John 4 summary meaning ai explained commentary

John 4 meaning explained in AI Summary

Jesus encounters a Samaritan woman at a well, challenging social and religious boundaries. Samaritans were considered outsiders by the Jews, and social interactions were limited. Yet, Jesus engages in a meaningful conversation with the woman, offering her "living water," a symbol of eternal life available through faith in him (John 4:10-14). This encounter highlights Jesus' inclusivity and his willingness to reach out to those considered marginalized. Many Samaritans from her village come to believe in Jesus after their conversation, demonstrating the transformative power of his message.

This chapter tells the story of Jesus' encounter with a Samaritan woman at Jacob's well, highlighting themes of salvation for all, true worship, and Jesus as the Messiah.

1. Jesus leaves Judea: (v. 1-3) Due to the Pharisees' jealousy over his growing popularity, Jesus leaves Judea for Galilee, passing through Samaria.

2. Encounter at the well: (v. 4-26)

* Jesus, tired from his journey, meets a Samaritan woman at Jacob's well and asks for a drink.

* This request sparks a conversation about their cultural differences (Jews and Samaritans typically avoided each other) and living water.

* Jesus reveals his knowledge of her past, surprising her.

* He then speaks of himself as the source of "living water," offering eternal life.

* The woman, intrigued, inquires about true worship, to which Jesus reveals that it transcends physical locations and focuses on worshipping God "in spirit and in truth."

3. The Disciples' Return: (v. 27-30)

* The disciples return, surprised to find Jesus talking to a Samaritan woman.

* The woman, leaving her water jar, rushes back to her town to tell everyone about Jesus.

4. Spiritual Harvest: (v. 31-42)

* Jesus uses the analogy of a harvest to explain his purpose: to bring people to salvation.

* The Samaritan woman's testimony leads many in her town to believe in Jesus.

* They come to see him for themselves and believe based on his words.

5. Jesus Stays in Samaria: (v. 43-45)

* Jesus stays in Samaria for two days, further teaching and ministering to the people.

Key Takeaways:

Jesus breaks down barriers: He reaches out to a marginalized woman, a Samaritan, demonstrating that salvation is available to all.
Jesus offers living water: He offers spiritual fulfillment and eternal life, contrasting it with temporary physical needs.
True worship is spiritual: It transcends physical locations and focuses on a genuine connection with God.
Jesus is the Messiah: He reveals his divine knowledge and fulfills messianic prophecy, leading people to believe.

This chapter is a powerful example of Jesus' compassion, his mission to save, and his identity as the Messiah. It emphasizes the importance of a personal relationship with God and the transformative power of belief.

John 4 bible study ai commentary

John 4 reveals Jesus as the Messiah who breaks down ethnic, social, and religious barriers. He transcends physical and geographical worship by offering "living water" – eternal life through the Spirit. Through encounters with a Samaritan woman and a royal official, Jesus demonstrates that true faith is not tied to location or signs but is a personal encounter with him as the "Savior of the world." His identity is progressively revealed, and his word alone is shown to have life-giving power.

John 4 context

This chapter is set against a backdrop of deep-seated animosity between Jews and Samaritans. After the Assyrian conquest of the northern kingdom of Israel (c. 722 B.C.), the remaining Israelites intermarried with foreign colonists, creating a mixed people (Samaritans). Jews viewed them as ethnically impure and religiously heretical. Samaritans had their own version of the Pentateuch and their own temple on Mount Gerizim, which they considered the only valid place of worship, in direct opposition to the temple in Jerusalem. For a Jewish man, especially a rabbi, to speak to a woman alone in public was a breach of social custom; to speak to a Samaritan woman and request a drink from her vessel (considered ritually unclean) was a profound cultural transgression.

John 4:1-4

Now when Jesus learned that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus was making and baptizing more disciples than John (although Jesus himself did not baptize, but only his disciples), he left Judea and departed again for Galilee. And he had to pass through Samaria.

In-depth-analysis

Jesus' withdrawal from Judea is a strategic move, not one of fear. It avoids premature conflict with the Pharisees, allowing His ministry to proceed according to a divine timetable.
Verse 2 is a parenthetical note by John the Apostle, clarifying the baptism ministry. It delegates the ritual act to the disciples, keeping the focus on Jesus as the source, not the administrator, of the ordinance.
"He had to pass through Samaria": The Greek edei (ἔδει) implies a divine necessity or compulsion, not just geographical convenience. While it was the most direct route from Judea to Galilee, many pious Jews would take a longer route through Perea to avoid Samaria. Jesus' path is dictated by a divine appointment.

Bible references

Luke 9:52-53: 'And he sent messengers ahead of him... to make preparations for him. But the people did not receive him...' (Shows the typical hostility Jesus' group faced in Samaria, making this encounter remarkable).
John 7:1: 'After this Jesus went about in Galilee. He would not go about in Judea, because the Jews were seeking to kill him.' (Establishes a pattern of strategic avoidance of conflict).

Cross references

Matt 10:5 (initial mission avoiding Samaria), John 3:22, 26 (John the Baptist's ministry), Gal 6:15 (breaking down distinctions).

