John 4 17

John 4:17 kjv

The woman answered and said, I have no husband. Jesus said unto her, Thou hast well said, I have no husband:

John 4:17 nkjv

The woman answered and said, "I have no husband." Jesus said to her, "You have well said, 'I have no husband,'

John 4:17 niv

"I have no husband," she replied. Jesus said to her, "You are right when you say you have no husband.

John 4:17 esv

The woman answered him, "I have no husband." Jesus said to her, "You are right in saying, 'I have no husband';

John 4:17 nlt

"I don't have a husband," the woman replied. Jesus said, "You're right! You don't have a husband ?

John 4 verses

John 4 17 Meaning

John 4:17 marks a crucial turning point in Jesus’ conversation with the Samaritan woman at the well. The woman's literal response, "I have no husband," is a direct, yet incomplete, truth to Jesus’ prior statement. Jesus' immediate affirmation, "Thou hast well said, I have no husband," acknowledges the verbal accuracy of her statement while simultaneously preparing to reveal His divine knowledge of her deeper, hidden life, thus leading her towards recognizing His identity and the truth about herself.

John 4 17 Context

John chapter 4 details Jesus' encounter with a Samaritan woman at Jacob's well in Sychar. This meeting transcends significant cultural and social barriers of the time, as Jews typically avoided Samaritans, and a Jewish man, especially a rabbi, would not openly converse with a woman, particularly one of dubious reputation. The conversation progresses from a request for physical water (Jn 4:7), to Jesus offering "living water" that quenches spiritual thirst eternally (Jn 4:10-15). In John 4:16, Jesus abruptly changes the subject, telling the woman to call her husband, which leads directly to verse 17. The woman's answer and Jesus' subsequent response in John 4:17 act as the pivotal moment where Jesus moves from general spiritual discussion to demonstrating His divine omniscience by revealing His specific knowledge of her life, thus establishing His prophetic and ultimately divine authority. This exchange prepares her to understand Him as the Messiah and prepares the stage for His further teaching about true worship.

John 4 17 Word analysis

• The woman: Denotes the specific individual in focus, whose personal history and identity are about to be revealed.
• answered and said: Signifies her verbal response to Jesus’ directive in Jn 4:16. It shows she is directly engaging with Jesus' instruction.
• I have no husband:
  • Original Greek: οὐκ ἔχω ἄνδρα (oukh echō andra).
  • οὐκ (oukh): The absolute negative particle, indicating a definitive "no" or "not."
  • ἔχω (echō): Verb meaning "to have," "possess," "hold." Here, in the sense of a marital relationship.
  • ἄνδρα (andra): Noun meaning "man" or "husband" (accusative case of anēr).
  • Significance: This statement is literally true in her present circumstance. She is not currently married to the man she is living with, nor any other man. However, it's a deceptive truth, as it conceals her past and current irregular living arrangement, showcasing a common human tendency to evade full confession when confronted.
• Jesus said unto her: Reasserts Jesus' active role in the conversation, emphasizing His intentional shift back to direct engagement.
• Thou hast well said:
  • Original Greek: καλῶς εἶπες (kalōs eipes).
  • καλῶς (kalōs): Adverb meaning "well," "rightly," "fittingly," "accurately," "correctly."
  • εἶπες (eipes): Second person singular aorist indicative of legō (to say, speak), meaning "you said."
  • Significance: Jesus affirms the accuracy of her statement, not necessarily her moral uprightness or her complete honesty. It’s an acknowledgment that her literal claim is correct in that she is not currently bound in marriage. This validation acts as a disarming preface before His revelation, confirming her words were not an outright lie, but setting the stage for Him to expose the complete truth that her statement carefully omitted.
• I have no husband: Jesus' direct repetition of her words.
  • Significance: By repeating her statement, Jesus affirms its literal veracity, showing He heard and understood her. Crucially, this repetition underscores the common ground before He unveils the fuller, previously undisclosed, context of her life (her five previous husbands and current cohabitation). This repetition validates her verbal accuracy, allowing her to be more receptive to the profound truth He is about to speak about her life. It highlights His full knowledge without accusation, allowing for open dialogue.

• "The woman answered and said, I have no husband.": This phrase illustrates the woman's attempt to evade full disclosure while remaining technically truthful. It showcases a human defense mechanism when faced with uncomfortable truths, aiming to redirect the conversation or conceal an unsavory past. It also subtly prepares the listener for the coming revelation, highlighting the woman's partially open, partially concealed posture.
• "Jesus said unto her, Thou hast well said, I have no husband.": This critical exchange showcases Jesus' divine discernment. His "well said" is not a moral endorsement but an acknowledgment of the accuracy of her statement from a factual standpoint. By echoing her words, Jesus creates a common understanding and validates her literal truth, disarming her before proceeding to reveal His omniscience and her hidden past (Jn 4:18). This demonstrates His gentle yet piercing approach, preparing her heart for deeper truth.

John 4 17 Bonus section

The dialogue in John 4:17-18 demonstrates a foundational principle of Jesus' evangelistic approach: beginning with what someone admits, then gently revealing a deeper, supernatural understanding of their life. This approach validates their current reality while challenging them towards the complete truth. It shows that Jesus meets individuals where they are, acknowledging partial truths, before drawing them into a comprehensive awareness of His divine authority and personal knowledge. This method of compassionate confrontation, rooted in omniscience, is unique to Christ.

John 4 17 Commentary

John 4:17 represents a powerful moment in the narrative, pivotal for the Samaritan woman's spiritual awakening. Her seemingly evasive response, "I have no husband," is true on a superficial level—she isn't legally married to her current companion. Jesus' immediate "Thou hast well said" affirms this narrow truth, establishing a point of undeniable connection. This affirmation is not praise for her evasion, but a strategic validation, disarming her and preparing her to accept His imminent divine revelation without feeling immediately condemned. Jesus knows her statement is accurate in its limited scope, but also knows the full extent of her relational history, setting the stage for His supernatural revelation in John 4:18. This demonstrates Jesus' unique blend of divine omniscience, compassionate confrontation, and an unwavering commitment to truth, gently guiding her from factual evasion to a recognition of Him as the Christ. It’s a moment of grace that invites her into deeper honesty and spiritual awakening.