John 4
Holman Christian Standard Bible
Jesus and the Samaritan Woman
4 When Jesus[a] knew that the Pharisees(A) heard He was making(B) and baptizing more disciples than John(C) 2 (though Jesus Himself was not baptizing, but His disciples were), 3 He left Judea(D) and went again to Galilee.(E) 4 He had to travel through Samaria,(F) 5 so He came to a town of Samaria called Sychar near the property[b] that Jacob(G) had given his son Joseph.(H) 6 Jacob’s well(I) was there, and Jesus, worn out from His journey, sat down at the well. It was about six in the evening.[c]
7 A woman of Samaria came to draw water.(J)
“Give Me a drink,” Jesus said to her, 8 for His disciples had gone into town to buy food.
9 “How is it that You, a Jew,(K) ask for a drink from me, a Samaritan(L) woman?” she asked Him. For Jews do not associate with[d] Samaritans.[e]
10 Jesus answered, “If you knew the gift of God,(M) and who is saying to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would ask Him, and He would give you living water.”(N)
11 “Sir,”(O) said the woman, “You don’t even have a bucket, and the well is deep. So where do You get this ‘living water’? 12 You aren’t greater than our father Jacob,(P) are You? He gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did his sons and livestock.”
13 Jesus said, “Everyone who drinks from this water will get thirsty again. 14 But whoever drinks from the water that I will give him will never get thirsty again—ever!(Q) In fact, the water I will give him will become a well[f](R) of water springing up within him for eternal life.”(S)
15 “Sir,” the woman said to Him, “give me this water so I won’t get thirsty and come here to draw water.”
16 “Go call your husband,” He told her, “and come back here.”
17 “I don’t have a husband,” she answered.
“You have correctly said, ‘I don’t have a husband,’” Jesus said. 18 “For you’ve had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. What you have said is true.”
19 “Sir,” the woman replied, “I see that You are a prophet. 20 Our fathers worshiped on this mountain,[g](T) yet you Jews say that the place to worship is in Jerusalem.”(U)
21 Jesus told her, “Believe Me, woman, an hour is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. 22 You Samaritans[h] worship what you do not know. We worship what we do know, because salvation is from the Jews.(V) 23 But an hour is coming, and is now here,(W) when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth. Yes, the Father wants such people to worship Him. 24 God is spirit,(X) and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”(Y)
25 The woman said to Him, “I know that Messiah[i](Z) is coming” (who is called Christ(AA)). “When He comes, He will explain everything to us.”
26 “I am He,”(AB) Jesus told her, “the One speaking to you.”
The Ripened Harvest
27 Just then His disciples arrived, and they were amazed that He was talking with a woman. Yet no one said, “What do You want?” or “Why are You talking with her?”
28 Then the woman left her water jar, went into town, and told the men, 29 “Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did! Could this be the Messiah?”(AC) 30 They left the town and made their way to Him.(AD)
31 In the meantime the disciples kept urging Him, “Rabbi,(AE) 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(AF) who sent Me(AG) and to finish His work,”(AH) Jesus told them. 35 “Don’t you say, ‘There are still four more months, then comes the harvest’? Listen to what I’m telling you: Open[j] your eyes and look at the fields, for they are ready[k] for harvest. 36 The reaper is already receiving pay and gathering fruit for eternal life,(AI) so the sower and reaper can rejoice together. 37 For in this case the saying is true: ‘One sows and another reaps.’(AJ) 38 I sent you to reap what you didn’t labor for; others have labored, and you have benefited from[l] their labor.”
The Savior of the World
39 Now many Samaritans(AK) from that town believed in Him because of what the woman said[m] when she testified,(AL) “He told me everything I ever did.” 40 Therefore, when the Samaritans came to Him,(AM) they asked Him to stay with them, and He stayed there two days. 41 Many more believed because of what He said.[n] 42 And they told the woman, “We no longer believe because of what you said, for we have heard for ourselves and know that this really is the Savior(AN) of the world.”[o]
A Galilean Welcome
43 After two days He left there for Galilee.(AO) 44 Jesus Himself testified(AP) that a prophet has no honor in his own country.(AQ) 45 When(AR) they entered Galilee, the Galileans(AS) welcomed Him because they had seen everything He did in Jerusalem(AT) during the festival.(AU) For they also had gone to the festival.
The Second Sign: Healing an Official’s Son
46 Then He went again to Cana(AV) of Galilee, where He had turned the water into wine. There was a certain royal official whose son was ill at Capernaum.(AW) 47 When this man heard that Jesus had come from Judea(AX) into Galilee, he went to Him and pleaded with Him to come down and heal his son, for he was about to die.
48 Jesus told him, “Unless you people see signs and wonders,(AY) you will not believe.”(AZ)
49 “Sir,”(BA) the official said to Him, “come down before my boy dies!”
