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 Meanwhile, the disciples were urging him, “Rabbi,[a] have something to eat.”

32 But he told them, “I have food to eat that you know nothing about.”

33 So the disciples began to say to one another, “No one has brought him anything to eat, have they?”

34 Jesus told them, “My food is doing the will of the one who sent me and completing his work. 35 You say, don’t you, ‘In four more months the harvest will begin?’ Look, I tell you, open your eyes and observe that the fields are ready[b] for harvesting now! 36 The one who harvests is already receiving his wages and gathering a crop for eternal life, so that the one who sows and the one who harvests may rejoice together. 37 In this respect the saying is true: ‘One person sows, and another person harvests.’[c] 38 I have sent you to harvest what you have not worked for. Others have worked, and you have adopted their work as your own.”

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Footnotes

  1. John 4:31 Rabbi is Heb. for Master and/or Teacher
  2. John 4:35 Lit. white
  3. John 4:37 Cf. Mic 6:15