Jesus and the Woman of Samaria

John 4

1 Now when Jesus learned that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus was making and b baptizing more disciples than John 2 (although Jesus himself did not baptize, but only his disciples), 3 he left Judea and departed c again for Galilee. 4 d And he had to pass through Samaria. 5 So he came to a town of Samaria called Sychar, near the field e that Jacob had given to his son Joseph. 6 Jacob's well was there; so Jesus, f wearied as he was from his journey, was sitting beside the well. It was about the sixth hour. 1

7 A woman from Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, f "Give me a drink." 8 (For his disciples had gone away into the city to buy food.) 9 The Samaritan woman said to him, "How is it that you, a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a woman of Samaria?" ( g For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.) 10 Jesus answered her, "If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, 'Give me a drink,' you would have asked him, and he would have given you h living water." 11 The woman said to him, "Sir, you have nothing to draw water with, and the well is deep. Where do you get that living water? 12 i Are you greater than our father Jacob? j He gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did his sons and his livestock." 13 Jesus said to her, "Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, 14 but k whoever drinks of the water that I will give him l will never be thirsty again. 2 The water that I will give him will become m in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life." 15 The woman said to him, "Sir, n give me this water, so that I will not be thirsty or have to come here to draw water."

16 Jesus said to her, "Go, o call your husband, and come here." 17 The woman answered him, "I have no husband." Jesus said to her, "You are right in saying, 'I have no husband'; 18 for you have had five husbands, and the one you now have is not your husband. What you have said is true." 19 The woman said to him, "Sir, I perceive that p you are q a prophet. 20 r Our fathers worshiped on s this mountain, but you say that t in Jerusalem is u the place where people ought to worship." 21 Jesus said to her, v "Woman, believe me, w the hour is coming when x neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. 22 y You worship what you do not know; z we worship what we know, for z salvation is a from the Jews. 23 But b the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father c in spirit and d truth, for the Father e is seeking such people to worship him. 24 God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth." 25 The woman said to him, "I know that f Messiah is coming (he who is called Christ). When he comes, g he will tell us all things." 26 Jesus said to her, h "I who speak to you am he."

27 Just then i his disciples came back. They marveled that he was talking with a woman, but no one said, "What do you seek?" or, "Why are you talking with her?" 28 So the woman left her water jar and went away into town and said to the people, 29 "Come, see a man j who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ?" 30 They went out of the town and were coming to him.

31 Meanwhile the disciples were urging him, saying, k "Rabbi, eat." 32 But he said to them, "I have food to eat that you do not know about." 33 So the disciples said to one another, l "Has anyone brought him something to eat?" 34 Jesus said to them, m "My food is n to do the will of him who sent me and o to accomplish his work. 35 Do you not say, 'There are yet four months, then comes the harvest'? Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that p the fields are white for harvest. 36 Already the one who reaps is receiving wages and gathering fruit for eternal life, so that q sower and r reaper s may rejoice together. 37 For here the saying holds true, t 'One sows and another reaps.' 38 I sent you to reap u that for which you did not labor. Others have labored, v and you have entered into their labor."

39 Many Samaritans w from that town believed in him x because of y the woman's testimony, "He told me all that I ever did." 40 So when the Samaritans came to him, they asked him to stay with them, and he stayed there two days. 41 And many more believed z because of his word. 42 They said to the woman, "It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, a and we know that this is indeed b the Savior c of the world."

43 After d the two days he departed for Galilee. 44 (For Jesus himself had testified e that a prophet has no honor in his own hometown.) 45 So when he came to Galilee, the Galileans welcomed him, f having seen all that he had done in Jerusalem at the feast. For g they too had gone to the feast.

