Book of Common Prayer

6 At that time more and more people joined the disciples. Then there was trouble about a certain matter. The Jews who spoke the Greek language complained against the other Jews. They said that each day when the food was being divided, their women whose husbands were dead did not get their part.

² Then the twelve apostles called all of the disciples together. They said, `It is not right for us to stop preaching God's word to divide the food.

³ So then, brothers, you choose seven men who you know are good men. Choose men who are full of the Holy Spirit and are wise. We will give them the work to divide the food.

⁴ But we ourselves will keep on talking with God and telling his word.'

⁵ This pleased all the people. The men they chose were Stephen, a man who believed God and was full of the Holy Spirit, Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolaus from Antioch who had joined the Jews.

⁶ These men were brought before the apostles. When the apostles had talked with God, they put their hands on their heads [to bless them].

⁷ The word of God spread further and further, and many people in Jerusalem believed. Many of the priests also believed.

⁸ Stephen received much blessing and power from God. He did many wonderful things and signs among the people.

⁹ But some of the Jews argued with Stephen, and said he was wrong. (They belonged to the meeting place of the Free Men. They were Jews who came from Cyrene, Alexandria, Cilicia and Asia Minor.) They did not agree with Stephen.

¹⁰ But they could not say anything against his wise words and the Spirit by whom he spoke.

¹¹ So they paid some people to say, `We have heard him say wrong things about Moses and God.'

¹² They talked to the people, the leaders, and the scribes, and made them angry. They went quickly and caught Stephen and took him into the court.

¹³ They brought in the men who told lies about him. They said, `This man is always saying wrong things about this holy place and the laws.

¹⁴ We have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will break down this place and that he will change the law which Moses gave us.'

¹⁵ Then all the judges who sat in the court looked at him and they saw that his face was like the face of an angel.

4 The Pharisees heard that Jesus was getting people to follow him and was baptizing them. (Jesus' disciples baptized them, not he himself.) He now had more followers than John.

² The Lord knew that they had heard about it. So he left Judea and went back to Galilee again.

³ He had to pass through the country of Samaria.

⁴ He came to a town in Samaria called Sychar. It was near the field that Jacob gave to his son Joseph.

⁵ Jacob's well was there. Jesus was very tired from walking on the road. So he sat down by the well. It was about midday.

⁶ A woman from Samaria came to the well to draw water. Jesus said, `Please give me a drink of water.'

⁷ His disciples had gone into the town to buy some food.

⁸ The woman said to Jesus, `Why do you ask me for a drink of water? You are a Jew and I am from Samaria.' (The Jews are not friends with the people of Samaria.)

⁹ Jesus answered her, `You do not know what God gives people. And you do not know who is asking you for a drink. If you knew him, then it is you who would have asked for a drink of water. He would give you living water.'

¹⁰ The woman said, `Sir, you have nothing to draw with. The well is deep. Where do you get that living water?

¹¹ Are you greater than our father Jacob who gave us this well? He drank water from this well, also his children and cattle.'

¹² Jesus answered her, `Anyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again.

¹³ But anyone who drinks the water that I will give him will never be thirsty. The water I give him will become a well inside of him that will never be dry. It will give him life for ever.'

¹⁴ The woman said, `Sir, give me this water. Then I will never be thirsty again. I will not need to come here to draw water.'

¹⁵ Jesus said, `Go, call your husband, then come here.'

¹⁶ She said, `I have no husband.' Jesus said, `You say, "I have no husband." That is true.

¹⁷ You have had five husbands, but the man you are living with now is not your husband. You have told the truth.'

¹⁸ The woman said, `Sir, this shows me you are a prophet of God.

¹⁹ Our fathers came to this mountain to worship God. But you people say Jerusalem is the place people must go to worship him.'

²⁰ Jesus said, `Woman, believe what I say. The time is coming when you will not come to this mountain or to Jerusalem to worship my Father.

²¹ You worship one whom you do not know. But we know whom we worship. The Saviour will come of the Jews.

²² But the time is coming, yes, the time is here already, when those who worship God will worship him in spirit and in a true way. My Father is looking for that kind of people to worship him.

²³ God is Spirit. Those who worship him must do so in spirit and in a true way.'

²⁴ The woman said to Jesus, `I know that Messiah is coming. His name is Christ. When he comes he will tell us everything.'

²⁵ Jesus said to her, `I who am talking to you am he.'

²⁶ When Jesus had said this, his disciples came back. They were surprised to hear him talking to a woman. But not one of them asked, `What do you want?' or, `Why are you talking to her?'