John 4NASB
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John4

New American Standard

1So then, when the Lord knew that the Pharisees had heard that He was making and baptizing more disciples than John

2(although Jesus Himself was not baptizing; rather, His disciples were),

3He left Judea and went away again to Galilee.

4And He had to pass through Samaria.

5So He came to a city of Samaria called Sychar, near the parcel of land that Jacob gave to his son Joseph;

6and Jacob’s well was there. So Jesus, tired from His journey, was just sitting by the well. It was about the sixth hour.

7A woman of Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give Me a drink.”

8For His disciples had gone away to the city to buy food.

9So the Samaritan woman said to Him, “How is it that You, though You are a Jew, are asking me for a drink, though I am a Samaritan woman?” (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.)

10Jesus replied to her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who is saying to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.”

11She said to Him, “Sir, You have no bucket and the well is deep; where then do You get this living water?

12You are not greater than our father Jacob, are You, who gave us the well and drank of it himself, and his sons and his cattle?”

13Jesus answered and said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again;

14but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never be thirsty; but the water that I will give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up to eternal life.”

15The woman said to Him, “Sir, give me this water so that I will not be thirsty, nor come all the way here to draw water.”

16He said to her, “Go, call your husband and come here.”

17The woman answered and said to Him, “I have no husband.” Jesus said to her, “You have correctly said, ‘I have no husband’;

18for you have had five husbands, and the one whom you now have is not your husband; this which you have said is true.”

19The woman said to Him, “Sir, I perceive that You are a prophet.

20Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, and yet you Jews say that in Jerusalem is the place where one must worship.”

21Jesus said to her, “Believe Me, woman, that a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem.

22You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, because salvation is from the Jews.

23But a time is coming, and even now has arrived, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers.

24God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”

25The woman said to Him, “I know that Messiah is coming (He who is called Christ); when that One comes, He will declare all things to us.”

26Jesus said to her, “I am He, the One speaking to you.”

27And at this point His disciples came, and they were amazed that He had been speaking with a woman, yet no one said, “What are You seeking?” or, “Why are You speaking with her?”

28So the woman left her waterpot and went into the city, and said to the people,

29“Come, see a Man who told me all the things that I have done; this is not the Christ, is He?”

30They left the city and were coming to Him.

31Meanwhile the disciples were urging Him, saying, “Rabbi, eat something.”

32But He said to them, “I have food to eat that you do not know about.”

33So the disciples were saying to one another, “No one brought Him anything to eat, did he?”

34Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to accomplish His work.

35Do you not say, ‘There are still four months, and then comes the harvest’? Behold, I tell you, raise your eyes and observe the fields, that they are white for harvest.

36Already the one who reaps is receiving wages and is gathering fruit for eternal life, so that the one who sows and the one who reaps may rejoice together.

37For in this case the saying is true: ‘One sows and another reaps.’

38I sent you to reap that for which you have not labored; others have labored, and you have come into their labor.”

39Now from that city many of the Samaritans believed in Him because of the word of the woman who testified, “He told me all the things that I have done.”

40So when the Samaritans came to Jesus, they were asking Him to stay with them; and He stayed there two days.

41Many more believed because of His word;

42and they were saying to the woman, “It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves and know that this One truly is the Savior of the world.”

43And after the two days, He departed from there for Galilee.

44For Jesus Himself testified that a prophet has no honor in his own country.

45So when He came to Galilee, the Galileans received Him, only because they had seen all the things that He did in Jerusalem at the feast; for they themselves also went to the feast.

46Therefore He came again to Cana of Galilee, where He had made the water into wine. And there was a royal official whose son was sick at Capernaum.

47When he heard that Jesus had come from Judea into Galilee, he went to Him and began asking Him to come down and heal his son; for he was at the point of death.

48Then Jesus said to him, “Unless you people see signs and wonders, you simply will not believe.”

49The royal official said to Him, “Sir, come down before my child dies.”

