John 4
1 [At that time, many people were asking] Jesus to baptize them. He did not baptize people; it was [we] his disciples who were doing the baptizing. But when some of the Pharisee [religious group] heard [people say that] Jesus was making more disciples than John [the Baptizer] and was baptizing them, [they became very jealous].
Thus when the Lord knew when the Pharisees heard that Jesus is making and baptizing more disciples than John
(truly Jesus himself was not baptizing, but His disciples),
3 When the Lord [Jesus] heard about that, [so that the Pharisees would not cause trouble for him], he left Judea [district], and went again [with us disciples] to Galilee district.
He left Judea and came again into Galilee.
4 [He] knew that God wanted him to travel through Samaria [district].
And it behooved Him to go through Samaria.
5 So we arrived at a town named Sychar in Samaria [district]. That was near the plot of ground that [our ancestor] Jacob had given to his son Joseph [long ago].
Then He comes into a city of Samaria, called Sychar, near the place which Jacob gave to his son Joseph.
6 The well that [used to] belong to Jacob was on that plot of ground. Jesus was tired from walking. So while [we] disciples went into the town to buy some food, he sat down alongside the well. It was about noontime. A woman who [lived there] in Samaria came to get some water [from the well]. Jesus said to her, “Will you give me [from the well] some water [to drink]?” The [woman knew that] Jews did not like ([to touch things that belong to] Samaritans/[to] come near Samaritans), (OR, Jews did not like to associate with Samaritans, )
And the well of Jacob was there. Then Jesus having become weary from the journey, was sitting thus by the well: it was about the sixth hour.
A woman comes from Samaria to draw water. Jesus says to her, Give me to drink.
For His disciples had gone into the city, that they might purchase food.
9 so the woman said to him, “You are a Jew, and I am from Samaria. Furthermore, I am a woman. So ([I am surprised] that you are asking me for a drink [of water]!/how is it that you are asking me for a drink [of water]?) [RHQ]”
A Samaritan woman says to Him, How do you, being a Jew, ask to drink from me, being a Samaritan woman?
10 Jesus replied to her, “If you [(sg)] knew what God [wanted to] give you, and if you knew who I am, the one who is asking you for a drink, you would have asked me, and I would have given you water that gives life.”
And Jesus responded and said to her, If you knew the gift of God, and the one who is speaking to you, Give me to drink; you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.
11 She [thought he was talking about] ordinary [water. So she] said to him, “Sir, you do not have a bucket [or a rope with which to get water from the well], and the well is deep. So [since you cannot get water from this well], where can you get that life-giving water?
The woman says to Him, Sir, thou hast no windlass, and the well is deep: whence hast thou living water?
12 Our ancestor Jacob left us this well. He drank water from it, and there was [enough good water] so that his sons and his flocks [of sheep] and goats drank from it also. [Do you claim that] you are greater than Jacob, [and because of that you can give us life-giving water]?”
Art thou greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well, and himself and his sons, and his herds, drank of it?
13 Jesus replied to her, “Everyone who drinks water from this [well] will later become thirsty again.
Jesus responded and said to her, Every one drinking of this water shall thirst again:
15 The woman [did not understand that Jesus was speaking figuratively about something that would sustain her spiritually. So she] said to him, “Sir, give me that kind of water so that I will not get thirsty again, and so that I will not have to keep returning here to get water!”
Then the woman says to Him, Sir, give me this water, that I may not thirst, nor come hither to draw.
16 [Jesus knew that she did not understand, but he wanted to show her by his God-given knowledge of her personal life that because he was the Messiah he could supply her spiritual need. So] he said to her, “Woman, go and call your husband, and bring him here!”
He says to her, Go, call thy husband, and come hither.
17 She replied, “I do not have a husband!” Jesus said to her, “You said that you do not have a husband, and that is true.
The woman responded and said, I have no husband. Jesus says to her, Well didst thou say, I have no husband:
18 It is also true that you have had five husbands [one by one]. And the man you are living with now is not your husband! What you have said is very true.”
for thou hast had five husbands; and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband: thou hast spoken this truly.
