John 4 43

John 4:43 kjv

Now after two days he departed thence, and went into Galilee.

John 4:43 nkjv

Now after the two days He departed from there and went to Galilee.

John 4:43 niv

After the two days he left for Galilee.

John 4:43 esv

After the two days he departed for Galilee.

John 4:43 nlt

At the end of the two days, Jesus went on to Galilee.

John 4 43 Cross References

Verse Text Reference
Jn 4:44 (For Jesus Himself had testified that a prophet has no honor in his own country.) Explains Jesus' motive for going to Galilee.
Jn 4:40 So when the Samaritans came to Him, they asked Him to stay... and He stayed two days. Directly precedes and confirms the "two days" mentioned.
Jn 4:42 And 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.” Shows the outcome of the two-day stay: belief.
Matt 13:57 And they took offense at Him. But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own town and in his own household.” Echoes Jn 4:44, Jesus' general principle about prophets.
Mk 6:4 And Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor, except in his hometown and among his relatives and in his own household.” Similar to Matt 13:57 and Jn 4:44.
Lk 4:24 And He said, “Truly, I say to you, no prophet is acceptable in his hometown.” Also aligns with Jn 4:44 regarding rejection.
Jn 1:11 He came to His own, and His own people did not receive Him. Broader theme of rejection by 'His own', linking to Judea/Galilee.
Jn 2:13 The Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. Previous movement between Galilee and Jerusalem.
Jn 4:3 He left Judea and departed again for Galilee. Earlier movement to Galilee after ministering in Judea.
Mk 1:14-15 Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God... Beginning of Jesus' public ministry in Galilee in Mark's Gospel.
Lk 4:14 And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and a report about Him went out through all the surrounding country. Return to Galilee after temptation.
Acts 1:8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” Highlights Samaria as a key missionary field, fulfilled by Jesus' visit.
Acts 8:5 Philip went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed to them the Christ. Later apostolic mission in Samaria, echoing Jesus' foundational work.
Lk 9:51-56 ...he set his face to go to Jerusalem. And he sent messengers ahead... but they did not receive Him... Contrast with Samaritans: some reject Jesus; the Samaritans of John 4 receive Him.
Ps 118:22 The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. OT prophetic theme of rejection by His own leading to greater purpose.
Is 53:3 He was despised and rejected by men... OT prophecy regarding the Messiah's reception by people.
Gal 4:4 But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth His Son... Emphasizes divine timing in Jesus' movements and ministry phases.
Matt 10:23 When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next... Jesus' principle of moving to new fields when facing rejection, though not necessarily applicable to this specific 'rejection'.
Acts 13:46 And Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly, saying, “It was necessary that the word of God be spoken first to you. Since you thrust it aside... we turn to the Gentiles.” Apostolic pattern of moving from initial rejection to new territories, paralleling Jesus moving from Jewish unbelief to open Samaritans (and back to less receptive Galilee).
Acts 18:6 And when they opposed and reviled him, he shook out his garments and said to them, “Your blood be on your own heads! I am innocent. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.” Further illustrates moving on from unresponsive audiences to other groups.

John 4 verses

John 4 43 Meaning

John 4:43 details Jesus' departure from Samaria after a two-day stay, signaling a transitional movement to Galilee. It highlights the conclusion of a significant encounter with Samaritans, who showed a remarkable openness to Jesus' message. This departure marks the physical and thematic shift in John's narrative, leading towards Jesus' next ministry phase and setting the stage for the fulfillment of His statement about a prophet lacking honor in his own country.

John 4 43 Context

John chapter 4 begins with Jesus leaving Judea and traveling through Samaria (Jn 4:1-3). This detour was highly unusual for Jews who typically avoided Samaritan territory due to deeply rooted ethnic and religious animosity (Jn 4:9). During this journey, Jesus engaged in a profound conversation with a Samaritan woman at Jacob's well in Sychar, revealing Himself as the Messiah (Jn 4:7-26). Her testimony led many Samaritans to come and meet Jesus (Jn 4:27-30, 39). These Samaritans, impressed by His words, invited Jesus to stay longer, and He remained with them for two days (Jn 4:40), during which many more came to believe in Him, declaring Him the "Savior of the world" (Jn 4:41-42). Verse 43 thus marks the conclusion of this highly successful and divinely orchestrated encounter in Samaria and initiates Jesus' journey back into the region of Galilee. Historically, Galilee was Jesus' home region, and while culturally Jewish, it was also considered somewhat of a religious backwater by the Judean establishment.