John 4:5-6

So he came to a town of Samaria called Sychar, near the field that Jacob had given to his son Joseph. Jacob's well was there; so Jesus, wearied as he was from his journey, was sitting beside the well. It was about the sixth hour.

In-depth-analysis

Sychar: Traditionally identified with the Old Testament city of Shechem, a place rich with patriarchal history. This location is deliberately chosen to ground the coming revelation in Israel's foundational story.
Jacob's well: This is a direct link to the patriarch Jacob, a revered figure for both Jews and Samaritans, providing a common ground for the conversation.
"Wearied as he was": John emphasizes Jesus' full humanity. The divine Word, who created all things, experiences physical exhaustion, making Him a relatable high priest.
"Sixth hour": This is noon, the hottest part of the day. It's an unusual time for women to draw water (typically done in the morning or evening), suggesting the woman was a social outcast avoiding others. This corresponds to 12 P.M. in Roman timekeeping.

Bible references

Genesis 33:19: 'And from the sons of Hamor, Shechem's father, he bought for a hundred pieces of money the piece of land on which he had pitched his tent.' (The origin of Jacob's land).
Joshua 24:32: 'As for the bones of Joseph... they buried them in Shechem...' (Connects the land to Joseph, fulfilling Jacob's gift).
Hebrews 4:15: 'For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.' (Theological significance of Jesus' weariness).

Cross references

Gen 29:1-11 (Jacob's own well encounter), Heb 2:17 (Jesus made like his brothers).

John 4:7-9

A woman from Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give me a drink.” (For his disciples had gone away into the city to buy food.) The Samaritan woman said to him, “How is it that you, a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a woman of Samaria?” (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.)

In-depth-analysis

Jesus initiates the conversation, shattering multiple social and religious taboos at once: a man with a woman, a Jew with a Samaritan, a Rabbi asking to use an "unclean" vessel.
The woman’s response is one of astonishment and suspicion. She immediately identifies the ethnic and religious barrier ("you, a Jew... me, a woman of Samaria"). Her focus is entirely on the earthly divisions.
"Jews have no dealings with Samaritans": This parenthetical explanation from John highlights the depth of the animosity. The Greek sugchraomai (συγχράομαι) implies not just social interaction but also sharing common vessels or utensils, which was forbidden by rabbinic tradition for fear of ritual defilement.

Bible references

2 Kings 17:24-41: 'And the king of Assyria brought people from Babylon... and placed them in the cities of Samaria...' (Historical root of the Samaritan people and their mixed worship).
Acts 10:28: 'And he said to them, “You yourselves know how unlawful it is for a Jew to associate with or to visit anyone of another nation...”' (Peter voices the same cultural prohibition that Jesus is now violating).

Cross references

Luke 10:33 (Good Samaritan parable), Acts 1:8 (Samaria included in the Great Commission), Eph 2:14 (breaking down the dividing wall).

Polemics: This act is a direct polemic against the man-made traditions (the "fence" around the Law) built by some Pharisees, which created social and religious segregation that went beyond the actual commands of the Mosaic Law. Jesus demonstrates that holiness is not about external separation but internal purity that can engage the world without being defiled.

John 4:10-15

Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.” ...The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water, so that I will not be thirsty or have to come here to draw water.”

In-depth-analysis

"The gift of God": Jesus reframes the conversation from His physical need to her spiritual need. The "gift" is grace, salvation, and Himself.
"Living water": A key metaphor. In Greek, hudōr zōn (ὕδωρ ζῶν) literally means "running/spring water," which was considered superior to stagnant cistern water. Jesus elevates the term to a spiritual reality: the eternal life and sanctifying power of the Holy Spirit.
The woman's misunderstanding is profound. She remains on the physical level, thinking of a magical, labor-saving water source (v. 15). Her response, while materialistic, marks a shift from suspicion ("a Jew") to respect ("Sir" - Kurie).
Jesus' method is to create a deeper thirst by revealing the inadequacy of what she currently seeks.

Bible references

Isaiah 55:1: 'Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters... without money and without price.' (OT promise of freely given spiritual satisfaction).
Jeremiah 2:13: 'for my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed out cisterns for themselves, broken cisterns that can hold no water.' (The direct OT contrast between God as the source and human efforts).
John 7:37-38: '...“If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me...‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’”' (Jesus explicitly defines "living water" as the Holy Spirit).
Revelation 22:17: '...And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price.' (Echoes Jesus' offer at the end of scripture).

Cross references

Ps 36:9 (fountain of life), Isa 12:3 (wells of salvation), Zech 14:8 (living waters from Jerusalem), Rev 21:6 (I will give from the spring of the water of life).

John 4:16-19

Jesus said to her, “Go, call your husband, and come here.” The woman answered him, “I have no husband.” Jesus said to her, “You are right in saying, ‘I have no husband’; for you have had five husbands, and the one you now have is not your husband. What you have said is true.” The woman said to him, “Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet.”