50Jesus said to him, “Go; your son is alive.” The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and went home.

51And as he was now going down, his slaves met him, saying that his son was alive.

52So he inquired of them the hour when he began to get better. Then they said to him, “Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him.”

53So the father knew that it was at that hour in which Jesus said to him, “Your son is alive”; and he himself believed, and his entire household.

54This is again a second sign that Jesus performed when He had come from Judea into Galilee.

Study Guide

Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for John 4.

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Chapter Summary

In this chapter: Christ's departure into Galilee. (1–3). His discourse with the Samaritan woman. (4–26). The effects of Christ's conversation with the woman of Samaria. (27–42). Christ heals the nobleman's son. (43–54).

vv1-3

Jesus applied himself more to preaching, which was the more excellent, 1Co 1:17, than to baptism. He would put honour upon his disciples, by employing them to baptize. He teaches us that the benefit of sacraments depends not on the hand that administers them.

vv4-26

There was great hatred between the Samaritans and the Jews. Christ's road from Judea to Galilee lay through Samaria. We should not go into places of temptation but when we needs must; and then must not dwell in them, but hasten through them. We have here our Lord Jesus under the common fatigue of travellers. Thus we see that he was truly a man. Toil came in with sin; therefore Christ, having made himself a curse for us, submitted to it. Also, he was a poor man, and went all his journeys on foot. Being wearied, he sat thus on the well; he had no couch to rest upon. He sat thus, as people wearied with travelling sit. Surely, we ought readily to submit to be like the Son of God in such things as these. Christ asked a woman for water. She was surprised because he did not show the anger of his own nation against the Samaritans. Moderate men of all sides are men wondered at. Christ took the occasion to teach her Divine things: he converted this woman, by showing her ignorance and sinfulness, and her need of a Saviour. By this living water is meant the Spirit. Under this comparison the blessing of the Messiah had been promised in the Old Testament. The graces of the Spirit, and his comforts, satisfy the thirsting soul, that knows its own nature and necessity. What Jesus spake figuratively, she took literally. Christ shows that the water of Jacob's well yielded a very short satisfaction. Of whatever waters of comfort we drink, we shall thirst again. But whoever partakes of the Spirit of grace, and the comforts of the gospel, shall never want that which will abundantly satisfy his soul. Carnal hearts look no higher than carnal ends. Give it me, saith she, not that I may have everlasting life, which Christ proposed, but that I come not hither to draw. The carnal mind is very ingenious in shifting off convictions, and keeping them from fastening. But how closely our Lord Jesus brings home the conviction to her conscience! He severely reproved her present state of life. The woman acknowledged Christ to be a prophet. The power of his word in searching the heart, and convincing the conscience of secret things, is a proof of Divine authority. It should cool our contests, to think that the things we are striving about are passing away. The object of worship will continue still the same, God, as a Father; but an end shall be put to all differences about the place of worship. Reason teaches us to consult decency and convenience in the places of our worship; but religion gives no preference to one place above another, in respect of holiness and approval with God. The Jews were certainly in the right. Those who by the Scriptures have obtained some knowledge of God, know whom they worship. The word of salvation was of the Jews. It came to other nations through them. Christ justly preferred the Jewish worship before the Samaritan, yet here he speaks of the former as soon to be done away. God was about to be revealed as the Father of all believers in every nation. The spirit or the soul of man, as influenced by the Holy Spirit, must worship God, and have communion with him. Spiritual affections, as shown in fervent prayers, supplications, and thanksgivings, form the worship of an upright heart, in which God delights and is glorified. The woman was disposed to leave the matter undecided, till the coming of the Messiah. But Christ told her, I that speak to thee, am He. She was an alien and a hostile Samaritan, merely speaking to her was thought to disgrace our Lord Jesus. Yet to this woman did our Lord reveal himself more fully than as yet he had done to any of his disciples. No past sins can bar our acceptance with him, if we humble ourselves before him, believing in him as the Christ, the Saviour of the world.

