31 In the meantime the disciples kept urging him, “Rabbi,(A) eat something.”

32 But he said, “I have food to eat that you don’t know about.”

33 The disciples said to one another, “Could someone have brought him something to eat?”

34 “My food is to do the will of him(B) who sent me(C) and to finish his work,”(D) Jesus told them. 35 “Don’t you say, ‘There are still four more months, and then comes the harvest’? Listen to what I’m telling you: Open[a] your eyes and look at the fields, because they are ready[b] for harvest. 36 The reaper is already receiving pay and gathering fruit for eternal life,(E) so that the sower and reaper can rejoice together. 37 For in this case the saying is true: ‘One sows and another reaps.’(F) 38 I sent you to reap what you didn’t labor for; others have labored, and you have benefited from[c] their labor.”

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Footnotes

  1. 4:35 Lit Raise
  2. 4:35 Lit white
  3. 4:38 Lit you have entered into

31 In the meanwhile the disciples were asking him, saying, “Rabbi, eat something!”[a] 32 But he said to them, “I have food to eat that you do not know about.” 33 So the disciples began to say[b] to one another, “No one brought him anything[c] to eat, did they?”[d] 34 Jesus said to them, “My food is that I do the will of the one who sent me and complete his work. 35 Do you not say, ‘There are yet four months and the harvest comes’? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, that they are white for harvest already.[e] 36 The one who reaps receives wages and gathers fruit for eternal life, in order that the one who sows and the one who reaps can rejoice together. 37 For in this instance[f] the saying is true, ‘It is one who sows and another who reaps.’ 38 I sent you to reap what you did not work for; others have worked, and you have entered into their work.”

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Footnotes

  1. John 4:31 *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
  2. John 4:33 The imperfect tense has been translated as ingressive here (“began to say”)
  3. John 4:33 Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
  4. John 4:33 *The negative construction in Greek anticipates a negative answer here, indicated by the supplied phrase “did they” in the translation
  5. John 4:35 Some interpreters and Bible translations place the word “already” at the beginning of the next verse: “Already the one who reaps receives wages …”
  6. John 4:37 The word “point” is not in the Greek text but is implied

31 Meanwhile his disciples urged him, “Rabbi,(A) eat something.”

32 But he said to them, “I have food to eat(B) that you know nothing about.”

33 Then his disciples said to each other, “Could someone have brought him food?”

34 “My food,” said Jesus, “is to do the will(C) of him who sent me and to finish his work.(D) 35 Don’t you have a saying, ‘It’s still four months until harvest’? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest.(E) 36 Even now the one who reaps draws a wage and harvests(F) a crop for eternal life,(G) so that the sower and the reaper may be glad together. 37 Thus the saying ‘One sows and another reaps’(H) is true. 38 I sent you to reap what you have not worked for. Others have done the hard work, and you have reaped the benefits of their labor.”

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