In-depth-analysis

Jesus pivots from a theological offer to a personal revelation. To receive the "living water," her sin and brokenness must be exposed. The command to "call your husband" is a scalpel of grace, designed to lovingly expose the wound.
Her response, "I have no husband," is a half-truth meant to conceal her shame.
Jesus' supernatural knowledge of her life history (five previous husbands, current illicit relationship) shatters her defenses. He does so not with condemnation but with a statement of fact ("What you have said is true").
Her recognition of him as "a prophet" is a significant step. She moves from seeing a man to seeing a messenger of God, like the prophets of old who could reveal secrets (2 Kings 6:12).

Bible references

Luke 7:39: '...“If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner.”' (The Pharisee's flawed logic, contrasted with Jesus who proves His prophetic status by knowing).
Hebrews 4:13: 'And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.' (Illustrates the theological truth behind Jesus' ability).

Cross references

John 1:48 (Jesus' knowledge of Nathanael), Hos 2:7 (Israel as an unfaithful wife).

Polemics: This encounter is sometimes seen as an allegory for Samaria itself. The five husbands representing the five false gods brought in by the foreign nations (2 Kings 17:30-31), and the current illegitimate partner representing their syncretistic, false worship of Yahweh. Jesus comes to be her true, legitimate husband.

John 4:20-24

Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you say that in Jerusalem is the place where people ought to worship.” Jesus said to her... “the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father... the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”

In-depth-analysis

Recognizing Jesus as a prophet, the woman raises the central religious controversy between Jews and Samaritans. This may be a genuine question or an attempt to deflect from her personal sin by shifting to abstract theology.
Jesus' answer demolishes the entire premise of the debate. He declares that worship based on a physical location is becoming obsolete. "The hour is coming" is a key Johannine phrase pointing to the new era established by His death and resurrection.
"You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews" (v. 22): Jesus gently corrects her. He affirms the Jewish position that God's covenantal revelation and Messianic line legitimately came through them, but he immediately universalizes the outcome.
"Worship in spirit and truth": This is a revolutionary definition.
- In Spirit: Not merely an emotional or internal act, but worship enabled by the Holy Spirit, in contrast to the external, physical rituals tied to the temple. It is heart-centered and life-oriented.
- In Truth: Not just sincerity, but worship centered on the ultimate reality of God as revealed in the Son, Jesus Christ (John 14:6). It is worship that aligns with God's true nature and revelation.
"God is spirit": This is the theological foundation for the new worship. Because God is non-corporeal and omnipresent, He cannot be confined to a building or mountain.

Bible references

Deuteronomy 12:5-6: 'But you shall seek the place that the LORD your God will choose... to put his name and make his habitation there... and there you shall bring your burnt offerings...' (The basis for Jerusalem's claim).
Philippians 3:3: 'For we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh.' (Paul's summary of what it means to worship "in spirit").
John 14:6: 'Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”' ("Truth" is ultimately a person, not a set of doctrines).

Cross references

Mal 1:11 (prophecy of future global worship), Rom 8:14-16 (led by the Spirit), Ps 51:17 (sacrifices of God are a broken spirit).

John 4:25-26

The woman said to him, “I know that Messiah is coming (he who is called Christ). When he comes, he will tell us all things.” Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you am he.”

In-depth-analysis

The woman, having her theological framework expanded, expresses a hope common to Samaritans (who awaited a prophet-like-Moses figure called the Taheb, or "Restorer"). She believes the ultimate resolution of all theological questions lies with the Messiah.
“I who speak to you am he.”: Greek, egō eimi (ἐγώ εἰμι). This is one of the most direct and public self-revelations of Jesus in the Gospels. The use of "I am" is profoundly significant, echoing God's self-declaration to Moses at the burning bush (Exodus 3:14). Jesus declares He is the one she has been waiting for. It is the climax of their conversation.

Bible references

Deuteronomy 18:18: 'I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers. And I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him.' (The OT basis for the awaited Messiah/Prophet).
Exodus 3:14: 'God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” And he said, “Say this to the people of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’”' (The divine name that Jesus' egō eimi invokes).
John 8:58: 'Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am (egō eimi).”' (Another explicit use of the divine name).

Cross references

Dan 9:25 (Messiah prophecy), Matt 16:16 (Peter's confession).

John 4:27-38

...The woman left her water jar and went away into town... Then Jesus’ disciples... were urging him, saying, “Rabbi, eat.” But he said to them, “I have food to eat that you do not know about.” ...Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work. ...look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest.”

In-depth-analysis

The disciples' return marks a transition. They are marveling at the social breach, unable to see the spiritual significance of the moment.
The woman left her water jar: A powerful symbolic act. Having found the "living water," she forgets her earthly task and physical vessel. Her immediate impulse is to become an evangelist, a witness to her town.
"My food is to do the will of him who sent me": Jesus redefines sustenance. Spiritual nourishment from obedience to the Father's mission is more satisfying than physical food. This explains his vigor despite being "wearied" earlier.
The Harvest Metaphor: The sight of the Samaritans coming out from the town becomes a living parable. The fields (people's hearts) are "white" (ripe) for harvest right now.
"One sows, and another reaps": Jesus honors the work of those who came before Him (the OT prophets, John the Baptist) who sowed the seed of messianic expectation. Now He and the disciples are reaping the harvest of belief.