50 “Go,” Jesus told him, “your son will live.” The man believed what[p] Jesus said to him and departed.
51 While he was still going down, his slaves met him saying that his boy was alive. 52 He asked them at what time he got better. “Yesterday at seven in the morning[q] the fever left him,” they answered. 53 The father(BB) realized this was the very hour at which Jesus had told him, “Your son will live.” Then he himself believed, along with his whole household.
54 This, therefore, was the second sign(BC) Jesus performed after He came from Judea to Galilee.(BD)
Footnotes
- John 4:1 Other mss read the Lord
- John 4:5 Lit piece of land
- John 4:6 Lit the sixth hour; see note at Jn 1:39; an alt. time reckoning would be noon
- John 4:9 Or do not share vessels with
- John 4:9 Other mss omit For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.
- John 4:14 Or spring
- John 4:20 Mount Gerizim, where there had been a Samaritan temple that rivaled Jerusalem’s
- John 4:22 Samaritans is implied since the Gk verb and pronoun are pl.
- John 4:25 In the NT, the word Messiah translates the Gk word Christos (“Anointed One”), except here and in Jn 1:41 where it translates Messias.
- John 4:35 Lit Raise
- John 4:35 Lit white
- John 4:38 Lit you have entered into
- John 4:39 Lit because of the woman’s word
- John 4:41 Lit because of His word
- John 4:42 Other mss add the Messiah
- John 4:50 Lit the word
- John 4:52 Or seven in the evening; lit at the seventh hour; see note at Jn 1:39; an alt time reckoning would be at one in the afternoon
John 4
1599 Geneva Bible
4 6 Jesus being weary, asketh drink of the woman of Samaria. 21 He teacheth the true worship. 26 He confesseth that he is the Messiah, 32 His meat. 39 The Samaritans believe in him. 46 He healeth the Ruler’s son.
1 Now [a]when the Lord knew, how the Pharisees had heard, that Jesus made (A)and baptized more disciples than John,
2 (Though Jesus himself baptized not: but his disciples.)
3 He left Judea, and departed again into Galilee.
4 And he must needs go through Samaria.
5 [b]Then came he to a city of Samaria called Sychar, near unto the possession that (B)Jacob gave to his son Joseph.
6 And there was Jacob’s Well. Jesus then wearied in the journey, sat [c]thus on the Well: it was about the [d]sixth hour.
7 There came a woman of Samaria to draw water. Jesus said unto her, Give me drink.
8 For his disciples were gone away into the city, to buy meat.
9 Then said the woman of Samaria unto him, How is it, that thou being a Jew, askest drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? For the Jews [e]meddle not with the Samaritans.
10 Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest [f]that gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me drink, thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee [g]water of life.
11 The woman said unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the Well is deep: from whence then hast thou that water of life?
12 Art thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the Well, and he himself drank thereof, and his sons, and his cattle.
13 Jesus answered, and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water, shall thirst again:
14 But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him, shall never be more athirst: but the water that I shall give him, shall be in him a well of water, springing up into everlasting life.
15 The woman said unto him, Sir, give me of that water, that I may not thirst, neither come hither to draw.
16 Jesus said unto her, Go, call thine husband, and come hither.
17 The woman answered, and said, I have no husband. Jesus said unto her, thou hast well said, I have no husband.
18 For thou hast had five husbands, and he whom thou now hast, is not thine husband: that saidest thou truly.
19 The woman said unto him, Sir, I see that thou art a Prophet.
20 [h]Our fathers worshipped in this [i]mountain, and ye say, that in (C)Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship.
21 Jesus said unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor at Jerusalem worship the Father.
22 Ye worship that which ye (D)know not: we worship that which we know: for salvation is of the Jews.
23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in [j]Spirit and Truth: for the Father requireth even such to worship him.
24 (E)God is a [k]Spirit, and they that worship him, must worship him in Spirit and Truth.
25 The woman said unto him, I know well that Messiah shall come, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things.
26 Jesus said unto her, I am he, that speak unto thee.
27 ¶ And upon that, came his disciples, and marveled that he talked with a woman: yet no man said unto him, What askest thou? or why talkest thou with her.
28 The woman then left her waterpot, and went her way into the city, and said to the men,
29 Come, see a man which hath told me all things that ever I did: is not he that Christ?
30 Then they went out of the city, and came unto him.
31 ¶ In the meanwhile, the disciples prayed him, saying, Master, eat.
32 [l]But he said unto them, I have meat to eat, that ye know not of.
33 Then said the disciples between themselves, Hath any man brought him meat?
34 Jesus said unto them, My meat is that I may do the will of him that sent me, and finish his work.
35 [m]Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? Behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the regions: (F)for they are white already unto harvest.
36 [n]And he that reapeth, receiveth reward, and gathered fruit unto life eternal, that both he that soweth, and he that reapeth might rejoice together.
