31 Meanwhile the disciples were urging Him, saying, “(A)Rabbi, eat something.” 32 But He said to them, “I have food to eat that you do not know about.” 33 So the (B)disciples were saying to one another, “No one brought Him anything to eat, did he?” 34 Jesus *said to them, “My food is to (C)do the will of Him who sent Me, and to (D)accomplish His work. 35 Do you not say, ‘There are still four months, and then comes the harvest’? Behold, I tell you, raise your eyes and observe the fields, that they are white (E)for harvest. 36 Already the one who reaps is receiving (F)wages and is gathering (G)fruit for (H)eternal life, so that the one who sows and the one who reaps may rejoice together. 37 For in this case the saying is true: ‘(I)One sows and another reaps.’ 38 I sent you to reap that for which you have not labored; others have labored, and you have [a]come into their labor.”

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Footnotes

  1. John 4:38 I.e., enjoyed the fruit of their labor

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[a] 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.”

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Footnotes

  1. 4:35 Greek white.