John Chapter 4:1-54 King James Bible KJV
Jesus and the Samaritan Woman, Jesus Heals a Royal Officials Son, The Offer of Living Water, Jesus Reveals Himself as the Messiah
John Chapter 4:1-54 King James Bible KJV. John Chapter 4 illustrates the inclusiveness of Jesus’ mission, the offer of eternal life through faith in Him, and the transformative power of spiritual rebirth and worship. This powerful chapter highlights Jesus’ message of salvation extending beyond the Jewish people to include all nations.
It presents themes of living water, true worship, and universal salvation, focusing on Jesus’ interaction with a Samaritan woman and His healing of a royal official’s son. The chapter illustrates Jesus’ compassion and mission to break social and cultural barriers, offering spiritual transformation to all.
- Universal Salvation: Jesus’ conversation with the Samaritan woman reveals that His message and salvation are for all people, regardless of ethnic, social, or religious barriers. The Samaritans, who were considered outsiders by the Jews, are among the first to recognize Jesus as the Savior of the world.
- Spiritual Fulfillment in Jesus: The “living water” that Jesus offers represents the eternal life and spiritual satisfaction that only He can provide. This living water comes through the Holy Spirit and leads to eternal life, contrasting with the temporary satisfaction of physical needs.
- True Worship: Jesus teaches that true worship is about the heart and spirit, not external religious practices. God seeks worshipers who approach Him with sincerity and truth, transcending cultural and geographic boundaries.
- Faith and Healing: The healing of the royal official’s son emphasizes the importance of faith in Jesus, even when the results are not immediately visible. Jesus’ power extends beyond physical limitations, and His word alone brings life and healing.
John Chapter 4:1-54 King James Bible KJV
—————-
Jesus and the Samaritan Woman – verses 1-42
This section recounts Jesus’ encounter with a Samaritan woman at Jacob’s well. The dialogue between Jesus and the woman is rich with theological meaning and emphasizes Jesus’ offer of spiritual life.
- The Setting and Cultural Context (1-9)
Jesus travels through Samaria on His way from Judea to Galilee, stopping at a well near the town of Sychar. At this time, Jews and Samaritans had a long-standing hostility, and Jews typically avoided Samaria. Additionally, men rarely spoke publicly to women who were not their relatives.
Jesus breaks two major social norms by speaking with a Samaritan and with a woman. This demonstrates Jesus’ mission to reach out to all people, regardless of gender, ethnicity, or social status. - The Offer of Living Water (10-14)
Jesus asks the woman for a drink, and when she questions His request, He responds by offering her “living water.” The woman misunderstands, thinking He is referring to physical water. Jesus clarifies that the “living water” is spiritual and leads to eternal life. Living Water symbolizes the Holy Spirit, which refreshes and gives eternal life. Jesus offers this gift to all who believe, showing that true spiritual fulfillment comes only through Him. - Revelation of the Woman’s Life (15-19)
As the conversation deepens, Jesus reveals His supernatural knowledge of the woman’s personal life, telling her that she has had five husbands and is currently with a man who is not her husband. This revelation shows Jesus’ divine insight into human hearts and lives. Despite her sinful past, Jesus does not condemn her but instead offers her the hope of spiritual transformation. - True Worship (20-24)
The woman changes the subject by asking about the proper place to worship: Mount Gerizim (the Samaritan holy site) or Jerusalem (the Jewish holy site). Jesus responds that true worship is not about a specific location but about worshipping God “in spirit and truth.” True worship is not confined to outward rituals or places but is a matter of the heart and relationship with God. Jesus emphasizes that God seeks worshipers who are sincere, spiritually attuned, and faithful. - Jesus Reveals Himself as the Messiah (25-26)
The woman mentions the coming of the Messiah, and Jesus responds directly, saying, “I, the one speaking to you—I am He.” This is one of the rare instances in the Gospels where Jesus openly declares His identity as the Messiah. - The Woman Becomes a Witness (27-30, 39-42)
After her encounter with Jesus, the Samaritan woman leaves her water jar and goes to tell the people in her town about Him. Her testimony leads many Samaritans to come to Jesus and believe in Him. This story highlights the transformative power of encountering Jesus. The woman, initially an outcast, becomes a powerful witness to her community. Many Samaritans come to faith because of her testimony and their own encounter with Jesus.