vv27-42

The disciples wondered that Christ talked thus with a Samaritan. Yet they knew it was for some good reason, and for some good end. Thus when particular difficulties occur in the word and providence of God, it is good to satisfy ourselves that all is well that Jesus Christ says and does. Two things affected the woman. The extent of his knowledge. Christ knows all the thoughts, words, and actions, of all the children of men. And the power of his word. He told her secret sins with power. She fastened upon that part of Christ's discourse, many would think she would have been most shy of repeating; but the knowledge of Christ, into which we are led by conviction of sin, is most likely to be sound and saving. They came to him: those who would know Christ, must meet him where he records his name. Our Master has left us an example, that we may learn to do the will of God as he did; with diligence, as those that make a business of it; with delight and pleasure in it. Christ compares his work to harvest-work. The harvest is appointed and looked for before it comes; so was the gospel. Harvest-time is busy time; all must be then at work. Harvest-time is a short time, and harvest-work must be done then, or not at all; so the time of the gospel is a season, which if once past, cannot be recalled. God sometimes uses very weak and unlikely instruments for beginning and carrying on a good work. Our Saviour, by teaching one poor woman, spread knowledge to a whole town. Blessed are those who are not offended at Christ. Those taught of God, are truly desirous to learn more. It adds much to the praise of our love to Christ and his word, if it conquers prejudices. Their faith grew. In the matter of it: they believed him to be the Saviour, not only of the Jews but of the world. In the certainty of it: we know that this is indeed the Christ. And in the ground of it, for we have heard him ourselves.

Cross References

John 4
v10John 7:37-39thematic

Jesus clarifies the 'living water' as the Holy Spirit, satisfying the deep thirst of the soul.

Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB

v16John 4:18thematic

Jesus shows omniscience regarding the woman's five husbands, bringing direct conviction of her secret life.

Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole

v5Genesis 48:22thematic

Identifies the historical parcel of ground in Shechem given by Jacob to his son Joseph.

Supported by Matthew Poole, John Calvin

v44Matthew 13:57thematic

Synoptic parallel to Jesus' proverb that a prophet has no honor in his own country.

Supported by Matthew Poole

v46John 2:1-11thematic

Explicitly connects back to Cana of Galilee, where Jesus performed his first sign of turning water to wine.

Supported by Matthew Poole, Matthew Henry

Parallels Paul's practice of preaching over baptizing, highlighting that baptismal efficacy is not tied to the administrator.

Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole

v21Malachi 1:11fulfillment

Prophetic fulfillment of worldwide spiritual worship of Yahweh, transcending Jerusalem and Samaria's mountains.

Supported by Matthew Henry

v222 Kings 17:27-29thematic

Traces the origin of the Samaritans' syncretistic worship ('they know not what') from Assyrian resettlement.

Supported by Matthew Poole

v25Deuteronomy 18:15-18fulfillment

Old Testament promise of the coming Prophet/Messiah who will declare all things to the people.

Supported by Matthew Poole

v34John 6:38thematic

Underscores Christ's mission to do the will of Him who sent Him, not His own.

Supported by John Calvin

v6Hebrews 4:15thematic

Connects Jesus' physical weariness at the well to His genuine, sympathetic human nature.

Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB

v9Luke 10:33thematic

Illuminates the deep-seated national and religious antipathy between Jews and Samaritans.

Supported by JFB

v11John 3:4thematic

Illustrates the typical pattern in John where physical listeners (like Nicodemus) mistake spiritual statements literally.

Supported by John Calvin

v35Matthew 9:37allusion

Parallel harvest metaphor where Jesus exhorts disciples to look at the ready fields.

Supported by Matthew Henry

v50Matthew 8:13thematic

Parallel healing at a distance by Christ's spoken word, demanding immediate faith.

Supported by Matthew Poole