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Jesus and the Woman of Samaria

Now when Jesus[a] learned that the Pharisees had heard, “Jesus is making and baptizing more disciples than John”(A) (although it was not Jesus himself but his disciples who baptized), he left Judea and started back to Galilee. But he had to go through Samaria. So he came to a Samaritan city called Sychar, near the plot of ground that Jacob had given to his son Joseph.(B) Jacob’s well was there, and Jesus, tired out by his journey, was sitting by the well. It was about noon.

A Samaritan woman came to draw water, and Jesus said to her, “Give me a drink.” (His disciples had gone to the city to buy food.) The Samaritan woman said to him, “How is it that you, a Jew, ask a drink of me, a woman of Samaria?” (Jews do not share things in common with Samaritans.)[b](C) 10 Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.”(D) 11 The woman said to him, “Sir,[c] you have no bucket, and the well is deep. Where do you get that living water? 12 Are you greater than our ancestor Jacob, who gave us the well and with his sons and his flocks drank from it?” 13 Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, 14 but those who drink of the water that I will give them will never be thirsty. The water that I will give will become in them a spring of water gushing up to eternal life.”(E) 15 The woman said to him, “Sir,[d] give me this water, so that I may never be thirsty or have to keep coming here to draw water.”(F)

16 Jesus said to her, “Go, call your husband, and come back.” 17 The woman answered him, “I have no husband.” Jesus said to her, “You are right in saying, ‘I have no husband,’ 18 for you have had five husbands, and the one you have now is not your husband. What you have said is true!” 19 The woman said to him, “Sir,[e] I see that you are a prophet. 20 Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain, but you[f] say that the place where people must worship is in Jerusalem.”(G) 21 Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when you[g] will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem.(H) 22 You[h] worship what you[i] do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews.(I) 23 But the hour is coming and is now here when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father seeks such as these to worship him.(J) 24 God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”(K) 25 The woman said to him, “I know that Messiah is coming” (who is called Christ). “When he comes, he will proclaim all things to us.”(L) 26 Jesus said to her, “I am he,[j] the one who is speaking to you.”(M)

27 Just then his disciples came. They were astonished that he was speaking with a woman, but no one said, “What do you want?” or, “Why are you speaking with her?” 28 Then the woman left her water jar and went back to the city. She said to the people, 29 “Come and see a man who told me everything I have ever done! He cannot be the Messiah,[k] can he?”(N) 30 They left the city and were on their way to him.

31 Meanwhile the disciples were urging him, “Rabbi, eat something.” 32 But he said to them, “I have food to eat that you do not know about.” 33 So the disciples said to one another, “Surely no one has brought him something to eat?” 34 Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to complete his work.(O) 35 Do you not say, ‘Four months more, then comes the harvest’? But I tell you, look around you, and see how the fields are ripe for harvesting.(P) 36 The reaper is already receiving[l] wages and is gathering fruit for eternal life, so that sower and reaper may rejoice together.(Q) 37 For here the saying holds true, ‘One sows and another reaps.’(R) 38 I sent you to reap that for which you did not labor. Others have labored, and you have entered into their labor.”

39 Many Samaritans from that city believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me everything I have ever done.”(S) 40 So when the Samaritans came to him, they asked him to stay with them, and he stayed there two days. 41 And many more believed because of his word. 42 They said to the woman, “It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is truly the Savior of the world.”(T)

Jesus Returns to Galilee

43 When the two days were over, he went from that place to Galilee(U) 44 (for Jesus himself had testified that a prophet has no honor in the prophet’s own country).(V) 45 When he came to Galilee, the Galileans welcomed him, since they had seen all that he had done in Jerusalem at the festival, for they, too, had gone to the festival.(W)

Jesus Heals an Official’s Son

46 Then he came again to Cana in Galilee, where he had changed the water into wine. Now there was a royal official whose son lay ill in Capernaum.(X) 47 When he heard that Jesus had come from Judea to Galilee, he went and begged him to come down and heal his son, for he was at the point of death.(Y) 48 Then Jesus said to him, “Unless you[m] see signs and wonders you will not believe.”(Z) 49 The official said to him, “Sir,[n] come down before my little boy dies.” 50 Jesus said to him, “Go; your son will live.”[o] The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and started on his way. 51 As he was going down, his slaves met him and told him that his child was alive. 52 So he asked them the hour when he began to recover, and they said to him, “Yesterday at one in the afternoon the fever left him.” 53 The father realized that this was the hour when Jesus had said to him, “Your son will live.”[p] So he himself believed, along with his whole household.(AA) 54 Now this was the second sign that Jesus did after coming from Judea to Galilee.(AB)