37 For herein is the [o]saying true, that one soweth and another reapeth.
38 I sent you to reap that, whereon ye bestowed no labor: other men labored, and ye are entered into their labors.
39 [p]Now many of the Samaritans of that city believed in him, for the saying of the woman which testified, He hath told me all things that ever I did.
40 Then when the Samaritans were come unto him, they besought him, that he would tarry with them: and he abode there two days.
41 And many more believed because of his own word.
42 And they said unto the woman, Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed that Christ the Savior of the world.
43 ¶ [q]So two days after he departed thence, and went into [r]Galilee.
44 For Jesus himself had (G)testified, that a Prophet hath none honor in his own country.
45 Then when he was come into Galilee, the Galileans received him, which had seen all the things that he did at Jerusalem at the feast: for they went also to the feast.
46 [s]And Jesus came again into (H)Cana a town of Galilee, where he had made of water wine. And there was a certain [t]ruler, whose son was sick at Capernaum.
47 When he heard that Jesus was come out of Judea into Galilee, he went unto him, and besought him that he would go down, and heal his son: for he was even ready to die.
48 Then said Jesus unto him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe.
49 The ruler said unto him, Sir, go down before my son dies.
50 Jesus said unto him, Go thy way, thy son liveth: and the man believed the word that Jesus had spoken unto him, and went his way.
51 And as he was now going down, his servants met him, saying, Thy son liveth.
52 Then inquired he of them the hour when he began to amend. And they said unto him, Yesterday the seventh hour the fever left him.
53 Then the father knew that it was the same hour in the which Jesus had said unto him, Thy son liveth. And he believed, and all his household.
54 This second miracle did Jesus again, after he was come out of Judea into Galilee.
Footnotes
- John 4:1 This measure is to be kept in doing of our duty, that neither by fear we be terrified from going forward, neither by rashness procure or pluck dangers upon our heads.
- John 4:5 Christ leaving the proud Pharisees, communicateth the treasures of everlasting life with a poor sinful woman, and stranger, refelling the gross errors of the Samaritans, and defending the true service of God, which was delivered to the Jews, but yet so, that he calleth both of them back to himself as one whom only all the fathers, and also all the ceremonies of the Law did regard, and had a respect unto.
- John 4:6 Even as he was weary, or because he was weary.
- John 4:6 It was almost noon.
- John 4:9 There is no familiarity nor friendship, between the Jews and the Samaritans.
- John 4:10 By this word (That) we are given to understand, that Christ speaketh of some excellent gift, that is to say, even of himself, whom his Father offered to this woman.
- John 4:10 This everlasting water, that is to say, the exceeding love of God, is called living, or of life, to make a difference between it, and the water that should be drawn out of a well: and these metaphors are very much used of the Jews, Jer. 2:13; Joel 3:18; Zech. 13:11.
- John 4:20 All the religion of superstitious people, standeth for the most part, upon two pillars, but very weak, that is to say upon the examples of the fathers perverted, and a foolish opinion of outward things: against which errors we have to set the word and nature of God.
- John 4:20 The name of this mountain is Gerizim, whereupon Sanabaletta the Cushite built a Temple by Alexander of Macedonia’s leave, after the victory of Issica, and made there Manasses his son-in-law high priest, Josephus, book 11.
- John 4:23 This word (Spirit) is to be taken here, as it is set against that commandment, which is called carnal, Heb. 7:16, as the commandment is considered in itself: and so he speaketh of (Truth) not as we set it against a lie, but as we take it in respect of the outward ceremonies of the Law: which did only shadow that which Christ performed indeed.
- John 4:24 By the word (Spirit) he meaneth the nature of the Godhead, and not the third person in the Trinity.
- John 4:32 We may have care of our bodies, but yet so, that we prefer willingly and freely the occasion which is offered us to enlarge the kingdom of God, before all necessities of this life whatsoever.
- John 4:35 When the spiritual corn is ripe, we must not linger: for so the children of this world would condemn us.
- John 4:36 The doctrine of the Prophets was as it were a sowing time: and the doctrine of the Gospel, as the harvest, and there is an excellent agreement between them both, and the ministers of them both.
- John 4:37 That proverb.
- John 4:39 The Samaritans do most joyfully embrace that which the Jews most stubbornly rejected.
- John 4:43 The despisers of Christ deprive themselves of his benefit: yet Christ prepareth a place for himself.
- John 4:43 Into the towns and villages of Galilee: for he would not make abode in his country of Nazareth, because they despised him, and where (as the other Evangelists write) the efficacy of his benefits was hindered through their marvelous stiffneckedness.
- John 4:46 Although Christ be absent in body, yet he worketh mightily in the believers by his word.
- John 4:46 Some of Herod’s courtiers, for though Herod was not a king, but a Tetrarch, yet the lofty name only except, he was a king, or at least the people called him a king.
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