Fifth Sunday of Winter

“Temptations of Christ” by Botticelli, 1480-1482

Ieshu withdrew into the desert, where he was repeatedly tempted by Satan. After fasting for forty days, he became hungry. The tempter said to him: "If you are the Son of God, let these stones become loaves of bread”. Ieshu replied: "Man does not live by bread alone, but also by the word of God. Then he felt himself transported to a high mountain, and in an instant, having shown him the whole kingdom of the earth, the tempter said to him: I will give you power and glory over all this kingdom, for it has been delivered to me, and I give it to whom I will, on condition that, bowing down before me, they worship me. Ieshu answered him: it is written, you shall worship God and serve him alone. And Satan said to him: since you are the son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written: he has ordered his angels to take you in their hands so that your foot does not strike against the stone. But Ieshu said to him: it is also written, you shall not tempt your God. Back off, Satan, and the tempter left him.​