John 4:21

THE MESSAGE

"Believe me, woman, the time is coming when you Samaritans will worship the Father neither here at this mountain nor there in Jerusalem. You worship guessing in the dark; we Jews worship in the clear light of day. God's way of salvation is made available through the Jews. But the time is coming—it has, in fact, come—when what you're called will not matter and where you go to worship will not matter. "It's who you are and the way you live that count before God. Your worship must engage your spirit in the pursuit of truth. That's the kind of people the Father is out looking for: those who are simply and honestly themselves before him in their worship. God is sheer being itself—Spirit. Those who worship him must do it out of their very being, their spirits, their true selves, in adoration." The woman said, "I don't know about that. I do know that the Messiah is coming. When he arrives, we'll get the whole story." "I am he," said Jesus. "You don't have to wait any longer or look any further." Just then his disciples came back. They were shocked. They couldn't believe he was talking with that kind of a woman. No one said what they were all thinking, but their faces showed it. The woman took the hint and left. In her confusion she left her water pot. Back in the village she told the people, "Come see a man who knew all about the things I did, who knows me inside and out. Do you think this could be the Messiah?" And they went out to see for themselves. In the meantime, the disciples pressed him, "Rabbi, eat. Aren't you going to eat?" He told them, "I have food to eat you know nothing about." The disciples were puzzled. "Who could have brought him food?" Jesus said, "The food that keeps me going is that I do the will of the One who sent me, finishing the work he started. As you look around right now, wouldn't you say that in about four months it will be time to harvest? Well, I'm telling you to open your eyes and take a good look at what's right in front of you. These Samaritan fields are ripe. It's harvest time! "The Harvester isn't waiting. He's taking his pay, gathering in this grain that's ripe for eternal life. Now the Sower is arm in arm with the Harvester, triumphant. That's the truth of the saying, ‘This one sows, that one harvests.' I sent you to harvest a field you never worked. Without lifting a finger, you have walked in on a field worked long and hard by others." Many of the Samaritans from that village committed themselves to him because of the woman's witness: "He knew all about the things I did. He knows me inside and out!" They asked him to stay on, so Jesus stayed two days. A lot more people entrusted their lives to him when they heard what he had to say. They said to the woman, "We're no longer taking this on your say-so. We've heard it for ourselves and know it for sure. He's the Savior of the world!" After the two days he left for Galilee. Now, Jesus knew well from experience that a prophet is not respected in the place where he grew up. So when he arrived in Galilee, the Galileans welcomed him, but only because they were impressed with what he had done in Jerusalem during the Passover Feast, not that they really had a clue about who he was or what he was up to. Now he was back in Cana of Galilee, the place where he made the water into wine. Meanwhile in Capernaum, there was a certain official from the king's court whose son was sick. When he heard that Jesus had come from Judea to Galilee, he went and asked that he come down and heal his son, who was on the brink of death. Jesus put him off: "Unless you people are dazzled by a miracle, you refuse to believe." But the court official wouldn't be put off. "Come down! It's life or death for my son." Jesus simply replied, "Go home. Your son lives." The man believed the bare word Jesus spoke and headed home. On his way back, his servants intercepted him and announced, "Your son lives!" He asked them what time he began to get better. They said, "The fever broke yesterday afternoon at one o'clock." The father knew that that was the very moment Jesus had said, "Your son lives." That clinched it. Not only he but his entire household believed. This was now the second sign Jesus gave after having come from Judea into Galilee.

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Jesus told her, “Believe me, woman, an hour is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem.

King James Version (1611)
Iesus saith vnto her, Woman, beleeue me, the houre commeth when ye shall neither in this mountaine, nor yet at Hierusalem, worship the Father.

King James Version
Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father.

English Standard Version
Jesus said to her, "Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father.

New American Standard Bible
Jesus said to her, "Believe Me, woman, that a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem.

New Century Version
Jesus said, "Believe me, woman. The time is coming when neither in Jerusalem nor on this mountain will you actually worship the Father.

Amplified Bible
Jesus replied, "Woman, believe Me, a time is coming [when God's kingdom comes] when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
Jesus said to her, "Woman, believe Me, an hour is coming when neither in this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father.

Legacy Standard Bible
Jesus *said to her, "Woman, believe Me, an hour is coming when neither in this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father.

Berean Standard Bible
"Believe Me, woman," Jesus replied, "a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem.

Contemporary English Version
Jesus said to her: Believe me, the time is coming when you won't worship the Father either on this mountain or in Jerusalem.

