⁹ The Samaritan woman said to him, “You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan^(A) woman. How can you ask me for a drink?” (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.^[a])

²⁸ He said to them: “You are well aware that it is against our law for a Jew to associate with or visit a Gentile.^(A) But God has shown me that I should not call anyone impure or unclean.^(B)

Jesus’ Claims About Himself

⁴⁸ The Jews answered him, “Aren’t we right in saying that you are a Samaritan^(A) and demon-possessed?”^(B)

Samaria Resettled

²⁴ The king of Assyria^(A) brought people from Babylon, Kuthah, Avva, Hamath and Sepharvaim^(B) and settled them in the towns of Samaria to replace the Israelites. They took over Samaria and lived in its towns. ²⁵ When they first lived there, they did not worship the Lord; so he sent lions^(C) among them and they killed some of the people. ²⁶ It was reported to the king of Assyria: “The people you deported and resettled in the towns of Samaria do not know what the god of that country requires. He has sent lions among them, which are killing them off, because the people do not know what he requires.”

²⁷ Then the king of Assyria gave this order: “Have one of the priests you took captive from Samaria go back to live there and teach the people what the god of the land requires.” ²⁸ So one of the priests who had been exiled from Samaria came to live in Bethel and taught them how to worship the Lord.

²⁹ Nevertheless, each national group made its own gods in the several towns^(D) where they settled, and set them up in the shrines^(E) the people of Samaria had made at the high places.^{(F) 30} The people from Babylon made Sukkoth Benoth, those from Kuthah made Nergal, and those from Hamath made Ashima; ³¹ the Avvites made Nibhaz and Tartak, and the Sepharvites burned their children in the fire as sacrifices to Adrammelek^(G) and Anammelek, the gods of Sepharvaim.^{(H) 32} They worshiped the Lord, but they also appointed all sorts^(I) of their own people to officiate for them as priests in the shrines at the high places. ³³ They worshiped the Lord, but they also served their own gods in accordance with the customs of the nations from which they had been brought.

³⁴ To this day they persist in their former practices. They neither worship the Lord nor adhere to the decrees and regulations, the laws and commands that the Lord gave the descendants of Jacob, whom he named Israel.^{(J) 35} When the Lord made a covenant with the Israelites, he commanded them: “Do not worship^(K) any other gods or bow down to them, serve them or sacrifice to them.^{(L) 36} But the Lord, who brought you up out of Egypt with mighty power and outstretched arm,^(M) is the one you must worship. To him you shall bow down and to him offer sacrifices. ³⁷ You must always be careful^(N) to keep the decrees^(O) and regulations, the laws and commands he wrote for you. Do not worship other gods. ³⁸ Do not forget^(P) the covenant I have made with you, and do not worship other gods. ³⁹ Rather, worship the Lord your God; it is he who will deliver you from the hand of all your enemies.”

⁴⁰ They would not listen, however, but persisted in their former practices. ⁴¹ Even while these people were worshiping the Lord,^(Q) they were serving their idols. To this day their children and grandchildren continue to do as their ancestors did.

The Disciples Rejoin Jesus

²⁷ Just then his disciples returned^(A) and were surprised to find him talking with a woman. But no one asked, “What do you want?” or “Why are you talking with her?”

¹⁶ He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan.^(A)

¹⁷ Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? ¹⁸ Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?” ¹⁹ Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.”^(B)

⁵² And he sent messengers on ahead, who went into a Samaritan^(A) village to get things ready for him; ⁵³ but the people there did not welcome him, because he was heading for Jerusalem. ⁵⁴ When the disciples James and John^(B) saw this, they asked, “Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them^[a]?”^{(C) 55} But Jesus turned and rebuked them. ⁵⁶ Then he and his disciples went to another village.

⁵ These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: “Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans.^(A)

Opposition to the Rebuilding

4 ^[a]When Sanballat^(A) heard that we were rebuilding the wall, he became angry and was greatly incensed. He ridiculed the Jews, ² and in the presence of his associates^(B) and the army of Samaria, he said, “What are those feeble Jews doing? Will they restore their wall? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they finish in a day? Can they bring the stones back to life from those heaps of rubble^(C)—burned as they are?”