωβον τὸν τοῦ Ζεβεδαίου καὶ Ἰωάννην τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ,independent — the second pair — again the seeing comes first
ἐν τῷ πλοίῳ μετὰ Ζεβεδαίου τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτῶν καταρτίζοντας τὰ δίκτυα αὐτῶν,participial — supplementary participle — the father in the boat: the cost of v. 22 staged in advance
καὶ ἐκάλεσεν αὐτούς.independent — the call compressed to one verb — no words reported this time
22
οἱ δὲ εὐθέως ἀφέντες τὸ πλοῖον καὶ τὸν πατέρα αὐτῶνparticipial — preposed aorist participle — the cost heightened: not nets only but boat and father
ἠκολούθησαν αὐτῷ.independent — the same one-word obedience — the two responses end identically
The Galilean ministry — the crowds gather 4:23–25
vv. 23–25 — teaching, preaching, healing; the report and the five regions
23
Καὶ περιῆγεν ἐν ὅλῃ τῇ Γαλιλαίᾳ,independent — itinerant imperfect — the programmatic summary, repeated almost verbatim at 9:35
διδάσκων ἐν ταῖς συναγωγαῖς αὐτῶνparticipial — the first facet of the triad — the teaching unfolded in the Sermon (chs. 5–7)
καὶ κηρύσσων τὸ εὐαγγέλιον τῆς βασιλείαςparticipial — the second facet — the proclamation of v. 17 made a habit
καὶ θεραπεύων πᾶσαν νόσον καὶ πᾶσαν μαλακίαν ἐν τῷ λαῷ.participial — the third facet — the deeds of chs. 8–9; the doubled πᾶσαν is comprehensive
24
καὶ ἀπῆλθεν ἡ ἀκοὴ αὐτοῦ εἰς ὅλην τὴν Συρίαν·independent — ἡ ἀκοή — the fame outruns the ministry, beyond Israel's borders (cf. Mark 1:28)
καὶ προσήνεγκαν αὐτῷ πάντας τοὺς κακῶς ἔχοντας ποικίλαις νόσοις καὶ βασάνοις συνεχομένους, δαιμονιζομένους καὶ σεληνιαζομένους καὶ παραλυτικούς,independent — the catalogue of the afflicted — σεληνιαζομένους, literally 'moon-struck,' the ancient term for epilepsy
καὶ ἐθεράπευσεν αὐτούς.independent — the summary aorist — all brought, all healed
25
καὶ ἠκολούθησαν αὐτῷ ὄχλοι πολλοὶ ἀπὸ τῆς Γαλιλαίας καὶ Δεκαπόλεως καὶ Ἱεροσολύμων καὶ Ἰουδαίας καὶ πέραν τοῦ Ἰορδάνου.independent — ἠκολούθησαν — the disciples' verb now of the crowds, in a looser sense; five regions gather the audience for the Sermon (5:1)
Analysis. Matthew 4 is three dialogues and then a narrative column. In the temptation (vv. 1–11) the shape alternates: purple narrative verbs flush left — the divine passive ἀνήχθη with its purpose infinitive πειρασθῆναι hanging beneath it (the Spirit, not the devil, initiates the test), then the historic presents flagged as the drama quickens (παραλαμβάνει twice, λέγει, δείκνυσιν, and ἀφίησιν as the devil exits) — while all speech hangs blue (cnt) beneath its verb of saying, and beneath the speech the chapter's refrain: γέγραπται, the citation hanging as content below it every time. The devil's two protases Εἰ υἱὸς εἶ τοῦ θεοῦ lean forward, anchor-less, one step deeper than the apodoses they press (the baptismal declaration of 3:17 turned into a lever), while the third condition — ἐὰν πεσὼν προσκυνήσῃς μοι — follows its apodosis and so takes its anchor on δώσω. Jesus' three answers are all Deuteronomy (8:3; 6:16; 6:13), the wilderness lessons Israel failed; the devil's one counter-citation (Ps 91:11–12, its 'in all your ways' silently dropped) sits at the layout's deepest point, Scripture misused inside Scripture answered. The second movement (vv. 12–17) pivots on participles — Ἀκούσας with its ὅτι-content (παρεδόθη, the verb that will be Jesus' own), the double καταλιπὼν … ἐλθὼν leaning on κατῴκησεν — and then Matthew's fulfilment formula in a variant shape: there is no Τοῦτο γέγονεν frame, so ἵνα πληρωθῇ hangs directly on the narrative verb κατῴκησεν, with Isa 8:23–9:1 as content beneath λέγοντος (the region named in a verbless address, then the light dawning). Ἀπὸ τότε (v. 17) is the Matthean hinge (cf. 16:21); the proclamation repeats John's message word for word (3:2), and ἤγγικεν — 'drawn near' or 'arrived' — is left open as in Mark 1:15. The call narratives (vv. 18–22) run like Mark's: preposed participles lean on εἶδεν, the supplementary βάλλοντας and καταρτίζοντας catch the brothers mid-work, the γάρ-aside sets up 'fishers of men,' and both responses share one two-line shape — a preposed ἀφέντες naming the cost (nets; then boat and father) with the one-word obedience ἠκολούθησαν flush left. The closing summary (vv. 23–25) hangs the ministry's triad — teaching, preaching, healing — as three coordinate participles beneath the itinerant imperfect περιῆγεν, and ends flush left: the report through all Syria, the catalogue of the afflicted, and crowds from five regions gathering the audience for the Sermon (5:1). Cruxes the layout inherits rather than resolves: at v. 10 the critical text's curt Ὕπαγε, Σατανᾶ stands where the Byzantine text adds ὀπίσω μου; πειρασθῆναι is both 'tempt' (the devil's aim) and 'prove' (God's); and σεληνιαζομένους ('moon-struck,' epileptic) is glossed in its tag.