  1. Cross References
    John 3:22
    After this Jesus and his disciples went into the Judean countryside, and he remained there with them and was baptizing.
    John 3:26
    And they came to John and said to him, "Rabbi, he who was with you across the Jordan, to whom you bore witness - look, he is baptizing, and all are going to him.
  2. Cross References
    John 2:11 - 12
    This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory. And his disciples believed in him.
  3. Cross References
    Luke 13:33
    Nevertheless, I must go on my way today and tomorrow and the day following, for it cannot be that a prophet should perish away from Jerusalem.
  4. Cross References
    John 4:12
    Are you greater than our father Jacob? He gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did his sons and his livestock.
    Genesis 33:19
    And from the sons of Hamor, Shechem's father, he bought for a hundred pieces of money the piece of land on which he had pitched his tent.
    Genesis 48:22
    Moreover, I have given to you rather than to your brothers one mountain slope that I took from the hand of the Amorites with my sword and with my bow.
    Joshua 24:32
    As for the bones of Joseph, which the people of Israel brought up from Egypt, they buried them at Shechem, in the piece of land that Jacob bought from the sons of Hamor the father of Shechem for a hundred pieces of money. It became an inheritance of the descendants of Joseph.
  5. Cross References
    John 19:28
    After this, Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said ( to fulfill the Scripture), "I thirst.
    Matthew 4:2
    And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry.
    Matthew 8:24
    And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by the waves; but he was asleep.
    Matthew 21:18
    In the morning, as he was returning to the city, he became hungry.
  6. Cross References
    John 4:6
    Jacob's well was there; so Jesus, wearied as he was from his journey, was sitting beside the well. It was about the sixth hour.
  7. Cross References
    Luke 9:53
    But the people did not receive him, because his face was set toward Jerusalem.
    John 8:48
    The Jews answered him, "Are we not right in saying that you are a Samaritan and have a demon?
    Ezra 4:3
    But Zerubbabel, Jeshua, and the rest of the heads of fathers' houses in Israel said to them, "You have nothing to do with us in building a house to our God; but we alone will build to the Lord, the God of Israel, as King Cyrus the king of Persia has commanded us.
    Ezra 4:10
    And the rest of the nations whom the great and noble Osnappar deported and settled in the cities of Samaria and in the rest of the province Beyond the River.
    Matthew 10:5
    These twelve Jesus sent out, instructing them, "Go nowhere among the Gentiles and enter no town of the Samaritans.
  8. Cross References
    John 7:38
    Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, 'Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.'
    Jeremiah 2:13
    For my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed out cisterns for themselves, broken cisterns that can hold no water.
    Jeremiah 17:13
    O Lord, the hope of Israel, all who forsake you shall be put to shame; those who turn away from you shall be written in the earth, for they have forsaken the Lord, the fountain of living water.
  9. Cross References
    John 8:53
    Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died? And the prophets died! Who do you make yourself out to be?
  10. Cross References
    John 4:5
    So he came to a town of Samaria called Sychar, near the field that Jacob had given to his son Joseph.
  11. Cross References
    John 6:35
    Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.
    John 6:51
    I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.
    John 6:58
    This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like the bread the fathers ate and died. Whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.
    John 7:37
    On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink.
  12. Cross References
    Isaiah 49:10
    They shall not hunger or thirst, neither scorching wind nor sun shall strike them, for he who has pity on them will lead them, and by springs of water will guide them.
    Revelation 7:16
    They shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any scorching heat.
  13. Cross References
    John 7:38
    Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, 'Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.
  14. Cross References
    John 6:34
    They said to him, "Sir, give us this bread always.
  15. Cross References
    John 16:8
    And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment:
  16. Cross References
    John 9:17
    So they said again to the blind man, "What do you say about him, since he has opened your eyes?" He said, "He is a prophet.
    John 6:14
    When the people saw the sign that he had done, they said, "This is indeed the Prophet who is to come into the world!
  17. Cross References
    Luke 7:16
    Fear seized them all, and they glorified God, saying, "A great prophet has arisen among us!" and "God has visited his people!
    Luke 7:39
    Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, "If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner.
    Matthew 21:11
    And the crowds said, "This is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth of Galilee.
  18. Cross References
    Genesis 12:6 - 7
    Abram passed through the land to the place at S...