19 The woman said to him, “Sir, I perceive you must be a prophet [because you are] able [to know people’s secrets].
The woman says to Him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet.
20 But [let me ask you a different question]: Our ancestors worshipped God here on [Gerizim Mountain], but you [Jews] say that Jerusalem is the place where we must worship [God. So who is right]?”
Our fathers worshiped in this mountain; and you say, that in Jerusalem is the place where it behooveth to worship.
21 Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe me [when I say that] there will be a time when it will not [matter whether] you worship [God our] Father on this mountain or in Jerusalem [or somewhere else].
Jesus says to her, Believe me, woman, that the hour cometh, you will worship the Father neither in this mountain, nor in Jerusalem.
22 You [people from Samaria] do not know the one you are worshipping. But we [(exc) Jews] know whom we worship, because it is from [us] Jews that [God has sent the one who] will save people [from the guilt of their sins].
You worship, you know not what: we worship that which we know: because salvation is of the Jews.
23 However, there will be a time when those who genuinely worship God will worship him as [God’s] Spirit [directs] and according to [God’s] truth. In fact, that time is now. Those are the kind of worshipers my Father seeks.
But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such worshiping Him.
24 God is a spiritual being. So it is necessary that those who worship him must worship him as his Spirit [directs] and [according to God’s] truth.”
God is a Spirit, and it behooveth those who worship Him to worship in spirit and in truth.
25 The woman said to him, “I know that the Messiah is coming. When he comes, he will tell us everything [we need to know].” (‘Messiah’ and ‘Christ’ [both mean ‘God’s promised king]’.)
The woman says to Him, I know that Messiah cometh (who is called Christ): when He may come, He will proclaim to us all things.
26 Jesus said to her, “I, the one speaking to you, am [the Messiah]!”
Jesus says to her, I who speak to thee am He.
27 Just then [we] disciples returned [from town]. [Since it was contrary to our custom for Jewish religious teachers to converse with a woman they did not know], we were surprised that he was talking to a woman. However, none of us asked her, “What do you want?” and none of us asked him, “Why are you talking with her?”
And at this time His disciples came, and were wondering because He was speaking with the woman; no one said, What seekest thou? or, Why do you speak with her?
28 The woman left her water jar there and went into the town. She said to the people there,
Then the woman left her waterpot, and went away into the city, and says to the men,
29 “Come and see a man who [was able to] tell me all about my past life [HYP], [even though I never met him before] Could this man be the Messiah?”
Come hither, see the man who told me all things which I did: Is not He the Christ?
30 So [many people] left the town and started going to where Jesus was.
They came out from the city, and came to Him.
31 Meanwhile, we disciples were urging him, “Teacher, eat [some of the food we brought]!”
Meanwhile His disciples were asking Him, saying, Master eat.
32 But he said to us, “I have food to eat that you do not know anything about!”
He said to them, I have meat to eat, which you know not.
33 So we started saying to each other, “(Surely no one has brought him any food [when we] were not [here]!/Has anyone brought him any food [when we] were not [here]?) [RHQ]”
Then His disciples were speaking to one another, Whether has any one brought Him something to eat?
34 Jesus said to us, “Doing what [my Father] who sent me wants [me to do] and finishing the work he [gave me to do] is ([what sustains me/like] my food) [MET].
Jesus says to them, My food is that I may do the will of Him that sent me, and finish His work.
35 [At this time of the year] you are saying (OR, your ancestors used to say), ‘There are four months left before we harvest [the crops].’ But I say to you, look carefully [at the non-Jewish people around here. God says, ‘They are ready to accept my message] [MET], [like crops in] fields that are ready for people to harvest.
Do you not say, That it is yet four months, and the harvest cometh? Behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes and see the fields, because they are white unto the harvest
36 [If you help them to accept my message], I will reward you [MET], [as an owner of a field] pays those who harvest the crops. Because of your work, people will gain eternal life.’ [I have been telling people God’s message. That is like] [MET] a man who plants seeds. [You will help people to accept my message. That will be like] [MET] harvesting crops. [When that happens], both you and I will rejoice. (aiōnios g166)
already. He that reapeth receiveth reward, and gathereth fruit unto eternal life; in order that both the sower and the reaper may rejoice together. (aiōnios g166)
37 As a result, this saying will become true: One person plants [seeds], but others harvest [the crops].
For in this the word is true, that there is one sowing, and another reaping.
