John 4:21-24
New English Translation
21 Jesus said to her, “Believe me, woman,[a] a time[b] is coming when you will worship[c] the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. 22 You people[d] worship what you do not know. We worship what we know, because salvation is from the Jews.[e] 23 But a time[f] is coming—and now is here[g]—when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father seeks[h] such people to be[i] his worshipers.[j] 24 God is spirit,[k] and the people who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”
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- John 4:21 sn Woman was a polite form of address (see BDAG 208-9 s.v. γυνή 1), similar to “Madam” or “Ma’am” used in English in different regions.
- John 4:21 tn Grk “an hour.”
- John 4:21 tn The verb is plural.
- John 4:22 tn The word “people” is not in the Greek text, but is supplied to indicate that the Greek verb translated “worship” is second person plural and thus refers to more than the woman alone.
- John 4:22 tn Or “from the Judeans.” See the note on “Jew” in v. 9.
- John 4:23 tn Grk “an hour.”
- John 4:23 tn “Here” is not in the Greek text but is supplied to conform to contemporary English idiom.
- John 4:23 sn See also John 4:27.
- John 4:23 tn Or “as.” The object-complement construction implies either “as” or “to be.”
- John 4:23 tn This is a double accusative construction of object and complement with τοιούτους (toioutous) as the object and the participle προσκυνοῦντας (proskunountas) as the complement.sn The Father wants such people as his worshipers. Note how the woman has been concerned about where people ought to worship, while Jesus is concerned about who people ought to worship.
- John 4:24 tn Here πνεῦμα (pneuma) is understood as a qualitative predicate nominative while the articular θεός (theos) is the subject.
John 4:21-24
King James Version
21 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father.
22 Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.
23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.
24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
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John 4:21-24
New King James Version
21 Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe Me, the hour is coming (A)when you will neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, worship the Father. 22 You worship (B)what you do not know; we know what we worship, for (C)salvation is of the Jews. 23 But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will (D)worship the Father in (E)spirit (F)and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. 24 (G)God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”
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John 4:21-24
English Standard Version
21 Jesus said to her, (A)“Woman, believe me, (B)the hour is coming when (C)neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. 22 (D)You worship what you do not know; (E)we worship what we know, for (F)salvation is (G)from the Jews. 23 But (H)the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father (I)in spirit and (J)truth, for the Father (K)is seeking such people to worship him. 24 God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”
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