Bible references

Job 23:12: 'I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my portion of food.' (Shows a similar value system in the OT).
Matthew 9:37-38: 'Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”' (The same harvest imagery used for Israel).
1 Corinthians 3:6: 'I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth.' (Paul uses the same principle of different roles in the one mission).

Cross references

Neh 8:10 (the joy of the Lord is your strength), Prov 11:30 (fruit of the righteous is a tree of life), Luke 10:2.

John 4:39-42

Many Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman's testimony... So when the Samaritans came to him, they asked him to stay with them, and he stayed there two days. And many more believed because of his word. They said to the woman, “It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is indeed the Savior of the world.”

In-depth-analysis

This passage shows the two stages of saving faith. It begins with the witness of another ("because of the woman's testimony").
It is then solidified and made personal through a direct encounter with Jesus Christ ("believed because of his word"). The initial testimony brings them to Jesus, but His own word gives them personal conviction.
"Savior of the world": This is a momentous confession. Coming from non-Jews, it highlights the universal scope of Jesus' mission, moving far beyond Jewish nationalism. It's one of the most expansive titles for Jesus in the New Testament and a key theme in John's writings.

Bible references

1 John 4:14: 'And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world.' (John repeats this crucial title in his epistle).
Luke 2:30-32: 'for my eyes have seen your salvation that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.' (Simeon's prophecy of a universal salvation).

Cross references

Acts 8:5-8 (Philip's later successful mission in Samaria), Acts 13:47 (light to the Gentiles).

John 4:43-54

...Jesus himself had testified that a prophet has no honor in his own country... he came again to Cana in Galilee... And at Capernaum there was an official whose son was ill... Jesus said to him, “Go; your son will live.” The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and went his way. ...The father knew that was the hour when Jesus had said to him, “Your son will live.” And he himself believed, and all his household. This was now the second sign that Jesus did when he had come from Judea to Galilee.

In-depth-analysis

"A prophet has no honor in his own country": An ironic statement here. While true for Judea (and later Nazareth), the Galileans did receive him, partly because of his previous sign at Cana. The "country" might refer more broadly to the Jewish heartland of Judea which he just left.
A Royal Official: Likely a servant of Herod Antipas, the ruler of Galilee. He is a man of position and power, yet helpless.
Jesus' initial response (v. 48) seems like a rebuke: "Unless you see signs and wonders you will not believe." It is a test of the man's faith. Is he just a miracle-seeker, or is he willing to trust Jesus himself?
"Go; your son will live.": Jesus performs the miracle at a distance, with his word alone. This forces the man to choose: either believe the bare word of Jesus and leave, or stay and keep demanding a sign.
"The man believed the word": This is the turning point. His faith moves from desperation to trust in Jesus' authority. The subsequent confirmation by his servants that the fever broke at that exact "seventh hour" solidifies his faith and brings his entire household to belief.
"The second sign": John explicitly links this back to the first sign in Cana (John 2:1-11). Both signs show Jesus' creative power over nature (water to wine) and life/sickness, both are triggered by a need, and both lead to belief.

Bible references

John 2:1-11: 'This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory. And his disciples believed in him.' (The first sign, establishing a pattern).
Matthew 8:8-10: 'But the centurion replied, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof, but only say the word, and my servant will be healed.” ...Jesus...marveled...' (A parallel account of remarkable faith in Jesus' word-alone authority).
Luke 7:1-10: (A similar account to Matthew's of the centurion in Capernaum, healed at a distance).

Cross references

John 2:23-25 (many believed because of signs, but Jesus didn't entrust himself), John 20:29 (blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed), Acts 16:31-34 (a household believing).

John chapter 4 analysis

Progression of Faith: The chapter masterfully illustrates the journey of belief. The woman progresses from seeing Jesus as a "Jew" -> "Sir" -> "Prophet" -> "the Messiah." The Samaritans progress from believing her testimony to a personal faith in the "Savior of the world." The royal official moves from seeking a sign to believing Jesus' word.
Living Water: This is the central metaphor, representing the gift of eternal life through the indwelling Holy Spirit, a fulfillment of numerous Old Testament prophecies (Isaiah 12:3, 44:3; Jeremiah 2:13; Ezekiel 47:1-9; Zechariah 14:8). It satisfies a thirst that no earthly source (like Jacob's well) can quench.
The Revelation of Identity: In this single chapter, Jesus is identified as Prophet, Messiah/Christ, the Son who reveals the Father, the bringer of God's "food," the I AM, and the Savior of the World.
The Inclusivity of the Gospel: John deliberately shows Jesus breaking down every significant human barrier—ethnic (Jew vs. Samaritan), gender (man vs. woman), moral (righteous Rabbi vs. "sinful" woman), and religious (Jerusalem vs. Gerizim)—to show that the gospel is for all people.
Johannine Irony:
- The "weary" traveler offers infinite, eternal rest and water.
- The disciples leave to find physical food, missing the true spiritual "food" right in front of them.
- The woman comes for physical water and leaves her jar behind, having found spiritual water.
- A prophet finds more "honor" and belief among outcast Samaritans than in his own country.

