John 4 24

John 4:24 kjv

God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

John 4:24 nkjv

God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth."

John 4:24 niv

God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth."

John 4:24 esv

God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth."

John 4:24 nlt

For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth."

John 4 verses

John 4 24 Meaning

John 4:24 proclaims a foundational truth about God's nature and the necessary response in worship. It reveals that God is non-physical, boundless, and essentially spiritual, contrasting Him with all finite, localized, or tangible deities. Consequently, worship fitting for such a God must align with His nature; it must transcend physical location, outward ritual, and human tradition, emanating from an authentic inner disposition, guided by the Holy Spirit, and grounded in the revealed truth of God. True worship is thus a heartfelt engagement with God based on who He truly is, unveiled through Jesus Christ.

John 4 24 Context

John chapter 4 details Jesus' encounter with the Samaritan woman at Jacob's well. This conversation, rich in theological implications, moves from literal thirst to spiritual water, culminating in a discussion about worship. The Samaritan woman, observing a long-standing historical and religious tension, asks Jesus about the proper place of worship—whether Mount Gerizim (Samaritan tradition) or Jerusalem (Jewish tradition). John 4:24 is Jesus' climactic response to this specific question, redirecting the focus from physical location and external rites to the intrinsic nature of God and the resulting imperative for worship that is both internal (spirit) and accurate (truth). This verse therefore marks a pivotal theological shift from localized, ceremonial worship characteristic of the Old Covenant to a new, universal, Spirit-enabled worship accessible through Jesus. It directly addresses and corrects the deeply ingrained, place-centric beliefs held by both Samaritans and Jews.

John 4 24 Word analysis

• God (Theos, θεός): Refers to the singular, ultimate divine being. In this context, it specifies the Father (John 4:23), the One True God. This word stands in stark contrast to pagan polytheistic deities tied to specific locations or material forms.
• is (Estin, ἐστίν): A declarative, existential verb. It signifies a fundamental and unchanging attribute. This is not "God sometimes is" or "God will be," but "God is" — His essential nature.
• Spirit (Pneuma, πνεῦμα): In Greek, pneuma denotes wind, breath, or a non-material entity. Here, it defines God's essence: He is immaterial, invisible, non-localizable, omnipresent, and eternal. This counters anthropomorphic conceptions of God or notions of God residing exclusively in physical temples. It suggests God's transcendent nature, unlimited by space or physical form. In the Hebrew tradition, Ruach (Spirit, breath, wind) carries similar connotations of dynamic, life-giving, and powerful unseen presence (e.g., Gen 1:2; Ps 104:30).
• and (kai, καί): A connective conjunction, linking the two components "in spirit" and "in truth" as equally vital and inseparable aspects of true worship. It is not one or the other, but both simultaneously.
• those who worship (hoi proskunountes, οἱ προσκυνοῦντες): The present participle highlights ongoing, characteristic action. Proskunein originally meant to prostrate oneself before a king or deity, indicating homage, reverence, and adoration. It denotes more than casual acknowledgment; it implies submission and devotion.
• Him (auton, αὐτόν): Refers specifically back to "God" (the Father), the proper object of worship.
• must (dei, δεῖ): This is a strong, authoritative word meaning "it is necessary," "it is proper," or "it is divinely appointed." It indicates a non-negotiable obligation. This manner of worship is not merely preferred but required because of who God is.
• worship (proskunein, προσκυνεῖν): The infinitive form of the same verb, indicating the act of worship. It reinforces the action to be undertaken.
• in spirit (en pneumati, ἐν πνεύματι):
  • Inwardness: This implies sincerity and depth of devotion, engaging one's innermost being—the mind, will, and emotions. It contrasts with purely external rituals or forced actions.
  • Holy Spirit-enabled: For believers, "in spirit" also signifies worship empowered and guided by the Holy Spirit. The Spirit illumines truth, enables prayer, intercedes, and produces the spiritual fruits necessary for genuine worship. It signifies the Holy Spirit's role in empowering and guiding true devotion, leading to an experiential encounter with God.
• and truth (kai aletheia, καὶ ἀληθείᾳ):
  • Authenticity/Sincerity: Not hypocritical or merely formal worship, but worship that is genuine and wholehearted.
  • Revelation/Doctrine: Worship must be based on correct understanding and accurate revelation of God's character and will, particularly as revealed through Jesus Christ (John 1:17; 14:6) and God's Word (John 17:17). It contrasts with worship based on human traditions, misconceptions, or false doctrines.
  • Reality: True worship responds to God as He truly is, not as we imagine Him or as cultural customs dictate.