Complete Jewish Bible
Yeshua said, "Lady, believe me, the time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Yerushalayim.

Darby Translation
Jesus says to her, Woman, believe me, [the] hour is coming when ye shall neither in this mountain nor in Jerusalem worship the Father.

Easy-to-Read Version
Jesus said, "Believe me, woman! The time is coming when you will not have to be in Jerusalem or on this mountain to worship the Father.

Geneva Bible (1587)
Iesus saide vnto her, Woman, beleeue me, the houre commeth, when ye shall neither in this mountaine, nor at Hierusalem worship ye Father.

George Lamsa Translation
Jesus said to her, Woman, believe me, the time is coming, when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem they will worship the Father.

Good News Translation
Jesus said to her, "Believe me, woman, the time will come when people will not worship the Father either on this mountain or in Jerusalem.

Lexham English Bible
Jesus said to her, "Believe me, woman, that an hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father.

Literal Translation
Jesus said to her, Woman, believe Me that an hour is coming when you will worship the Father neither in this mountain nor in Jerusalem.

American Standard Version
Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when neither in this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, shall ye worship the Father.

Bible in Basic English
Jesus said to her, Woman, take my word for this; the time is coming when you will not give worship to the Father on this mountain or in Jerusalem.

Hebrew Names Version
Yeshua said to her, "Woman, believe me, the hour comes, when neither in this mountain, nor in Yerushalayim, will you worship the Father.

International Standard Version
Jesus said to her, "Believe me, woman, the hour is coming when you Samaritansyou (pl.)">[fn] will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem.Malachi 1:11; 1 Timothy 2:8;">[xr]

Etheridge Translation
Jeshu saith to her, Woman, believe me that the hour cometh when neither in this mountain, nor at Urishlem, you shall worship the Father:

Murdock Translation
Jesus said to her: Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when neither in this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, ye will worship the Father.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Iesus sayth vnto her: woman beleue me, the houre commeth, when ye shall neither in this mountayne, nor yet at Hierusalem, worshippe the father.

English Revised Version
Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when neither in this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, shall ye worship the Father.

World English Bible
Jesus said to her, "Woman, believe me, the hour comes, when neither in this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, will you worship the Father.

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
Jesus saith to her, Woman, Believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor at Jerusalem, worship the Father.

Weymouth's New Testament
"Believe me," said Jesus, "the time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Jhesus seith to hir, Womman, bileue thou to me, for the our schal come, whanne nether in this hil, nethir in Jerusalem, ye schulen worschipe the fadir.

Update Bible Version
Jesus says to her, Woman, believe me, the hour comes, when neither in this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, shall you worship the Father.

Webster's Bible Translation
Jesus saith to her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father.

New English Translation
Jesus said to her, "Believe me, woman, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem.

New King James Version
Jesus said to her, "Woman, believe Me, the hour is coming when you will neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, worship the Father.

New Living Translation
Jesus replied, "Believe me, dear woman, the time is coming when it will no longer matter whether you worship the Father on this mountain or in Jerusalem.

New Life Bible
Jesus said to her, "Woman, believe Me. The time is coming when you will not worship the Father on this mountain or in Jerusalem.

New Revised Standard
Jesus said to her, "Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Jesus saith unto her - Believe me, woman! There cometh an hour, when, neither in this mountain, nor yet in Jerusalem, shall ye worship the Father.

Douay-Rheims Bible
Jesus saith to her: Woman, believe me that the hour cometh, when you shall neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, adore the Father.

Revised Standard Version
Jesus said to her, "Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father.

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
Iesus sayde vnto her: woman beleve me the houre cometh when ye shall nether in this moutayne nor yet at Ierusalem worshippe the father.

Young's Literal Translation
Jesus saith to her, `Woman, believe me, that there doth come an hour, when neither in this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, shall ye worship the Father;

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Iesus sayde vnto her: Woman, beleue me, the tyme commeth, that ye shal nether vpon this mountayne ner at Ierusalem worshippe the father.

Mace New Testament (1729)
Jesus said to her, woman, believe me, the time is coming when it shall be neither on this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem that ye shall worship the father.

Simplified Cowboy Version
"Believe me, ma'am," Jesus replied, "the time is fast approaching when it won't matter where you worship God.