John 4 summary

Jesus strategically travels through Samaria, a hostile territory, to fulfill a divine appointment. At Jacob's well, he engages a Samaritan woman, breaking social and religious norms to offer her "living water"—eternal life through the Spirit. By revealing her past and explaining that true worship is "in spirit and in truth," not tied to a physical place, he reveals himself as the Messiah. The woman's testimony sparks a revival in her town, where many come to believe in Jesus as the "Savior of the world." The chapter concludes with Jesus healing a royal official's son from a distance with his word alone, his second sign in Galilee, demonstrating that faith in his word, not in visual proof, is what grants life.

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John chapter 4 kjv

¹ When therefore the LORD knew how the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John,
² (Though Jesus himself baptized not, but his disciples,)
³ He left Judaea, and departed again into Galilee.
⁴ And he must needs go through Samaria.
⁵ Then cometh he to a city of Samaria, which is called Sychar, near to the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph.
⁶ Now Jacob's well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well: and it was about the sixth hour.
⁷ There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink.
⁸ (For his disciples were gone away unto the city to buy meat.)
⁹ Then saith 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 have no dealings with the Samaritans.
¹⁰ Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.
¹¹ The woman saith unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from whence then hast thou that living water?
¹² Art thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his children, 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 thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.
¹⁵ The woman saith unto him, Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw.
¹⁶ Jesus saith unto her, Go, call thy 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 thy husband: in that saidst thou truly.
¹⁹ The woman saith unto him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet.
²⁰ Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship.
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.
²⁵ The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things.
²⁶ Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he.
²⁷ And upon this came his disciples, and marvelled that he talked with the woman: yet no man said, What seekest thou? or, Why talkest thou with her?
²⁸ The woman then left her waterpot, and went her way into the city, and saith to the men,
²⁹ Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ?
³⁰ Then they went out of the city, and came unto him.
³¹ In the mean while his disciples prayed him, saying, Master, eat.
³² But he said unto them, I have meat to eat that ye know not of.
³³ Therefore said the disciples one to another, Hath any man brought him ought to eat?
³⁴ Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.
³⁵ 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 fields; for they are white already to harvest.
³⁶ And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together.
³⁷ And herein is that saying true, One soweth, and another reapeth.
³⁸ I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labour: other men laboured, and ye are entered into their labours.
³⁹ And many of the Samaritans of that city believed on him for the saying of the woman, which testified, He told me all that ever I did.
⁴⁰ So 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 said unto the woman, Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world.
⁴³ Now after two days he departed thence, and went into Galilee.
⁴⁴ For Jesus himself testified, that a prophet hath no honour in his own country.
⁴⁵ Then when he was come into Galilee, the Galilaeans received him, having seen all the things that he did at Jerusalem at the feast: for they also went unto the feast.
⁴⁶ So Jesus came again into Cana of Galilee, where he made the water wine. And there was a certain nobleman, whose son was sick at Capernaum.
⁴⁷ When he heard that Jesus was come out of Judaea into Galilee, he went unto him, and besought him that he would come down, and heal his son: for he was at the point of death.
⁴⁸ Then said Jesus unto him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe.
⁴⁹ The nobleman saith unto him, Sir, come down ere my child die.
⁵⁰ Jesus saith unto him, Go thy way; thy son liveth. And the man believed the word that Jesus had spoken unto him, and he went his way.
⁵¹ And as he was now going down, his servants met him, and told him, saying, Thy son liveth.
⁵² Then enquired he of them the hour when he began to amend. And they said unto him, Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him.
⁵³ So the father knew that it was at the same hour, in the which Jesus said unto him, Thy son liveth: and himself believed, and his whole house.
⁵⁴ This is again the second miracle that Jesus did, when he was come out of Judaea into Galilee.

