John 4:15 kjv
The woman saith unto him, Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw.
John 4:15 nkjv
The woman said to Him, "Sir, give me this water, that I may not thirst, nor come here to draw."
John 4:15 niv
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."
John 4:15 esv
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."
John 4:15 nlt
"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."
John 4 15 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Jn 4:10 | "If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that says to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water." | Jesus' prior offer of spiritual water. |
| Jn 4:13-14 | "Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again..." | Jesus distinguishes physical vs. eternal water. |
| Jn 7:37-38 | "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’" | Invitation to satisfy spiritual thirst through Christ. |
| Rev 22:17 | "The Spirit and the Bride say, 'Come.' And let the one who hears say, 'Come.' And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price." | Final invitation to receive water of life. |
| Isa 55:1 | "Come, everyone who thirsts, to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat!" | Old Testament prophetic invitation to spiritual provision. |
| Ps 42:1-2 | "As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God..." | Expresses spiritual thirst for God. |
| Jer 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." | Contrasts God as true source with human brokenness. |
| Zech 14:8 | "On that day living waters shall flow out from Jerusalem..." | Prophetic vision of living water from God's presence. |
| Jn 6:35 | "I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst." | Jesus is the ultimate satisfaction for spiritual needs. |
| Rev 21:6 | "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without cost." | God as the sovereign giver of life's true water. |
| Isa 49:10 | "They shall not hunger or thirst... for he who has compassion on them will lead them, and will guide them to springs of water." | God's merciful provision for His people. |
| Deut 8:3 | "...that he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord." | Spiritual sustenance is more vital than physical. |
| Matt 4:4 | "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God." | Jesus reiterates the priority of spiritual over physical. |
| Lk 12:22-31 | "...do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat, nor about your body, what you will put on... but seek his kingdom, and these things will be added to you." | Prioritizes God's kingdom over physical provision concerns. |
| Matt 6:33 | "But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." | Aligns with prioritizing spiritual over material needs. |
| Jn 3:4 | Nicodemus said to him, "How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?" | Parallel example of literal/physical misunderstanding of spiritual truth. |
| Jn 6:41-42 | "So the Jews grumbled about him, because he said, 'I am the bread that came down from heaven.' They said, 'Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How does he now say, "I have come down from heaven"?'" | Another instance of misunderstanding Jesus' divine claims through human perspective. |
| Heb 4:9-11 | "So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God... Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience." | Speaks to ultimate rest from earthly toil and striving. |
| Gal 5:16 | "But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh." | Contrast between yielding to spiritual guidance vs. physical desires. |
| Phil 4:19 | "And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus." | God's abundant provision beyond perceived limitations. |
| 1 Pet 2:2 | "Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation." | Metaphorical hunger for spiritual nourishment. |
| Jn 4:28 | So the woman left her water jar and went away into town and said to the people, "Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did." | Her abandonment of the physical jar symbolizes her spiritual awakening. |
John 4 verses
John 4 15 Meaning
John 4:15 encapsulates the Samaritan woman's immediate, natural human response to Jesus' offer of "living water." Misunderstanding His spiritual proposal, she interprets it in purely physical terms, requesting this unique water primarily to alleviate her daily burden of drawing water from the well. Her desire is for practical convenience and the cessation of physical thirst, revealing her present inability to grasp the spiritual dimension of Jesus' discourse. This verse marks a pivotal point where she vocalizes her earthbound perspective before Jesus escalates the conversation to her true spiritual condition.
John 4 15 Context
John 4:15 is situated in the midst of Jesus' encounter with the Samaritan woman at Jacob's Well. Jesus, traveling through Samaria (unconventional for a Jew), initiates a conversation with a socially marginalized Samaritan woman (breaking ethnic, gender, and social norms). The conversation begins with a simple request for water (v. 7), but Jesus immediately elevates it by offering "living water" (v. 10). Her request in verse 15, "Sir, give me this water," shows her limited comprehension; she is still anchored in the physical realm of Jacob's well and its arduous daily ritual.
Historically and culturally, water drawing was a demanding chore, especially for women in a hot climate. The act of going to the well daily was central to their routine. The woman's request highlights her desire for practical, immediate relief from this common physical burden, rather than understanding the spiritual freedom and eternal satisfaction Jesus offers. The dialogue at this stage subtly highlights the contrast between the Old Covenant emphasis on external ritual and daily exertion, and the New Covenant's promise of an internal, abiding source of life, moving beyond superficial relief to profound spiritual transformation. While not a direct polemic, her earthly focus contrasts sharply with Jesus' divine wisdom, implicitly challenging human reliance on self-effort and material solutions over spiritual grace.
