Ic wolde eow trahtnian þis godspel, ðe mann nu beforan eow rædde, ac ic ondræde þæt ge ne magon ða micelan deopnysse þæs godspelles swa understandan swa hit gedafenlic sy. Nu bidde ic eow þæt ge beon geðyldige on eowerum geðance, oðþæt we ðone traht mid Godes fylste oferrædan magon. "Se Hælend wæs gelæd fram þam Halgan Gaste to anum westene, to ðy þæt he wære gecostnod fram deofle: and he ða fæste feowertig daga and feowertig nihta, swa þæt he ne onbyrigde ætes ne wætes on eallum þam fyrste: ac siððan him hingrode. Þa genealæhte se costnere, and him to cwæð, Gif ðu sy Godes Sunu, cweð to ðisum stanum þæt hi beon awende to hlafum. Ða andwearde se Hælend, and cwæð, Hit is awriten, ne leofað se mann na be hlafe anum, ac lyfað be eallum ðam wordum þe gað of Godes muðe. Þa genam se deofol hine, and gesette hine uppan ðam scylfe þæs heagan temples, and cwæð, Gif ðu Godes Sunu sy, feall nu adún: hit is awriten, þæt englum is beboden be ðe, þæt hi ðe on hira handum ahebbon, þæt þu furðon ne ðurfe ðinne fot æt stane ætspurnan. Þa cwæð se Hælend eft him to, Hit is awriten, Ne fanda þines Drihtnes. Þa genam se deofol hine eft, and gesette hine uppan anre swiðe heahre dune, and æteowde him ealles middangeardes welan, and his wuldor, and cwæð him to, Ealle ðas ðing ic forgife ðe, gif ðu wilt feallan to minum fotum and gebiddan þe to me. Ða cwæð se Hælend him to, Ga ðu underbæcc, sceocca! Hit is awriten, Gehwá sceal hine gebiddan to his Drihtne anum, and him anum ðeowian. Þa forlet se deofol hine, and him comon englas to, and him ðenodon." Se Halga Gast lædde þone Hælend to þam westene, to ðy þæt he wære þær gecostnod. Nu wundrað gehwá hú se deofol dorste genealæcan to ðam Hælende, þæt he hine costnode: {168} ac hé ne dorste Cristes fándian, gif him alyfed nære. Se Hælend com to mancynne forði þæt he wolde ealle ure costnunga oferswiðan mid his costnungum, and oferswiðan urne ðone ecan deað mid his hwilwendlicum deaðe. Nu wæs he swa eadmod þæt he geðafode ðam deofle þæt he his fandode, and he geðafode lyðrum mannum þæt hi hine ofslogon. Deofol is ealra unrihtwisra manna heafod, and þa yfelan men sind his lima: nu geðafode God þæt þæt heafod hine costnode, and þæt ða limu hine ahengon. Þam deofle wæs micel twynung, Hwæt Crist wære? His líf næs na gelógod swa swa oðra manna líf. Crist ne æt mid gyfernysse, ne he ne dránc mid oferflowendnysse, ne his eagan ne ferdon worigende geond mislice lustas. Þa smeade se deofol hwæt he wære; hwæðer he wære Godes Sunu, seðe manncynne behaten wæs. Cwæð þa on his geðance, þæt he fandian wolde hwæt he wære. Ða fæste Crist feowertig daga and feowertig nihta on án, ða on eallum þam fyrste ne cwæð se deofol to him þæt he etan sceolde, forðan þe hé geseh þæt him nan ðing ne hingrode. Eft, ðaða Crist hingrode æfter swa langum fyrste, ða wende se deofol soðlice þæt he God nære, and cwæð to him, "Hwi hingrað þe? Gif ðu Godes Sunu sy, wend þas stanas to hlafum, and et."