    Genesis 33:18
    And Jacob came safely to the city of Shechem, w...
    Genesis 33:20
    There he erected an altar and called it El-Eloh...
    Deuteronomy 11:29
    And when the Lord your God brings you into the ...
    Deuteronomy 27:12
    When you have crossed over the Jordan, these sh...
    Joshua 8:33
    And all Israel, sojourner as well as native bor...
  19. Cross References
    Judges 9:7
    When it was told to Jotham, he went and stood on top of Mount Gerizim and cried aloud and said to them, "Listen to me, you leaders of Shechem, that God may listen to you.
  20. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 12:5
    But you shall seek the place that the Lord your God will choose out of all your tribes to put his name and make his habitation there. There you shall go.
  21. Cross References
    John 11:48
    If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.
  22. Cross References
    John 2:4
    And Jesus said to her, "Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come.
  23. Cross References
    John 4:23
    But the hour is coming, and is now here, when t...
    John 5:25
    Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming, ...
    John 5:28
    Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming wh...
    John 16:2
    They will put you out of the synagogues. Indeed...
    John 16:25
    I have said these things to you in figures of s...
    John 16:32
    Behold, the hour is coming, indeed it has come,...
  24. Cross References
    Zephaniah 2:11
    The Lord will be awesome against them; for he will famish all the gods of the earth, and to him shall bow down, each in its place, all the lands of the nations.
    Malachi 1:11
    For from the rising of the sun to its setting my name will be great among the nations, and in every place incense will be offered to my name, and a pure offering. For my name will be great among the nations, says the Lord of hosts.
    1 Timothy 2:8
    I desire then that in every place the men should pray, lifting holy hands without anger or quarreling.
  25. Cross References
    2 Kings 17:28 - 34
    So one of the priests whom they had carried away from Samaria came and lived in Bethel and taught them how they should fear the Lord.
    Acts 17:23
    For as I passed along and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription, 'To the unknown god.' What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you.
  26. Cross References
    Psalms 147:19 - 20
    He declares his word to Jacob, his statutes and rules to Israel.
    Isaiah 2:3
    And many peoples shall come, and say: "Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob, that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths." For out of Zion shall go the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.
    Romans 3:1 - 2
    Then what advantage has the Jew? Or what is the value of circumcision?
    Romans 9:4 - 5
    They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises.
  27. Cross References
    Psalms 147:19 - 20
    He declares his word to Jacob, his statutes and rules to Israel.
    Isaiah 2:3
    And many peoples shall come, and say: "Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob, that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths." For out of Zion shall go the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.
    Romans 3:1 - 2
    Then what advantage has the Jew? Or what is the value of circumcision?
    Romans 9:4 - 5
    They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises.
  28. Cross References
    Matthew 2:4 - 5
    And assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.
    Acts 13:23
    Of this man's offspring God has brought to Israel a Savior, Jesus, as he promised.
    Romans 11:26
    And in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written, "The Deliverer will come from Zion, he will banish ungodliness from Jacob".
  29. Cross References
    John 4:21
    Jesus said to her, "Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father.
  30. Cross References
    Romans 8:15
    For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, "Abba! Father!
    Ephesians 2:18
    For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father.
    Ephesians 6:18
    Praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints.
    Philippians 3:3
    For we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh -
  31. Cross References
    Psalms 145:18
    The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.
    John 1:17
    For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
  32. Cross References
    John 6:44
    No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day.
  33. Cross References
    John 1:41
    He first found his own brother Simon and said to him, "We have found the Messiah" (which means Christ).
  34. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 18:18
    I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers. And I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him.
    John 4:29
    "Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ?"
  35. Cross References
    John 9:35 - 37
    Jesus heard that they had cast him out, and having found him he said, "Do you believe in the Son of Man?
  36. Cross References
    John 4:8
    (For his disciples had gone away into the city to buy food.)
  37. Cross References
    John 4:17 - 18
    The woman answered him, "I have no husband." Jesus said to her, "You are right in saying, 'I have no husband'.
    John 4:25
