The phrase “man shall not live by bread alone” is one of the most profound biblical statements. It speaks to the essence of life, emphasizing the need for spiritual sustenance over physical food. This teaching is central to understanding how humans should prioritize their relationship with God, focusing not just on material needs but on spiritual growth. Below are 50 Bible verses that highlight this message, along with insights into its deeper meaning.
Man Shall Not Live by Bread Alone Meaning
The statement “man shall not live by bread alone” originates from Deuteronomy 8:3, where Moses reminds the Israelites of God’s provision during their time in the wilderness. The full verse states, “He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your ancestors had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord” (Deuteronomy 8:3, NIV).
The meaning is clear: while physical food is necessary for survival, it is not enough to sustain a person completely. Humans also need the spiritual nourishment that comes from God’s Word. This understanding underscores the importance of seeking spiritual wisdom and living according to God’s will.
Which Bible Verse Says Man Shall Not Live by Bread Alone?
This phrase appears explicitly in both the Old and New Testaments. In Deuteronomy 8:3, Moses recalls how God provided manna to the Israelites to teach them reliance on Him. Jesus later quotes this verse in Matthew 4:4 when Satan tempts Him during His 40 days of fasting in the wilderness. In response to the devil’s temptation to turn stones into bread, Jesus says, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.'” (Matthew 4:4, ESV).
These verses emphasize the spiritual aspect of life and show that physical sustenance, while important, is secondary to the nourishment of the soul.
What Did Jesus Mean When He Said Man Shall Not Live by Bread Alone?
When Jesus says, “Man shall not live by bread alone” in Matthew 4:4, He is responding to the devil’s temptation in the wilderness. After fasting for 40 days and nights, Jesus is physically weakened and hungry. The devil tempts Him to turn stones into bread, but Jesus quotes Deuteronomy 8:3, indicating that reliance on God is more important than satisfying His immediate physical needs.
Jesus’ message is that life’s ultimate fulfillment comes from obeying and trusting in God’s Word rather than focusing solely on material or physical needs. Jesus points out that true life—eternal life—is only possible through God’s guidance and provision.
50 Bible Verses About Man Shall Not Live by Bread Alone
1. Deuteronomy 8:3 (KJV)
“And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna… that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord doth man live.”
2. Matthew 4:4 (KJV)
“But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.”
3. Luke 4:4 (KJV)
“And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.”
4. John 6:35 (NIV)
“Then Jesus declared, ‘I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.’”
5. John 6:51 (NIV)
“I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.”
6. Proverbs 30:8-9 (ESV)
“Remove far from me falsehood and lying; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is needful for me, lest I be full and deny you and say, ‘Who is the Lord?’ or lest I be poor and steal and profane the name of my God.”
7. Isaiah 55:2 (NIV)
“Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and you will delight in the richest of fare.”
8. Job 23:12 (ESV)
“I have not departed from the commandment of his lips; I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my portion of food.”
9. Psalm 119:103 (NIV)
“How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!”
10. 1 Peter 2:2 (NIV)
“Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation.”
11. Jeremiah 15:16 (NIV)
“When your words came, I ate them; they were my joy and my heart’s delight, for I bear your name, Lord God Almighty.”
12. Matthew 5:6 (KJV)
“Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.”
13. John 4:34 (ESV)
“Jesus said to them, ‘My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work.’”
14. Colossians 3:16 (NIV)
“Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.”
15. Psalm 34:8 (NIV)
“Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.”
16. Psalm 19:10 (NIV)
“They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the honeycomb.”
17. Psalm 37:25 (KJV)
“I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.”
18. Isaiah 55:10-11 (NIV)
“As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.”
19. Amos 8:11 (ESV)
“‘Behold, the days are coming,’ declares the Lord God, ‘when I will send a famine on the land—not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord.’”
20. Psalm 78:23-24 (NIV)
“Yet he gave a command to the skies above and opened the doors of the heavens; he rained down manna for the people to eat, he gave them the grain of heaven.”
21. John 6:27 (NIV)
“Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him God the Father has placed his seal of approval.”
22. John 6:33 (KJV)
“For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world.”
23. John 6:48 (KJV)
“I am that bread of life.”
24. Psalm 119:11 (NIV)
“I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.”
25. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NIV)
“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
26. Matthew 6:11 (KJV)
“Give us this day our daily bread.”
27. John 6:63 (NIV)
“The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you—they are full of the Spirit and life.”
28. Proverbs 4:20-22 (NIV)
“My son, pay attention to what I say; turn your ear to my words. Do not let them out of your sight, keep them within your heart; for they are life to those who find them and health to one’s whole body.”
29. Romans 10:17 (NIV)
“Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ.”
30. 1 Corinthians 10:3-4 (NIV)
“They all ate the same spiritual food and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ.”
31. Psalm 107:9 (NIV)
“For he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.”
32. Job 12:10 (NIV)
“In his hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind.”
33. John 6:58 (KJV)
“This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever.”
34. Matthew 24:35 (KJV)
“Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.”
35. Psalm 145:15-16 (NIV)
“The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food at the proper time. You open your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing.”
36. Philippians 4:19 (NIV)
“And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.”
37. John 1:1 (KJV)
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
38. James 1:18 (NIV)
“He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.”
39. Psalm 23:1 (KJV)
“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.”
40. Matthew 6:25 (NIV)
“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?”
41. Psalm 119:105 (KJV)
“Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.”
42. Acts 20:32 (NIV)
“Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.”
43. Jeremiah 17:7-8 (NIV)
“But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream.”
44. Hebrews 4:12 (NIV)
“For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”
45. James 1:21 (NIV)
“Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.”
46. Romans 12:2 (NIV)
“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”
47. Psalm 37:3-4 (NIV)
“Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.”
48. Isaiah 40:8 (KJV)
“The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever.”
49. Psalm 119:130 (NIV)
“The unfolding of your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple.”
50. Joshua 1:8 (NIV)
“Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.”
Conclusion
Man shall not live by bread alone teaches us that our lives cannot be sustained solely by physical food. We must also seek spiritual nourishment through God’s Word, which provides wisdom, direction, and purpose. This timeless lesson calls us to focus on our relationship with God and recognize that our true fulfillment comes from His presence and guidance.
In these 50 Bible verses, we see that the concept of living by more than just bread is central to the Christian life. Through His Word, God reveals the importance of spiritual growth and eternal life, which are far more significant than mere physical sustenance. By seeking God first, we can live lives of meaning, purpose, and spiritual abundance.
Read also: 40 Scriptures to Pray Against Backwardness
