J05 The Temptation Test Poem by Simple Simon

The Spirit led Jesus to a desert
For the Devil's 'Temptation' test.
For days, as no food was taken,
To extreme hunger, he was driven.

'This hard stone you take,
Out of it, bread you make;
If you're really God's son,
You'll have this miracle done.'

The Devil spoke like this,
And tried to tempt Jesus,
To find how he withstood
His hunger, with no food.

Jesus, in turn, gave an answer,
Quoting the Holy Scripture,
'Man lives not by merely bread,
But by the Lord's every word.'

The Devil then took him,
To the temple at Jerusalem,
And asked him to jump
From the temple's roof-top.

The Devil said, 'God sends,
Angles to hold their hands
To safely receive you unhurt,
Not even with one stone-hit.'

For this also Jesus said,
'Do not put the Lord,
To this kind of silly test,
That bears no good fruit.'

To the highest mountain,
The Devil took him then,
And showed the wide world
Of kingdoms, all around.

'If you kneel down,
And worship me alone,
I'll see that you own
What all you've seen.'

Then Jesus said, 'Go away,
You Satan, from my way;
Worship only the Lord
And serve only Thy God.'

The Devil, at last, left Jesus,
Who was then helped by Angels
And he earned their praises
For his God-mindedness.