John 4 43 Word analysis

  • After (μετὰ, meta): This Greek preposition indicates sequence in time, signifying the completion of the prior event—Jesus' two-day stay and successful ministry in Samaria. It highlights the divine timing of His movements.
  • the two (δύο, dyo) days (ἡμέρας, hēmeras): "Two days" precisely states the duration of Jesus' impactful ministry in Samaria. It underscores a concentrated period of teaching and witness, leading to significant faith among the Samaritans, as described in Jn 4:39-42. This short duration contrasts with His broader, often more difficult, ministry in Judea and even later in Galilee.
  • He departed (ἐξῆλθεν, exēlthen): A straightforward verb, "He went out" or "He departed." In the aorist tense, it signifies a completed action. It indicates a deliberate movement away from Samaria, not a hasty retreat but a planned progression to the next phase of His ministry. This departure emphasizes the itinerate nature of Jesus' earthly mission, moving from one area of ministry to another.
  • from there (ἐκεῖθεν, ekeithen): This adverb points back specifically to Sychar in Samaria, where He had just concluded His work. It contrasts the immediate past (Samaria) with the immediate future (Galilee), underscoring a geographical transition in Jesus' ministry.
  • for/into (εἰς, eis) Galilee (τὴν Γαλιλαίαν, tēn Galilaian): This phrase denotes Jesus' destination. The move to Galilee sets the stage for the next events in John's narrative. Galilee, while home to Jesus (Nazareth), was paradoxically a region where prophets often faced skepticism, a point John emphasizes in the very next verse (Jn 4:44). This specific targeting of Galilee highlights a strategic purpose in His journey, anticipating a certain kind of reception or lack thereof.

Words-group analysis:

  • "After the two days": This phrase pinpoints a specific and concluded period of time. It frames the Samarian ministry as a defined, fruitful interlude, not a prolonged stay, demonstrating that even a brief period of Jesus' presence can yield significant spiritual fruit. The conciseness reflects the divine efficiency of His mission.
  • "he departed from there for Galilee": This combination indicates a purposeful transition. "From there" emphasizes leaving a place of acceptance (Samaria) to embark on a journey "for Galilee," a region where He had "no honor" (Jn 4:44). This intentional shift anticipates a theme of partial rejection within His "own country" and prepares the reader for the different reactions Jesus would encounter there.

John 4 43 Bonus section

The "two days" Jesus spent in Samaria (Jn 4:40, 4:43) is significant as a complete, albeit short, ministry. It allowed for the full process of the Samaritans hearing His words directly and believing based on His identity rather than the woman's testimony alone (Jn 4:42). This emphasizes that genuine faith comes from personal encounter with Christ. Some scholars also see the brief yet impactful Samaritan ministry as a miniature blueprint for the future apostolic mission to the Gentiles, signaling that the Gospel would extend beyond purely Jewish territories. While Jesus states a prophet is not without honor except in his own country (Jn 4:44), His decision to go into Galilee immediately afterwards demonstrates His persistent pursuit of "His own," despite foreknowing their resistance. This highlights His unfailing commitment to God's redemptive plan for Israel, even when it involves rejection.

John 4 43 Commentary

John 4:43 serves as a pivotal transitional verse, marking the conclusion of Jesus’ divinely strategic and highly successful ministry in Samaria and inaugurating His return to Galilee. Having found fervent belief among the 'outsider' Samaritans after two days of teaching, Jesus now deliberately moves towards His homeland, not as a random journey but with a specific, somewhat poignant purpose foreshadowed in the very next verse (Jn 4:44). The verse implicitly underscores the profound contrast between the eager reception He experienced from the Samaritans and the anticipated, often cynical, welcome awaiting Him among "His own people." This move to Galilee isn't simply a change of location but a move dictated by His divine mission, even into an environment where He prophesies His message would be undervalued. It sets the stage for demonstrating Jesus' identity to those who already knew of Him but struggled to accept Him as more than a carpenter's son from Nazareth. The entire passage here forms an indirect polemic against Jewish ethno-religious superiority, highlighting how faith is not confined by human prejudices, and often flourishes where it is least expected, thus challenging preconceived notions of where God's blessing might fall.