38 I am sending you [to enable people to accept my message, but you will not be the first ones who tell them God’s message]. Others [previously] worked hard [to tell people God’s message], and now you will be harvesting the results of their work.”
I have sent you to reap that upon which you have never labored: others have labored, and you have entered into their labor.
39 Many of the Samaria [district] people who [lived] in that town believed that Jesus [was the Messiah] because they heard what that woman said [about Jesus], “That man [was able to] tell me all about my past life [HYP]!”
But many of the Samaritans from that city believed on Him through the word of the woman, testifying that, He told me all things which I did. Then when the Samaritans came to Him they asked Him to abide with them:
40 So when those people of Samaria came to Jesus, they urged him to stay with them. So we stayed there two days.
and He remained there two days:
41 Many more of those people believed ([in Jesus/that he was the Messiah]) because of what he said.
and many more believed on Him through His word;
42 They told the woman, “We believe in Jesus [now], but not [just] because of what you told us. Now we have heard him ourselves. And now we know that this man truly is the one who [can] save [people] [MTY] [from the guilt of their sins].”
and they continued to say to the woman, We no longer believe through your talk; for we have heard and we know that He is truly the Savior of the world.
43 Jesus had said [previously] that people did not honor prophets [like himself when they tried to teach people] in their own home area. So, two days later, Jesus and [we] disciples left that area and went to [his own area in] Galilee [district, because he knew that people there would not think very highly of him, and as a result the Jewish leaders would not be jealous].
And after two days He departed thence into Galilee.
And Jesus Himself witnessed, that a prophet has no honor in his own country.
45 However, when we arrived in Galilee [district, many] of the people there welcomed him, because they had been in Jerusalem during the [Passover] celebration and had seen all the things he did there.
And when He came into Galilee, Galileans received Him, having seen all things which He did in Jerusalem at the feast: for they also came to the feast.
46 Jesus went again to Cana in Galilee [district]. That was where he [previously] turned water into wine. There was one of the king’s officials who lived in Capernaum, whose son was very sick.
Then He came again into Cana of Galilee, where He turned the water into wine. And there was a certain royalist, whose son was sick in Capernaum;
47 When that man heard [others say] that Jesus had returned to Galilee [district] from Judea [district], he went to Jesus [in Cana] and pleaded with him, “Please come down [to Capernaum] and heal my son, who is about to die!”
he having heard that Jesus has come out of Judea into Galilee, came away to Him, and continued to ask Him that He may come down and heal his son; for He was about to die.
48 Jesus said to him, “You people will believe my message only if you see me perform [more] miracles!”
Then Jesus said to him, Unless you may see signs and wonders, you can not believe.
49 But the official said to him, “Sir, ([I] believe [in you/I believe that you came from God]). [So please] come down [to my home] before my son dies!”
The nobleman says to Him, Lord, come down before my little child dies.
50 Jesus said to him, “Then you may go [home]. Your son (will live/not die)!” The man believed what Jesus said, and left.
Jesus says to him, Go; thy son liveth. The man believed the word which Jesus spoke to him, and departed.
51 [The next day] while he was on the way home, his servants met him. They told him, “Your child is going to live!”
And he already coming down, the servants met him, and reported, that the child lives.
52 He asked them, “At what time did my son start to become well?” They said to him, “His fever ceased yesterday [afternoon] at one o’clock.”
Then he inquired the hour at which he began to improve; and they said to him, The fever left him at the seventh hour yesterday.
53 Then the boy’s father realized that this was the time Jesus told him, “Your son will (live/not die).” So he and all the people in his house believed [that Jesus was the Messiah].
Then the father knew that it was at that hour at which Jesus said to him, Thy son liveth: and he and all his house believed.
54 That was the second miracle that Jesus performed in Galilee [district], after he had returned from Judea [district].
Jesus, having again come out of Judea into Galilee, wrought this second miracle.
