John 4

1 When Jesus [the Lord, God’s salvation] realized [understood, became aware] that the Pharisees [a Jewish sect, strict religious leaders] were aware [knew, had heard] He was gaining [making, acquiring] and baptizing [immersed in water, spiritually cleansing] more disciples [followers, learners] than John [the Baptist, a prophet] word study 2 (although [and yet, conceding the point] it was not Jesus [Joshua, God is salvation] who baptized [immersed in water, fully wet or submerged], but [in contrast, on the other hand] His disciples [learners, pupils, followers]), word study 3 He left [departed, went away] Judea [the southern region of Palestine] and returned [went back, departed again] to Galilee [the northern region of ministry]. word study 4 Now He had to [be necessary, must needs] pass through [traverse, go from one side to the other] Samaria [the region, a city in Palestine]. word study 5 So He came [therefore, as a consequence] to a town [city, a walled community] of Samaria [a region in Palestine] called Sychar [a significant place in ancient Palestine], near [close to, neighboring] the plot of ground [a parcel of land, a field] that Jacob [the progenitor of the Israelites] had given [bestowed, granted] to his son [child, offspring] Joseph [an important figure in Israel’s history]. word study 6 Since Jacob’s [progenitor of the Israelites] well was there, Jesus [God is salvation], weary [tired, exhausted] from His journey [travel, voyage], sat down [rested, seated Himself] by the well [spring, fountain]. It was about [around, approximately] the sixth hour [time, period]. word study 7 When a Samaritan [from the region of Samaria] woman [a female, either married or unmarried] came [approached, drew near] to draw [scoop up, fetch] water [literal or spiritual refreshment], Jesus [God’s salvation] said [spoke, uttered] to her, “Give [bestow, grant] Me [to Me, personally] a drink [something to quench thirst, satisfy].” word study 8 (His disciples [learners, followers] had gone into [toward, to] the town [city] to buy [purchase, acquire] food [nourishment, sustenance].) word study 9 “You are a Jew [from the tribe of Judah],” said the woman. “How [in what way, by what means] can You ask for a drink [to swallow, to receive] from me, a Samaritan [from the region of Samaria] woman [a female, a wife]?” (For Jews [people of Jewish descent] do not associate [have dealings, interact] with Samaritans [inhabitants of Samaria].) word study 10 Jesus [the Son of God, the Messiah] answered, “If you knew [had spiritual understanding of] the gift [free and gracious bestowal] of God [the supreme Creator, Elohim] and who [what person, with what authority] is asking [requesting, begging] you for a drink [a literal or spiritual refreshment], you would have asked [petitioned, requested] Him, and He would have given [bestowed, granted] you living [life-giving, spiritual] water [the water of life].” word study 11 “Sir [lord, master],” the woman [a female, either married or unmarried] replied, “You have nothing [no vessel, bucket] to draw with and the well [a deep hole in the ground, abyss] is deep [extending far down]. Where then [from what source, whence] will You get this living [life-giving, spiritual] water? word study 12 Are You [greater in power and wisdom] greater than our father [progenitor, patriarch] Jacob, who gave [bestowed, provided] us this well [spring, fountain] and drank [partook, imbibed] from it himself, as did his sons [children, descendants] and his livestock [cattle, animals]?” word study 13 Jesus [the Son of God, the Savior] said to her, “Everyone [all people, every person] who drinks [swallows, takes in] this water [physical and spiritual refreshment] will be thirsty [have a strong desire, crave] again [once more, at a later time]. word study 14 But whoever drinks [takes in, swallows] the water [spiritual refreshment, eternal life] I give him [bestow upon, grant to] will never thirst [experience spiritual dryness, lack]. Indeed, the water [living water, fountain of life] I give him [provide, impart] will become in him [within his inner being, spirit] a fount [spring, source] of water [eternal life, spiritual nourishment] springing up [flowing, bubbling] to eternal [age-lasting, forever] life [spiritual existence, union with God].” word study 15 The woman [a female, either married or unmarried] said to Him, “Sir [lord, master, a term of respect], give me this water [literal or figurative] so that I will not get thirsty [experience a strong desire, a physical or spiritual longing] and have to keep coming [to come or go, to move towards a destination] here to draw [to scoop up, to fetch] water [a source of spiritual nourishment].” word study 16 Jesus [the Messiah, God’s salvation] told her, “Go [depart, leave this place], call [summon, address by name] your [belonging to you] husband [man, spouse] and come [return, go back] back [to this place, hither].” word study 17 “I have [do not possess, am without] no husband,” the woman [a female, either married or unmarried] replied. Jesus [God is salvation] said to her, “You are correct [have spoken rightly] to say that you have [possess] no husband [a male spouse]. word study 18 In fact, you have had five [five successive] husbands, and the man [your current partner] you now have is not [legally or spiritually] your husband. You have spoken [truly, with honesty] truthfully [from the heart, with sincerity].” word study 19 “Sir [lord, master],” the woman [a female, either married or unmarried] said, “I see [perceive, discern, experience] that You [as a person of authority] are [exist, have your being as] a prophet [one who speaks forth