John chapter 4 nkjv

¹ Therefore, when the Lord knew that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John
² (though Jesus Himself did not baptize, but His disciples),
³ He left Judea and departed again to Galilee.
⁴ But He needed to go through Samaria.
⁵ So He came to a city of Samaria which is called Sychar, near the plot of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph.
⁶ Now Jacob's well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied from His journey, sat thus by the well. It was about the sixth hour.
⁷ A woman of Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, "Give Me a drink."
⁸ For His disciples had gone away into the city to buy food.
⁹ Then the woman of Samaria said to Him, "How is it that You, being a Jew, ask a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?" For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.
¹⁰ Jesus answered and said to her, "If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, 'Give Me a drink,' you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water."
¹¹ The woman said to Him, "Sir, You have nothing to draw with, and the well is deep. Where then do You get that living water?
¹² Are You greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well, and drank from it himself, as well as his sons and his livestock?"
¹³ Jesus answered and said to her, "Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again,
¹⁴ but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life."
¹⁵ The woman said to Him, "Sir, give me this water, that I may not thirst, nor come here to draw."
¹⁶ Jesus said to her, "Go, call your husband, and come here."
¹⁷ The woman answered and said, "I have no husband." Jesus said to her, "You have well said, 'I have no husband,'
¹⁸ for you have had five husbands, and the one whom you now have is not your husband; in that you spoke truly."
¹⁹ The woman said to Him, "Sir, I perceive that You are a prophet.
²⁰ Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, and you Jews say that in Jerusalem is the place where one ought to worship."
²¹ Jesus said to her, "Woman, believe Me, the hour is coming when you will neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, worship the Father.
²² You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews.
²³ But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him.
²⁴ God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth."
²⁵ The woman said to Him, "I know that Messiah is coming" (who is called Christ). "When He comes, He will tell us all things."
²⁶ Jesus said to her, "I who speak to you am He."
²⁷ And at this point His disciples came, and they marveled that He talked with a woman; yet no one said, "What do You seek?" or, "Why are You talking with her?"
²⁸ The woman then left her waterpot, went her way into the city, and said to the men,
²⁹ "Come, see a Man who told me all things that I ever did. Could this be the Christ?"
³⁰ Then they went out of the city and came to Him.
³¹ In the meantime His disciples urged Him, saying, "Rabbi, eat."
³² But He said to them, "I have food to eat of which you do not know."
³³ Therefore the disciples said to one another, "Has anyone brought Him anything to eat?"
³⁴ Jesus said to them, "My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work.
³⁵ Do you not say, 'There are still four months and then comes the harvest'? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest!
³⁶ And he who reaps receives wages, and gathers fruit for eternal life, that both he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together.
³⁷ For in this the saying is true: 'One sows and another reaps.'
³⁸ I sent you to reap that for which you have not labored; others have labored, and you have entered into their labors."
³⁹ And many of the Samaritans of that city believed in Him because of the word of the woman who testified, "He told me all that I ever did."
⁴⁰ So when the Samaritans had come to Him, they urged Him to stay with them; and He stayed there two days.
⁴¹ And many more believed because of His own word.
⁴² Then they said to the woman, "Now we believe, not because of what you said, for we ourselves have heard Him and we know that this is indeed the Christ, the Savior of the world."
⁴³ Now after the two days He departed from there and went to Galilee.
⁴⁴ For Jesus Himself testified that a prophet has no honor in his own country.
⁴⁵ So when He came to Galilee, the Galileans received Him, having seen all the things He did in Jerusalem at the feast; for they also had gone to the feast.
⁴⁶ So Jesus came again to Cana of Galilee where He had made the water wine. And there was a certain nobleman whose son was sick at Capernaum.
⁴⁷ When he heard that Jesus had come out of Judea into Galilee, he went to Him and implored Him to come down and heal his son, for he was at the point of death.
⁴⁸ Then Jesus said to him, "Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will by no means believe."
⁴⁹ The nobleman said to Him, "Sir, come down before my child dies!"
⁵⁰ Jesus said to him, "Go your way; your son lives." So the man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him, and he went his way.
⁵¹ And as he was now going down, his servants met him and told him, saying, "Your son lives!"
⁵² Then he inquired of them the hour when he got better. And they said to him, "Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him."
⁵³ So the father knew that it was at the same hour in which Jesus said to him, "Your son lives." And he himself believed, and his whole household.
⁵⁴ This again is the second sign Jesus did when He had come out of Judea into Galilee.

John chapter 4 niv

¹ Now Jesus learned that the Pharisees had heard that he was gaining and baptizing more disciples than John?
² although in fact it was not Jesus who baptized, but his disciples.
³ So he left Judea and went back once more to Galilee.
⁴ Now he had to go through Samaria.
⁵ So he came to a town in Samaria called Sychar, near the plot of ground Jacob had given to his son Joseph.
⁶ Jacob's well was there, and Jesus, tired as he was from the journey, sat down by the well. It was about noon.
⁷ When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, "Will you give me a drink?"
⁸ (His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.)
⁹ The Samaritan woman said to him, "You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?" (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.)
¹⁰ Jesus answered her, "If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water."
¹¹ "Sir," the woman said, "you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water?
¹² Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did also his sons and his livestock?"
¹³ Jesus answered, "Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again,
¹⁴ but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life."
¹⁵ The woman said to him, "Sir, give me this water so that I won't get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water."
¹⁶ He told her, "Go, call your husband and come back."
¹⁷ "I have no husband," she replied. Jesus said to her, "You are right when you say you have no husband.
¹⁸ The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. What you have just said is quite true."
¹⁹ "Sir," the woman said, "I can see that you are a prophet.
²⁰ Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem."
²¹ "Woman," Jesus replied, "believe me, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem.
²² You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews.
²³ Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks.
²⁴ God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth."
²⁵ The woman said, "I know that Messiah" (called Christ) "is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us."
²⁶ Then Jesus declared, "I, the one speaking to you?I am he."
²⁷ Just then his disciples returned and were surprised to find him talking with a woman. But no one asked, "What do you want?" or "Why are you talking with her?"
²⁸ Then, leaving her water jar, the woman went back to the town and said to the people,
²⁹ "Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Messiah?"
³⁰ They came out of the town and made their way toward him.
³¹ Meanwhile his disciples urged him, "Rabbi, eat something."
³² But he said to them, "I have food to eat that you know nothing about."
³³ Then his disciples said to each other, "Could someone have brought him food?"
³⁴ "My food," said Jesus, "is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work.
³⁵ Don't you have a saying, 'It's still four months until harvest'? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest.
³⁶ Even now the one who reaps draws a wage and harvests a crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may be glad together.
³⁷ Thus the saying 'One sows and another reaps' is true.
³⁸ I sent you to reap what you have not worked for. Others have done the hard work, and you have reaped the benefits of their labor."
³⁹ Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman's testimony, "He told me everything I ever did."
⁴⁰ So when the Samaritans came to him, they urged him to stay with them, and he stayed two days.
⁴¹ And because of his words many more became believers.
⁴² They said to the woman, "We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world."
⁴³ After the two days he left for Galilee.
⁴⁴ (Now Jesus himself had pointed out that a prophet has no honor in his own country.)
⁴⁵ When he arrived in Galilee, the Galileans welcomed him. They had seen all that he had done in Jerusalem at the Passover Festival, for they also had been there.
⁴⁶ Once more he visited Cana in Galilee, where he had turned the water into wine. And there was a certain royal official whose son lay sick at Capernaum.
⁴⁷ When this man heard that Jesus had arrived in Galilee from Judea, he went to him and begged him to come and heal his son, who was close to death.
⁴⁸ "Unless you people see signs and wonders," Jesus told him, "you will never believe."
⁴⁹ The royal official said, "Sir, come down before my child dies."
⁵⁰ "Go," Jesus replied, "your son will live." The man took Jesus at his word and departed.
⁵¹ While he was still on the way, his servants met him with the news that his boy was living.
⁵² When he inquired as to the time when his son got better, they said to him, "Yesterday, at one in the afternoon, the fever left him."
⁵³ Then the father realized that this was the exact time at which Jesus had said to him, "Your son will live." So he and his whole household believed.
⁵⁴ This was the second sign Jesus performed after coming from Judea to Galilee.