Footnotes

  1. 4.1 Other ancient authorities read the Lord
  2. 4.9 Other ancient authorities lack this sentence
  3. 4.11 Or Lord
  4. 4.15 Or Lord
  5. 4.19 Or Lord
  6. 4.20 The Greek word for you is plural
  7. 4.21 The Greek word for you is plural
  8. 4.22 The Greek word for you is plural
  9. 4.22 The Greek word for you is plural
  10. 4.26 Gk I am
  11. 4.29 Or the Christ
  12. 4.36 Or . . . the fields are already ripe for harvesting. The reaper is receiving
  13. 4.48 Both instances of the Greek word for you in 4.48 are plural
  14. 4.49 Or Lord
  15. 4.50 Gk son lives
  16. 4.53 Gk son lives

Jesus and the Samaritan Woman

Jesus[a] knew the Pharisees had heard that he was baptizing and making more disciples than John (though Jesus himself didn’t baptize them—his disciples did). So he left Judea and returned to Galilee.

He had to go through Samaria on the way. Eventually he came to the Samaritan village of Sychar, near the field that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. Jacob’s well was there; and Jesus, tired from the long walk, sat wearily beside the well about noontime. Soon a Samaritan woman came to draw water, and Jesus said to her, “Please give me a drink.” He was alone at the time because his disciples had gone into the village to buy some food.

The woman was surprised, for Jews refuse to have anything to do with Samaritans.[b] She said to Jesus, “You are a Jew, and I am a Samaritan woman. Why are you asking me for a drink?”

10 Jesus replied, “If you only knew the gift God has for you and who you are speaking to, you would ask me, and I would give you living water.”

11 “But sir, you don’t have a rope or a bucket,” she said, “and this well is very deep. Where would you get this living water? 12 And besides, do you think you’re greater than our ancestor Jacob, who gave us this well? How can you offer better water than he and his sons and his animals enjoyed?”

13 Jesus replied, “Anyone who drinks this water will soon become thirsty again. 14 But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life.”

15 “Please, sir,” the woman said, “give me this water! Then I’ll never be thirsty again, and I won’t have to come here to get water.”

16 “Go and get your husband,” Jesus told her.

17 “I don’t have a husband,” the woman replied.

Jesus said, “You’re right! You don’t have a husband— 18 for you have had five husbands, and you aren’t even married to the man you’re living with now. You certainly spoke the truth!”

19 “Sir,” the woman said, “you must be a prophet. 20 So tell me, why is it that you Jews insist that Jerusalem is the only place of worship, while we Samaritans claim it is here at Mount Gerizim,[c] where our ancestors worshiped?”

21 Jesus replied, “Believe me, dear woman, the time is coming when it will no longer matter whether you worship the Father on this mountain or in Jerusalem. 22 You Samaritans know very little about the one you worship, while we Jews know all about him, for salvation comes through the Jews. 23 But the time is coming—indeed it’s here now—when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for those who will worship him that way. 24 For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth.”

25 The woman said, “I know the Messiah is coming—the one who is called Christ. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.”

26 Then Jesus told her, I am the Messiah!”[d]

27 Just then his disciples came back. They were shocked to find him talking to a woman, but none of them had the nerve to ask, “What do you want with her?” or “Why are you talking to her?” 28 The woman left her water jar beside the well and ran back to the village, telling everyone, 29 “Come and see a man who told me everything I ever did! Could he possibly be the Messiah?” 30 So the people came streaming from the village to see him.

31 Meanwhile, the disciples were urging Jesus, “Rabbi, eat something.”

32 But Jesus replied, “I have a kind of food you know nothing about.”

33 “Did someone bring him food while we were gone?” the disciples asked each other.

34 Then Jesus explained: “My nourishment comes from doing the will of God, who sent me, and from finishing his work. 35 You know the saying, ‘Four months between planting and harvest.’ But I say, wake up and look around. The fields are already ripe[e] for harvest. 36 The harvesters are paid good wages, and the fruit they harvest is people brought to eternal life. What joy awaits both the planter and the harvester alike! 37 You know the saying, ‘One plants and another harvests.’ And it’s true. 38 I sent you to harvest where you didn’t plant; others had already done the work, and now you will get to gather the harvest.”

Many Samaritans Believe

39 Many Samaritans from the village believed in Jesus because the woman had said, “He told me everything I ever did!” 40 When they came out to see him, they begged him to stay in their village. So he stayed for two days, 41 long enough for many more to hear his message and believe. 42 Then they said to the woman, “Now we believe, not just because of what you told us, but because we have heard him ourselves. Now we know that he is indeed the Savior of the world.”