Contextual Overview

⁴To get there, he had to pass through Samaria. He came into Sychar, a Samaritan village that bordered the field Jacob had given his son Joseph. Jacob's well was still there. Jesus, worn out by the trip, sat down at the well. It was noon. ⁷A woman, a Samaritan, came to draw water. Jesus said, "Would you give me a drink of water?" (His disciples had gone to the village to buy food for lunch.) ⁹ The Samaritan woman, taken aback, asked, "How come you, a Jew, are asking me, a Samaritan woman, for a drink?" (Jews in those days wouldn't be caught dead talking to Samaritans.) ¹⁰ Jesus answered, "If you knew the generosity of God and who I am, you would be asking me for a drink, and I would give you fresh, living water." ¹¹The woman said, "Sir, you don't even have a bucket to draw with, and this well is deep. So how are you going to get this ‘living water'? Are you a better man than our ancestor Jacob, who dug this well and drank from it, he and his sons and livestock, and passed it down to us?" ¹³Jesus said, "Everyone who drinks this water will get thirsty again and again. Anyone who drinks the water I give will never thirst—not ever. The water I give will be an artesian spring within, gushing fountains of endless life." ¹⁵ The woman said, "Sir, give me this water so I won't ever get thirsty, won't ever have to come back to this well again!" ¹⁶ He said, "Go call your husband and then come back." ¹⁷"I have no husband," she said. "That's nicely put: ‘I have no husband.' You've had five husbands, and the man you're living with now isn't even your husband. You spoke the truth there, sure enough." ¹⁹"Oh, so you're a prophet! Well, tell me this: Our ancestors worshiped God at this mountain, but you Jews insist that Jerusalem is the only place for worship, right?"

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

saith: Ezekiel 14:3, Ezekiel 20:3

when: Malachi 1:11, Matthew 18:20, Luke 21:5, Luke 21:6, Luke 21:24, Acts 6:14, 1 Timothy 2:8

worship: John 4:23, John 14:6, Matthew 28:19, Ephesians 2:18, Ephesians 3:14, 1 Peter 1:17

Reciprocal: 1 Kings 8:13 - a settled 2 Chronicles 6:2 - I have built Psalms 45:11 - worship Isaiah 19:21 - and shall Isaiah 27:13 - and shall Isaiah 56:7 - for mine Isaiah 66:1 - where is the house Zephaniah 2:11 - and men Matthew 11:3 - Art Luke 17:16 - and he John 16:32 - the hour Acts 7:49 - what house

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Jesus saith unto her, woman, believe me,.... In what I am now going to say, since you own me to be a prophet:

the hour cometh; the time is at hand; it is very near; it is just coming:

when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem,

worship the Father; that is, God, whom the Jews, and so the Samaritans, knew under the character of the Father of all men, as the Creator and preserver of them; for not God as the Father of Christ, or of the saints by adopting grace, is here intended, which this ignorant woman at least had no knowledge of: and the reason of our Lord's speaking after this manner, signifying, that she need not trouble herself about the place of worship, was, partly, because in a little time Jerusalem, and the temple in it, would be destroyed, and not one stone left upon another; and that Samaria, and this mountain of Gerizim, with whatsoever edifice might be upon it, would be laid desolate, so that neither of them would continue long to be places of religious worship; and partly, because all distinction of places in religion would entirely cease; and one place would be as lawful, and as proper to worship in, as another; and men should lift up holy hands, and pray, and offer up spiritual sacrifices in every place, even from the rising of the sun, to the going down of the same, Malachi 1:11.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Believe me - As she had professed to believe that he was a prophet, it was right to require her to put faith in what he was about to utter. It also shows the importance of what he was about to say.

The hour cometh - The time is coming, or is near.

When neither in this mountain ... - Hitherto the public solemn worship of God has been confined to one place. It has been a matter of dispute whether that place should be Jerusalem or Mount Gerizim. That controversy is to be of much less importance than you have supposed. The old dispensation is about to pass away. The special rites of the Jews are to cease. The worship of God, so long confined to a single place, is soon to be celebrated everywhere, and with as much acceptance in one place as in another. He does not say that there would be no worship of God in that place or in Jerusalem, but that the worship of God would not be “confined” there. He would be worshipped in other places as well as there.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse John 4:21. The hour cometh, &c.] The time was now at hand in which the spiritual worship of God was about to be established in the earth, and all the Jewish rites and ceremonies entirely abolished.

Worship the Father. — This epithet shows the mild, benignant, and tender nature of the Gospel dispensation. Men are called to worship their heavenly Father, and to consider themselves as his children. In reference to this, our Lord's prayer begins, Our FATHER, who art in heaven, &c. See John 4:23.