Words-group analysis:

• "God is Spirit": This foundational theological declaration fundamentally redefines the nature of deity. It directly refutes ancient beliefs in gods tied to idols, geographical locations, or physical manifestations, asserting God's transcendence and immaterial essence. This ontological statement forms the basis for the prescribed manner of worship.
• "worship Him must worship in spirit and truth": This phrase connects the nature of God (Spirit) with the required manner of worship ("in spirit") and its basis ("in truth"). It means that worship must engage the inner person, rather than merely external rites, and it must be intellectually informed by God's revealed truth. This is a complete paradigm shift, moving worship from physical places and external performances to the heart and an informed understanding of God through Christ. The divine "must" underscores the imperative nature of this new mode of worship for all who genuinely seek God.

John 4 24 Bonus section

The statement "God is Spirit" carries significant polemical weight, challenging several prevalent ideas of the time:

1. Samaritan/Jewish Locationism: It directly refutes the long-standing debate over the legitimate place of worship, declaring all such locations irrelevant to the true nature of God.
2. Pagan Materialism/Polytheism: It stands against any notion of gods embodied in idols, tied to natural elements, or limited by specific shrines.
3. Human Anthropomorphism: While God often condescends to use human-like terms for understanding, Jesus clarifies God's essential being is utterly distinct from human limitations and form.
4. Temple-Centric Judaism: By decentralizing worship, Jesus prepared the way for the New Covenant, where the focus shifted from a physical temple to the community of believers indwelled by the Spirit (1 Cor 3:16; Eph 2:20-22), becoming the true spiritual temple. This radical declaration fundamentally democratized worship, making it accessible to all who come to God through Christ, regardless of race, gender, or social standing, transforming the concept of worship from a ritual performance to a relational lifestyle.

John 4 24 Commentary

John 4:24 is a seminal verse, representing Jesus' radical redefinition of worship under the New Covenant. By declaring "God is Spirit," Jesus dismantles centuries of human inclination to localize or materialize the divine. God is not bound by sacred mountains, man-made temples, or physical representations. His nature as pure Spirit means He is universally present and intimately accessible, transcending all geographical and ritualistic limitations.

This truth then necessitates a corresponding manner of worship: "in spirit and in truth." Worship "in spirit" points to an internal, sincere devotion from the heart and innermost being, fueled and enabled by the Holy Spirit. It moves beyond outward display or rote ritual, prioritizing genuine communion and transformed lives. It aligns with biblical injunctions for God to look upon the heart (1 Sam 16:7) and for an offering of ourselves (Rom 12:1-2). Worship "in truth" ensures that our devotion is not merely emotional but grounded in the accurate knowledge of God's revealed Word and His character as unveiled preeminently by Jesus Christ, who Himself is the Truth (John 14:6). It combats ignorance, superstition, and human-fabricated worship systems. True worship, therefore, integrates deep emotional and spiritual engagement with intellectual apprehension of God's truth, enabling a fully authentic relationship. This divine requirement means that worship is no longer an external obligation but an intrinsic response to God's nature, made possible and guided by the Spirit of God Himself, accessible to anyone, anywhere, through Christ.

Examples of practical usage:

• A believer worshipping God silently in a hospital room exemplifies worship "in spirit and truth," demonstrating it's not bound by location.
• Communal worship that emphasizes sincere prayer, Scripture teaching, and heartfelt praise over elaborate rituals is striving for "spirit and truth."
• A person reflecting on God's attributes as revealed in the Bible, then expressing heartfelt gratitude and awe, engages in worship "in truth and spirit."