John chapter 4 esv

¹ Now when Jesus learned that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus was making and baptizing more disciples than John
² (although Jesus himself did not baptize, but only his disciples),
³ he left Judea and departed again for Galilee.
⁴ And he had to pass through Samaria.
⁵ So he came to a town of Samaria called Sychar, near the field that Jacob had given to his son Joseph.
⁶ Jacob's well was there; so Jesus, wearied as he was from his journey, was sitting beside the well. It was about the sixth hour.
⁷ A woman from Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, "Give me a drink."
⁸ (For his disciples had gone away into the city to buy food.)
⁹ The Samaritan woman said to him, "How is it that you, a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a woman of Samaria?" (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.)
¹⁰ Jesus answered her, "If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, 'Give me a drink,' you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water."
¹¹ The woman said to him, "Sir, you have nothing to draw water with, and the well is deep. Where do you get that living water?
¹² Are you greater than our father Jacob? He gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did his sons and his livestock."
¹³ Jesus said to her, "Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again,
¹⁴ but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life."
¹⁵ The woman said to him, "Sir, give me this water, so that I will not be thirsty or have to come here to draw water."
¹⁶ Jesus said to her, "Go, call your husband, and come here."
¹⁷ The woman answered him, "I have no husband." Jesus said to her, "You are right in saying, 'I have no husband';
¹⁸ for you have had five husbands, and the one you now have is not your husband. What you have said is true."
¹⁹ The woman said to him, "Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet.
²⁰ Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you say that in Jerusalem is the place where people ought to worship."
²¹ Jesus said to her, "Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father.
²² You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews.
²³ But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him.
²⁴ God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth."
²⁵ The woman said to him, "I know that Messiah is coming (he who is called Christ). When he comes, he will tell us all things."
²⁶ Jesus said to her, "I who speak to you am he."
²⁷ Just then his disciples came back. They marveled that he was talking with a woman, but no one said, "What do you seek?" or, "Why are you talking with her?"
²⁸ So the woman left her water jar and went away into town and said to the people,
²⁹ "Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ?"
³⁰ They went out of the town and were coming to him.
³¹ Meanwhile the disciples were urging him, saying, "Rabbi, eat."
³² But he said to them, "I have food to eat that you do not know about."
³³ So the disciples said to one another, "Has anyone brought him something to eat?"
³⁴ Jesus said to them, "My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work.
³⁵ Do you not say, 'There are yet four months, then comes the harvest'? Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest.
³⁶ Already the one who reaps is receiving wages and gathering fruit for eternal life, so that sower and reaper may rejoice together.
³⁷ For here the saying holds true, 'One sows and another reaps.'
³⁸ I sent you to reap that for which you did not labor. Others have labored, and you have entered into their labor."
³⁹ Many Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman's testimony, "He told me all that I ever did."
⁴⁰ So when the Samaritans came to him, they asked him to stay with them, and he stayed there two days.
⁴¹ And many more believed because of his word.
⁴² They said to the woman, "It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is indeed the Savior of the world."
⁴³ After the two days he departed for Galilee.
⁴⁴ (For Jesus himself had testified that a prophet has no honor in his own hometown.)
⁴⁵ So when he came to Galilee, the Galileans welcomed him, having seen all that he had done in Jerusalem at the feast. For they too had gone to the feast.
⁴⁶ So he came again to Cana in Galilee, where he had made the water wine. And at Capernaum there was an official whose son was ill.
⁴⁷ When this man heard that Jesus had come from Judea to Galilee, he went to him and asked him to come down and heal his son, for he was at the point of death.
⁴⁸ So Jesus said to him, "Unless you see signs and wonders you will not believe."
⁴⁹ The official said to him, "Sir, come down before my child dies."
⁵⁰ Jesus said to him, "Go; your son will live." The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and went on his way.
⁵¹ As he was going down, his servants met him and told him that his son was recovering.
⁵² So he asked them the hour when he began to get better, and they said to him, "Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him."
⁵³ The father knew that was the hour when Jesus had said to him, "Your son will live." And he himself believed, and all his household.
⁵⁴ This was now the second sign that Jesus did when he had come from Judea to Galilee.