God’s will, an interpreter of divine truth]. word study 20 Our fathers [ancestors, forefathers] worshiped [showed reverence, bowed down] on this mountain [Gerizim Mountain, a high elevation], but you Jews [Jewish people, Israelites] say [declare, claim] that the place [location, spot] where one must worship [give reverence, honor] is in Jerusalem [the capital of Palestine, the holy city].” word study 21 “Believe Me [have faith in Me, trust Me], woman [a female, a wife],” Jesus [Joshua, God is salvation] replied, “a time [an hour, a specific point] is coming [approaching, will arrive] when you will worship [show respect, honor, bow down] the Father [the male parent, the Creator] neither [not one or the other] on this mountain [a high elevation, a specific location] nor [not] in Jerusalem [the capital of Palestine, the holy city]. word study 22 You worship [without knowledge or understanding] what you do not know [are unaware of]; we worship [with reverence and devotion] what we do know [are acquainted with], for salvation [rescue from sin, spiritual deliverance] is from the Jews [the people of Judah, God’s chosen nation]. word study 23 But a time [hour, specific moment] is coming and has now come when the true [genuine, authentic] worshipers will worship the Father [God, the Almighty] in spirit [the vital principle, divine breath] and in truth [reality, sincerity], for the Father is seeking such as these [people of this kind, those who worship in spirit and truth] to worship Him. word study 24 God [the one true deity, divine Spirit] is Spirit [the vital principle or mental disposition], and His worshipers [those who show respect and honor] must worship Him [with reverence and adoration] in spirit [with the heart and mind] and in truth [the reality of a matter, sincerity].” word study 25 The woman [a female, either married or unmarried] said, “I know [perceive, have spiritual awareness] that Messiah [the anointed one, Christ]” (called Christ) “is coming [will arrive, is on the way]. When He comes [arrives, is present], He will explain [declare, make clear] everything [all things, the whole truth] to us [to me, to those who seek].” word study 26 Jesus [the Messiah, God’s salvation] answered, “I [the first person singular pronoun, emphasizing Jesus’ identity] who speak [to utter words, to communicate] to you [directly addressing her] am [to exist, to be] He [the pronoun used for emphasis, referring to Jesus Himself].” word study 27 Just then [at that moment, upon this] His disciples [followers, learners] returned and were surprised [marveled, wondered] that He was speaking [talking, conversing] with a woman [a female, a lady]. But no one [nobody, none] asked Him, “What do You want [seek, desire] from her?” or [alternatively] “Why are You talking [speaking, conversing] with her [this woman]?” word study 28 Then the woman [a female, either married or unmarried] left her water jar [water-pot, a container for liquids], went back [away, departed] into the town [city, a populated area], and said [spoke, shared her thoughts] to the people [humans, men and women], word study 29 “Come [approach, draw near], see a man [human, person] who told me [revealed to me, spoke to me] everything [all things, every detail] I ever did [have done, my entire life]. Could [is it possible, might] this [he, the one] be the Christ [Messiah, Anointed One]?” word study 30 So they left [went out of, departed from] the town [city, populated area] and made their way [came, were coming] toward [to, with] Jesus [Him, the Messiah]. word study 31 Meanwhile [in the mean time, between events] the disciples [learners, followers] urged Him, “Rabbi [my Master, Teacher], eat [take food, be nourished] something [some food, a meal].” word study 32 But He [Jesus, the Messiah] told them, “I [the Son of God] have food [spiritual nourishment, meat to eat] to eat [to devour, to consume] that you [disciples, followers] know [are aware, perceive] nothing [not at all, no knowledge] about [concerning, regarding].” word study 33 So the disciples [learners, pupils] asked one another [to each other, mutually], “Could [is it possible that] someone [a person, anyone] have brought Him [to Him, for His benefit] food [something to eat, sustenance]?” word study 34 Jesus explained, “My [spiritual] food is to do [fulfill, accomplish] the will [desire, intention] of Him [the Father] who sent [appointed, commissioned] Me and to finish [complete, perfect] His [divine] work [task, mission]. word study 35 Do you not say, ‘There are still [yet, a period of] four months [a season of waiting] until the harvest’? I tell you, lift up your eyes [to see with spiritual vision] and look at the fields [the regions], for they are [already] ripe [white, indicating readiness] for harvest [the act of gathering in]. word study 36 Already the reaper [harvester, gatherer] draws his wages [payment, reward] and gathers a crop [fruit, harvest] for eternal [lasting forever, age-during] life, so that the sower [planter, seed scatterer] and the reaper [harvester, gatherer] may rejoice [be glad, celebrate] together. word study 37 For [as a reason, explaining why] in this case [situation, circumstance] the saying [proverb, wise statement] ‘One [a person, an individual] sows [plants seeds, cultivates] and [at the same time, simultaneously] another [a different person, someone else] reaps’ is [exists as, is characterized by being] true [authentic, genuine, trustworthy]. word study 38 I [the sender, Jesus] sent you to reap [harvest, gather in] what you have not worked for [labored, toiled]; others [different ones, predecessors] have done the hard work [labored, toiled], and now