John 4 15 Word analysis
- The woman (ἡ γυνή - hē gynē): Identifies the recipient of Jesus' profound teaching. While seemingly an ordinary term, in the context of John, Jesus' direct engagement with this marginalized individual underscores His universal reach, bypassing social and religious prejudices. She moves from anonymity to becoming a significant witness.
- said to him: Emphasizes the continuation of the dialogue, and her active participation. It highlights her initiative in responding, even if her understanding is limited.
- Sir (κύριε - Kyrie): In this context, it functions primarily as a polite form of address for a stranger or a respected teacher. It could translate as "Sir" or "Master." However, John often uses Kyrie to transition from mere respect to an acknowledgement of Jesus' divine authority as "Lord," as her understanding deepens later in the narrative. Here, it signifies polite interest.
- give me (δός μοι - dos moi): An imperative verb. It's a direct command, indicative of her current perception of Jesus as someone who can provide a tangible item she desires. It conveys a transactional understanding rather than an humble appeal for spiritual grace. She is requesting a utility, not a savior.
- this water (τοῦτο τὸ ὕδωρ - touto to hydōr): The demonstrative pronoun "this" connects directly to Jesus' previous mention of "living water" (v. 10), but she clearly understands it as referring to a special kind of physical water, distinct from the well water but still serving the same practical purpose. Her mind has not yet shifted to the symbolic or spiritual meaning.
- so that I will not be thirsty (ἵνα μὴ διψῶ - hina mē dipsō): This is a purpose clause, revealing her primary motivation: to avoid future physical discomfort. Her immediate concern is practicality and convenience, to escape a repetitive physical need.
- or have to come here to draw water (μηδὲ ἔρχωμαι ἐνθάδε ἀντλεῖν - mēde erchōmai enthade antlein): This second purpose clause clarifies and amplifies her motivation. Antlein specifically means "to draw water from a well or cistern." This detail underscores the laborious daily ritual that dominated a significant part of her life. She desires relief from the sheer drudgery of her existence, not yet realizing the deeper, eternal thirst for which Jesus is the remedy.
Words-group analysis:
- "Sir, give me this water": This phrase encapsulates her misinterpretation and practical mindset. She seeks a miraculous shortcut to escape a mundane burden, revealing a desire for earthly ease rather than spiritual renewal. It's a plea born of human need, limited by her earthly perspective, seeking a commoditized solution.
- "so that I will not be thirsty or have to come here to draw water": These clauses fully articulate her practical motivation. Her focus is entirely on physical relief and convenience. It highlights a common human tendency: when presented with a spiritual truth, to often interpret it through a materialistic or utilitarian lens. She yearns for an end to effort and need, but misidentifies the true nature of that need. This physical aspiration sets the stage for Jesus' deeper revelation concerning her spiritual thirst and personal history.
John 4 15 Bonus section
- The irony of the woman asking for a mundane relief from the Messiah, who offers divine satisfaction, underscores the chasm between human limited understanding and God's expansive grace.
- Her focus on avoiding the well symbolizes the human tendency to seek deliverance from specific circumstances, while Jesus offers deliverance from the root of all spiritual need – thirst for God Himself.
- The progression of her understanding, from "Jew" (v. 9) to "Sir" (v. 11, 15), then "prophet" (v. 19), and finally, subtly accepting "Messiah" (v. 29), is foundational to the Gospel of John. Verse 15 marks a pivotal step in this journey of recognition.
- Jacob's well, a place of historical significance tied to an Old Testament patriarch, becomes the site where New Covenant living water is offered, juxtaposing the temporary and the eternal, the physical ritual and the spiritual reality.
John 4 15 Commentary
John 4:15 is a crucial moment where the Samaritan woman's misunderstanding becomes evident, highlighting a universal human inclination to prioritize temporal comfort over eternal truth. She views Jesus’ offer of "living water" not as a profound spiritual source, but as a magical solution to a physical inconvenience—her daily trek to the well. Her request is born out of an earthly mindset, driven by the mundane realities of her laborious existence.
This verse demonstrates how easily spiritual propositions can be misconstrued through a purely physical or utilitarian lens. She desires cessation from labor and physical thirst, much like humanity often seeks quick fixes for its problems, neglecting the underlying spiritual emptiness. Jesus' genius in this encounter lies in meeting her at her point of practical concern, only to then pivot the conversation to expose her true, spiritual thirst, showing how He provides far more than mere physical convenience; He offers eternal life and genuine rest from the weariness of sin and the curse. This shift reveals Jesus’ mastery in drawing individuals from their natural concerns to a profound realization of their spiritual needs and His capacity to fulfill them.