    The woman said to him, "I know that Messiah is coming (he who is called Christ). When he comes, he will tell us all things.
  38. Cross References
    John 1:38
    Jesus turned and saw them following and said to them, "What are you seeking?" And they said to him, "Rabbi" (which means Teacher), "where are you staying?
  39. Cross References
    John 4:11
    The woman said to him, "Sir, you have nothing to draw water with, and the well is deep. Where do you get that living water?
    John 4:15
    The woman said to him, "Sir, give me this water, so that I will not be thirsty or have to come here to draw water.
    John 3:4
    Nicodemus said to him, "How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?
    John 6:34
    They said to him, "Sir, give us this bread always.
    John 6:52
    The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?
  40. Cross References
    Job 23:12
    I have not departed from the commandment of his lips; I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my portion of food.
  41. Cross References
    John 5:30
    I can do nothing on my own. As I hear, I judge, and my judgment is just, because I seek not my own will but the will of him who sent me.
    John 6:38
    For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me.
    John 14:31
    But I do as the Father has commanded me, so that the world may know that I love the Father. Rise, let us go from here.
  42. Cross References
    John 5:36
    But the testimony that I have is greater than that of John. For the works that the Father has given me to accomplish, the very works that I am doing, bear witness about me that the Father has sent me.
    John 17:4
    I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do.
  43. Cross References
    Matthew 9:37
    Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few.
    Luke 10:2
    And he said to them, "The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.
    John 4:25
    The woman said to him, "I know that Messiah is coming (he who is called Christ). When he comes, he will tell us all things.
    John 4:30
    They went out of the town and were coming to him.
  44. Cross References
    Matthew 13:37
    He answered, "The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man.
    Mark 4:14
    The sower sows the word.
  45. Cross References
    John 4:38
    I sent you to reap that for which you did not labor. Others have labored, and you have entered into their labor.
  46. Cross References
    Isaiah 9:3
    You have multiplied the nation; you have increased its joy; they rejoice before you as with joy at the harvest, as they are glad when they divide the spoil.
    Amos 9:13
    Behold, the days are coming," declares the Lord, "when the plowman shall overtake the reaper and the treader of grapes him who sows the seed; the mountains shall drip sweet wine, and all the hills shall flow with it.
  47. Cross References
    Job 31:8
    Then let me sow, and another eat, and let what grows for me be rooted out.
  48. Cross References
    Joshua 24:13
    I gave you a land on which you had not labored and cities that you had not built, and you dwell in them. You eat the fruit of vineyards and olive orchards that you did not plant.
  49. Cross References
    Acts 8:5 - 17
    Philip went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed to them the Christ.
    Acts 8:25
    Now when they had testified and spoken the word of the Lord, they returned to Jerusalem, preaching the gospel to many villages of the Samaritans.
  50. Cross References
    John 4:5
    So he came to a town of Samaria called Sychar, near the field that Jacob had given to his son Joseph.
    John 4:8
    (For his disciples had gone away into the city to buy food.)
  51. Cross References
    John 17:20
    I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word.
  52. Cross References
    John 4:29
    "Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ?"
  53. Cross References
    John 8:30
    As he was saying these things, many believed in him.
  54. Cross References
    1 John 5:20
    And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.
  55. Cross References
    1 John 4:14
    And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world.
    John 3:17
    For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.
    John 12:47
    If anyone hears my words and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world.
    1 Timothy 4:10
    For to this end we toil and strive, because we have our hope set on the living God, who is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe.
  56. Cross References
    John 1:29
    The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!
  57. Cross References
    John 4:40
    So when the Samaritans came to him, they asked him to stay with them, and he stayed there two days.
  58. Cross References
    Matthew 13:57
    And they took offense at him. But Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown and in his own household.
  59. Cross References
    John 2:23
    Now when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many believed in his name when they saw the signs that he was doing.
    John 3:2
    This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, "Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.
  60. Cross References
    John 4:20
    Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you say that in Jerusalem is the place where people ought to worship.
English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.
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