you have taken up [entered into, benefited from] their labor [effort, toil].” word study 39 Many [a large number, much] of the Samaritans [people from the region of Samaria] from that town [city, community] believed [to trust, have faith] in Jesus [the Messiah, Savior] because of [through, due to] the woman’s [female, wife] testimony [witness, statement], “He told [revealed, disclosed] me [to me, personally] everything [all things, every detail] I ever [all my life, from the beginning] did [committed, performed].” word study 40 So when [at the time, as] the Samaritans [inhabitants of Samaria, a mixed-ancestry people] came [approached, drew near] to Him, they asked [requested, besought] Him to stay [remain, abide] with them [in their presence, beside them], and He stayed [remained, abode] two [a pair, dual] days [periods of 24 hours, daylight]. word study 41 And [also, in addition] many more [a great number, much] believed [to trust in, have faith] because of [through, on account of] His [the Messiah’s, Jesus’] message [word, logos, divine expression]. word study 42 They said to the woman [a female, either married or unmarried], “We now believe [to trust, have faith] not only because of your words [speech, talk]; we have heard [listened, understood] for ourselves, and we know [perceive, see] that this man [Jesus, the Messiah] truly [surely, certainly] is the Savior [deliverer, rescuer] of the world [the earth, its inhabitants].” word study 43 After [following, subsequent to] two days [a pair of days, a short period], Jesus [the Messiah, the Savior] left [departed, went out] for [toward, into] Galilee [the region, the district]. word study 44 Now He [Jesus, the Messiah] Himself had testified [given witness, borne testimony] that a prophet [one who speaks for God, a messenger of divine truth] has no honor [respect, esteem, or recognition] in his own [private, personal] hometown [fatherland, native country]. word study 45 Yet when [at the specific point in time] He arrived [came into the presence of], the Galileans [people from Jesus’ home region] welcomed [received with open hearts] Him. They had seen [perceived, experienced] all [every single one] the great [remarkable, extraordinary] things [miracles, signs] He had done [accomplished, performed] in [within the city of] Jerusalem [the capital of Palestine] at [during the time of] the feast [festival, celebration], for [because, as a result] they had gone [traveled, attended] there [to the feast] as well [also, in addition]. word study 46 So once again [for a second time, anew] He came [returned, arrived] to Cana [a town in Galilee] in Galilee [a region in Palestine], where [in the place] He had turned [changed, transformed] the water [literal or figurative] into wine [a drink]. And there was [existed, lived] a royal [belonging to a king, noble] official [a person of high rank, a servant of the king] whose [belonging to him, his own] son [a child, a descendant] lay sick [weak, ill, afflicted] at Capernaum [a town in Palestine, a place of ministry]. word study 47 When he heard [having understood and obeyed] that Jesus [the Greek name for Joshua, meaning God is salvation] had come [arrived, was present] from Judea [a region in southern Palestine] to Galilee [a region in Palestine where Jesus ministered], he went [departed, went away] and begged [requested, asked] Him to come down [to descend, to go down] and heal [to cure, to make whole] his son [a child, an offspring], who was about [on the point of, near to] to die [to stop living, to pass away]. word study 48 Jesus [the Son of God, the Savior] said to him, “Unless [if not, except] you people see [perceive, behold] signs [miraculous tokens, wonders] and wonders [supernatural events, marvels], you will never [under no circumstances] believe [trust, have faith].” word study 49 “Sir [lord, master],” the official [royal, nobleman] said, “come down [go down, descend] before [sooner, prior to] my child [young one, boy] dies [passes away, stops living].” word study 50 “Go [on your way, depart],” said Jesus [the Greek name for Joshua, meaning God is salvation]. “Your [belonging to you] son [a child, a descendant] will live [have life, be alive].” The man [a human being] took Jesus at His word [the message, the teaching] and departed [went his way, traveled on]. word study 51 And while he was still on the way [going down, descending], his servants [slaves, attendants] met him with the news [reported, announced] that his boy [child, son] was alive [living, recovering]. word study 52 So he inquired [asked questions to get information] as to the hour [a specific time, a moment of significance] when his son had recovered [become better, been healed], and they told him, “The fever [a high temperature, a medical condition of inflammation] left him yesterday [the day before today] at the seventh hour [one o’clock in the afternoon, a specific moment of deliverance]. ” word study 53 Then the father [the boy’s parent, head of the household] realized [knew, understood, became aware] that this was the very hour [exact moment, precise time] in which Jesus [the Messiah, God’s Son] had told him, “Your son [child, boy] will live [be healed, recover, have life].” And he [the father, head of the household] and all [every single one, the entire] his household [family, those under his care] believed [trusted, had faith, were convinced]. word study 54 This [specific, notable event] was now the second sign [supernatural indication] that Jesus [God’s salvation] performed [brought about, accomplished] after coming [having arrived] from Judea [southern Palestine] into [toward] Galilee [region of ministry]. word study