Jesus Heals an Official’s Son

43 At the end of the two days, Jesus went on to Galilee. 44 He himself had said that a prophet is not honored in his own hometown. 45 Yet the Galileans welcomed him, for they had been in Jerusalem at the Passover celebration and had seen everything he did there.

46 As he traveled through Galilee, he came to Cana, where he had turned the water into wine. There was a government official in nearby Capernaum whose son was very sick. 47 When he heard that Jesus had come from Judea to Galilee, he went and begged Jesus to come to Capernaum to heal his son, who was about to die.

48 Jesus asked, “Will you never believe in me unless you see miraculous signs and wonders?”

49 The official pleaded, “Lord, please come now before my little boy dies.”

50 Then Jesus told him, “Go back home. Your son will live!” And the man believed what Jesus said and started home.

51 While the man was on his way, some of his servants met him with the news that his son was alive and well. 52 He asked them when the boy had begun to get better, and they replied, “Yesterday afternoon at one o’clock his fever suddenly disappeared!” 53 Then the father realized that that was the very time Jesus had told him, “Your son will live.” And he and his entire household believed in Jesus. 54 This was the second miraculous sign Jesus did in Galilee after coming from Judea.

Footnotes

  1. 4:1 Some manuscripts read The Lord.
  2. 4:9 Some manuscripts do not include this sentence.
  3. 4:20 Greek on this mountain.
  4. 4:26 Or “The ‘I am’ is here”; or “I am the Lord”; Greek reads “I am, the one speaking to you.” See Exod 3:14.
  5. 4:35 Greek white.

Jezus en de Samaritaanse vrouw

Jezus hoorde dat de Farizeeën ervan op de hoogte waren dat Hij meer leerlingen kreeg en meer mensen doopte dan Johannes. Jezus doopte overigens niet Zelf, maar zijn leerlingen deden dat. Daarom verliet Hij Judea en ging terug naar Galilea.

Hij moest door Samaria en kwam in de stad Sichar in Samaria. Deze stad lag vlakbij het stuk land dat Jakob aan Jozef had gegeven en daar was ook de bron van Jakob. Jezus was moe van het lopen en rustte uit bij de bron. Dat was omstreeks twaalf uur ʼs middags. Er kwam een Samaritaanse vrouw water putten. Jezus vroeg of zij Hem wat te drinken wilde geven. Hij was op dat moment alleen omdat zijn leerlingen naar de stad waren om eten te kopen. ‘Dat begrijp ik niet,’ zei de vrouw verbaasd. ‘Ik ben een Samaritaanse en U bent een Jood. Welke Jood vraagt een Samaritaanse nu iets te drinken?’ Want Joden gaan niet met Samaritanen om. 10 ‘Als u wist wat God geeft en wie Ik ben die u om water heeft gevraagd,’ antwoordde Jezus, ‘dan zou u Míj om water hebben gevraagd en Ik zou u levend water hebben gegeven.’ 11 ‘Maar Here,’ zei zij. ‘U hebt geen kruik en de put is diep. Waar haalt U dat levende water dan vandaan? 12 Bent U dan meer dan onze stamvader Jakob? Hij heeft deze put gegraven. En zijn zoons, zijn vee en hijzelf hebben er water uit gedronken.’ 13 Jezus antwoordde: ‘Wie van het water uit deze put drinkt, krijgt weer dorst. 14 Maar wie van het water drinkt dat Ik hem geef, zal nooit meer dorst krijgen. Dat water zal in hem als een fontein worden, waaruit eeuwig leven voortkomt.’ 15 De vrouw zei: ‘Here, geef mij van dat water, dan zal ik nooit meer dorst krijgen en hier geen water meer hoeven putten.’ 16 Jezus zei: ‘Ga uw man eens halen.’ 17 ‘Ik heb geen man,’ antwoordde de vrouw. ‘Dat is waar,’ zei Jezus. 18 ‘U bent vijf keer getrouwd geweest en de man met wie u nu samenleeft, is uw man niet.’ 19 ‘Here,’ zei de vrouw tegen Hem. ‘U moet een profeet zijn! 20 Op welke plaats moeten wij God eigenlijk aanbidden? Hier op de berg Gerizim zoals onze voorouders altijd deden of in Jeruzalem zoals de Joden zeggen?’ 21 Jezus antwoordde: ‘Geloof Mij, er komt een tijd dat de mensen de Vader niet zullen aanbidden op de Gerizim en ook niet in Jeruzalem. 22 U aanbidt blindelings, want u kent God niet. Wij weten wie wij aanbidden, wij kennen God, want de Redder van de wereld komt uit het Joodse volk. 23 Maar er komt een tijd, en die is er nu al, dat iedereen die de Vader echt wil aanbidden, dat overal kan doen, door de Geest die Waarheid schenkt. De Vader zoekt mensen die Hem zo aanbidden. 24 God is Geest en wij kunnen Hem alleen aanbidden als onze aanbidding geestelijk en oprecht is.’ 25 De vrouw zei: ‘Ik weet dat de Messias komt,’ Messias betekent namelijk Christus, ‘Hij zal ons Gods boodschap precies vertellen.’ 26 Jezus antwoordde haar: ‘Ik ben de Christus.’