John chapter 4 nlt

¹ Jesus knew the Pharisees had heard that he was baptizing and making more disciples than John
² (though Jesus himself didn't baptize them ? his disciples did).
³ So he left Judea and returned to Galilee.
⁴ He had to go through Samaria on the way.
⁵ Eventually he came to the Samaritan village of Sychar, near the field that Jacob gave to his son Joseph.
⁶ Jacob's well was there; and Jesus, tired from the long walk, sat wearily beside the well about noontime.
⁷ Soon a Samaritan woman came to draw water, and Jesus said to her, "Please give me a drink."
⁸ He was alone at the time because his disciples had gone into the village to buy some food.
⁹ The woman was surprised, for Jews refuse to have anything to do with Samaritans. She said to Jesus, "You are a Jew, and I am a Samaritan woman. Why are you asking me for a drink?"
¹⁰ Jesus replied, "If you only knew the gift God has for you and who you are speaking to, you would ask me, and I would give you living water."
¹¹ "But sir, you don't have a rope or a bucket," she said, "and this well is very deep. Where would you get this living water?
¹² And besides, do you think you're greater than our ancestor Jacob, who gave us this well? How can you offer better water than he and his sons and his animals enjoyed?"
¹³ Jesus replied, "Anyone who drinks this water will soon become thirsty again.
¹⁴ But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life."
¹⁵ "Please, sir," the woman said, "give me this water! Then I'll never be thirsty again, and I won't have to come here to get water."
¹⁶ "Go and get your husband," Jesus told her.
¹⁷ "I don't have a husband," the woman replied. Jesus said, "You're right! You don't have a husband ?
¹⁸ for you have had five husbands, and you aren't even married to the man you're living with now. You certainly spoke the truth!"
¹⁹ "Sir," the woman said, "you must be a prophet.
²⁰ So tell me, why is it that you Jews insist that Jerusalem is the only place of worship, while we Samaritans claim it is here at Mount Gerizim, where our ancestors worshiped?"
²¹ Jesus replied, "Believe me, dear woman, the time is coming when it will no longer matter whether you worship the Father on this mountain or in Jerusalem.
²² You Samaritans know very little about the one you worship, while we Jews know all about him, for salvation comes through the Jews.
²³ But the time is coming ? indeed it's here now ? when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for those who will worship him that way.
²⁴ For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth."
²⁵ The woman said, "I know the Messiah is coming ? the one who is called Christ. When he comes, he will explain everything to us."
²⁶ Then Jesus told her, "I AM the Messiah!"
²⁷ Just then his disciples came back. They were shocked to find him talking to a woman, but none of them had the nerve to ask, "What do you want with her?" or "Why are you talking to her?"
²⁸ The woman left her water jar beside the well and ran back to the village, telling everyone,
²⁹ "Come and see a man who told me everything I ever did! Could he possibly be the Messiah?"
³⁰ So the people came streaming from the village to see him.
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 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."
³⁹ Many Samaritans from the village believed in Jesus because the woman had said, "He told me everything I ever did!"
⁴⁰ When they came out to see him, they begged him to stay in their village. So he stayed for two days,
⁴¹ long enough for many more to hear his message and believe.
⁴² Then they said to the woman, "Now we believe, not just because of what you told us, but because we have heard him ourselves. Now we know that he is indeed the Savior of the world."
⁴³ At the end of the two days, Jesus went on to Galilee.
⁴⁴ He himself had said that a prophet is not honored in his own hometown.
⁴⁵ Yet the Galileans welcomed him, for they had been in Jerusalem at the Passover celebration and had seen everything he did there.
⁴⁶ As he traveled through Galilee, he came to Cana, where he had turned the water into wine. There was a government official in nearby Capernaum whose son was very sick.
⁴⁷ When he heard that Jesus had come from Judea to Galilee, he went and begged Jesus to come to Capernaum to heal his son, who was about to die.
⁴⁸ Jesus asked, "Will you never believe in me unless you see miraculous signs and wonders?"
⁴⁹ The official pleaded, "Lord, please come now before my little boy dies."
⁵⁰ Then Jesus told him, "Go back home. Your son will live!" And the man believed what Jesus said and started home.
⁵¹ While the man was on his way, some of his servants met him with the news that his son was alive and well.
⁵² He asked them when the boy had begun to get better, and they replied, "Yesterday afternoon at one o'clock his fever suddenly disappeared!"
⁵³ Then the father realized that that was the very time Jesus had told him, "Your son will live." And he and his entire household believed in Jesus.
⁵⁴ This was the second miraculous sign Jesus did in Galilee after coming from Judea.