27 Op dat moment kwamen zijn leerlingen eraan. Zij vonden het vreemd dat Hij met een vrouw sprak, maar geen van hen zei er iets van. 28 De vrouw liet haar kruik bij de put staan en ging de stad in. ‘Kom mee!’ riep zij naar de mensen. 29 ‘Er is daar Iemand die mij wist te vertellen wat ik mijn leven allemaal gedaan heb. Zou Hij de Christus kunnen zijn?’ 30 De mensen liepen de stad uit om Hem te zien. 31 Ondertussen vroegen de leerlingen of Jezus iets wilde eten. 32 ‘Nee,’ zei Hij. ‘Ik heb iets te eten dat jullie niet kennen.’ 33 ‘Zou iemand Hem iets te eten hebben gebracht?’ vroegen ze elkaar.

34 Jezus antwoordde: ‘Mijn voeding is het doen van de wil van God, die Mij gezonden heeft, en het volbrengen van zijn werk. 35 Zegt men niet dat er pas vier maanden na de zaaitijd geoogst kan worden? Maar kijk eens rond! Overal liggen de velden rijp om te oogsten. 36 De maaier krijgt zijn loon al en haalt de eerste opbrengst voor het eeuwige leven binnen. Nu zijn de zaaier én de maaier blij. 37 Want de een zaait en de ander maait. 38 Ik heb jullie erop uitgestuurd om te maaien wat je niet hebt gezaaid. Anderen hebben het voorbereidende werk gedaan en jullie mogen de oogst binnenhalen.’

39 Veel mensen uit de Samaritaanse stad geloofden in Jezus. Zij waren overtuigd geraakt omdat de vrouw vertelde dat Hij precies wist wat er in haar leven gebeurd was. 40 Toen zij bij Hem kwamen, vroegen zij of Hij bij hen bleef en Hij bleef nog twee dagen. 41 Er gingen nog veel meer mensen in Hem geloven. 42 ‘Wij geloven nu ook in Hem,’ zeiden zij tegen de vrouw, ‘maar niet alleen door wat u ons hebt verteld. We hebben Hem nu zelf gehoord en weten dat Hij werkelijk de Redder van de wereld is.’

43 Na die twee dagen ging Jezus weer op weg naar Galilea. 44 Hij had gezegd dat een profeet in zijn vaderland niet geëerd wordt. 45 Toch werd Hij in Galilea wel ontvangen, want de mensen die met Pesach, het Joodse Paasfeest, in Jeruzalem waren geweest, hadden zijn wonderen gezien.

46 Op zijn reis door Galilea kwam Hij ook weer in Kana, waar Hij water in wijn had veranderd. 47 Een hoge ambtenaar uit Kafarnaüm hoorde dat Jezus uit Judea naar Galilea was gekomen en ging meteen naar Hem toe. Zijn zoon was doodziek en hij vroeg Jezus mee te gaan om de jongen te genezen. 48 ‘U zult nooit in Mij geloven als u geen duidelijke bewijzen en wonderen ziet,’ zei Jezus tegen hem. 49 Maar de man bleef aandringen: ‘Here, kom toch mee! Anders sterft mijn kind nog!’ 50 ‘Ga maar naar huis,’ zei Jezus. ‘Uw zoon blijft leven.’ De man geloofde Hem en ging op weg naar huis. 51 Zijn bedienden kwamen hem tegemoet. ‘Uw zoon is genezen!’ vertelden zij hem. 52 Hij vroeg hun wanneer de jongen genezen was. ‘Gistermiddag om één uur was de koorts ineens weg,’ antwoordden zij. 53 De vader besefte dat het precies het moment was waarop Jezus had gezegd: ‘Uw zoon blijft leven.’ Hij en al zijn huisgenoten kwamen tot het geloof dat Jezus inderdaad de Christus was. 54 Dit was het tweede wonder dat Jezus deed toen Hij uit Judea naar Galilea was gekomen.

When therefore the Lord knew that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus was making and baptizing more disciples than John (although Jesus himself baptized not, but his disciples), he left Judaea, and departed again into Galilee. And he must needs pass through Samaria. So he cometh to a city of Samaria, called Sychar, near to the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph: and Jacob’s [a]well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat [b]thus by the [c]well. It was about the sixth hour. There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink. For his disciples were gone away into the city to buy food. The Samaritan woman therefore saith unto him, How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, who am a Samaritan woman? [d](For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.) 10 Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water. 11 The woman saith unto him, [e]Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: whence then hast thou that living water? 12 Art thou greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his sons, and his cattle? 13 Jesus answered and said unto her, Every one that drinketh of this water shall thirst again: 14 but whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall become in him a well of water springing up unto eternal life. 15 The woman saith unto him, [f]Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come all the way hither to draw. 16 Jesus saith unto her, Go, call thy husband, and come hither. 17 The woman answered and said unto him, I have no husband. Jesus saith unto her, Thou saidst well, I have no husband: 18 for thou hast had five husbands; and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband: this hast thou said truly. 19 The woman saith unto him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet. 20 Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship. 21 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when neither in this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, shall ye worship the Father. 22 Ye worship that which ye know not: we worship that which we know; for salvation is from the Jews. 23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth: [g]for such doth the Father seek to be his worshippers. 24 [h]God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship in spirit and truth. 25 The woman saith unto him, I know that Messiah cometh (he that is called Christ): when he is come, he will declare unto us all things. 26 Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he.

27 And upon this came his disciples; and they marvelled that he was speaking with a woman; yet no man said, What seekest thou? or, Why speakest thou with her? 28 So the woman left her waterpot, and went away into the city, and saith to the people, 29 Come, see a man, who told me all things that ever I did: can this be the Christ? 30 They went out of the city, and were coming to him. 31 In the mean while the disciples prayed him, saying, Rabbi, eat. 32 But he said unto them, I have meat to eat that ye know not. 33 The disciples therefore said one to another, Hath any man brought him aught to eat? 34 Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to accomplish his work. 35 Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh the harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields, that they are [i]white already unto harvest. 36 He that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal; that he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together. 37 For herein is the saying true, One soweth, and another reapeth. 38 I sent you to reap that whereon ye have not labored: others have labored, and ye are entered into their labor.

39 And from that city many of the Samaritans believed on him because of the word of the woman, who testified, He told me all things that ever I did. 40 So when the Samaritans came unto him, they besought him to abide with them: and he abode there two days. 41 And many more believed because of his word; 42 and they said to the woman, Now we believe, not because of thy speaking: for we have heard for ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Saviour of the world.

43 And after the two days he went forth from thence into Galilee. 44 For Jesus himself testified, that a prophet hath no honor in his own country. 45 So when he came into Galilee, the Galilaeans received him, having seen all the things that he did in Jerusalem at the feast: for they also went unto the feast.

46 He came therefore again unto Cana of Galilee, where he made the water wine. And there was a certain [j]nobleman, whose son was sick at Capernaum. 47 When he heard that Jesus was come out of Judaea into Galilee, he went unto him, and besought him that he would come down, and heal his son; for he was at the point of death. 48 Jesus therefore said unto him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will in no wise believe. 49 The [k]nobleman saith unto him, [l]Sir, come down ere my child die. 50 Jesus saith unto him, Go thy way; thy son liveth. The man believed the word that Jesus spake unto him, and he went his way. 51 And as he was now going down, his [m]servants met him, saying, that his son lived. 52 So he inquired of them the hour when he began to amend. They said therefore unto him, Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him. 53 So the father knew that it was at that hour in which Jesus said unto him, Thy son liveth: and himself believed, and his whole house. 54 This is again the second sign that Jesus did, having come out of Judaea into Galilee.

Footnotes

  1. John 4:6 Greek spring: and so in verse 14; but not in verses 11, 12.
  2. John 4:6 Or, as he was. Compare 13:25.
  3. John 4:6 Greek spring: and so in verse 14; but not in verses 11, 12.
  4. John 4:9 Some ancient authorities omit For the Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.
  5. John 4:11 Or, Lord
  6. John 4:15 Or, Lord
  7. John 4:23 Or, for such the Father also seeketh
  8. John 4:24 Or, God is spirit
  9. John 4:35 Or, white unto harvest. Already he that reapeth etc.
  10. John 4:46 Or, king’s officer
  11. John 4:49 Or, king’s officer
  12. John 4:49 Or, Lord
  13. John 4:51 Greek bondservants.