The key themes highlighted there are:
Breaking Barriers: Jesus breaks down cultural, gender, and ethnic barriers, showing that His message of salvation is for all people, including those marginalized or rejected by society.
Living Water: Jesus offers eternal spiritual life through the Holy Spirit, symbolized by living water. This is a gift that satisfies the deepest human needs.
True Worship: Worship is not about external rituals or places but about a relationship with God that is rooted in the heart, sincerity, and truth.
Witnessing and Evangelism: The Samaritan woman becomes an evangelist, showing that anyone, no matter their past, can testify to the life-changing power of Jesus.
Jesus Heals a Royal Official’s Son – verses 43-54
A royal official (likely a Gentile) from Capernaum comes to Jesus, begging Him to heal his son who is on the verge of death. Jesus initially challenges the man’s faith by saying that people only believe when they see signs and wonders. However, the official persists, and Jesus tells him that his son will live.
The man believes Jesus’ word and returns home, finding that his son recovered at the exact moment Jesus spoke. This miracle leads to the faith of the entire household.
The key themes highlighted there are:
- Faith and Healing: The official’s faith in Jesus, even without seeing the immediate result, is rewarded. This highlights the importance of faith in Jesus’ power and word, even when there is no visible proof at the moment.
- Jesus’ Authority Over Distance: Jesus heals the boy without being physically present, demonstrating His divine authority and power over space and time.
John Chapter 4:1-54 King James Bible KJV
1 When therefore the Lord knew how the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John,
2 (Though Jesus himself baptized not, but his disciples,)
3 He left Judæa, and departed again into Galilee.
4 And he must needs go through Samaria.
5 Then cometh he to a city of Samaria, which is called Sychar, near to the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph.
6 Now Jacob’s well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well: and it was about the sixth hour.
7 There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink.
8 (For his disciples were gone away unto the city to buy meat.)
9 Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him, How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans.
10 Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.
11 The woman saith unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from whence then hast thou that living water?
12 Art thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his children, and his cattle?
13 Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again:
14 But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.
15 The woman saith unto him, Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw.
16 Jesus saith unto her, Go, call thy husband, and come hither.
17 The woman answered and said, I have no husband. Jesus said unto her, Thou hast well said, I have no husband:
18 For thou hast had five husbands; and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband: in that saidst thou truly.
19 The woman saith unto him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet.
20 Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship.
21 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father.
22 Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.
23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.
24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
25 The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things.
26 Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he.
27 And upon this came his disciples, and marvelled that he talked with the woman: yet no man said, What seekest thou? or, Why talkest thou with her?
28 The woman then left her waterpot, and went her way into the city, and saith to the men,
29 Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ?
30 Then they went out of the city, and came unto him.
31 In the mean while his disciples prayed him, saying, Master, eat.
32 But he said unto them, I have meat to eat that ye know not of.
33 Therefore said the disciples one to another, Hath any man brought him ought to eat?
34 Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.
35 Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.
36 And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together.
37 And herein is that saying true, One soweth, and another reapeth.
38 I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labour: other men laboured, and ye are entered into their labours.
39 And many of the Samaritans of that city believed on him for the saying of the woman, which testified, He told me all that ever I did.
40 So when the Samaritans were come unto him, they besought him that he would tarry with them: and he abode there two days.
41 And many more believed because of his own word;
42 And said unto the woman, Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world.
43 Now after two days he departed thence, and went into Galilee.
44 For Jesus himself testified, that a prophet hath no honour in his own country.
45 Then when he was come into Galilee, the Galilæans received him, having seen all the things that he did at Jerusalem at the feast: for they also went unto the feast.
46 So Jesus came again into Cana of Galilee, where he made the water wine. And there was a certain nobleman, whose son was sick at Capernaum.
47 When he heard that Jesus was come out of Judæa into Galilee, he went unto him, and besought him that he would come down, and heal his son: for he was at the point of death.
48 Then said Jesus unto him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe.
49 The nobleman saith unto him, Sir, come down ere my child die.
50 Jesus saith unto him, Go thy way; thy son liveth. And the man believed the word that Jesus had spoken unto him, and he went his way.
51 And as he was now going down, his servants met him, and told him, saying, Thy son liveth.
52 Then inquired he of them the hour when he began to amend. And they said unto him, Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him.
53 So the father knew that it was at the same hour, in the which Jesus said unto him, Thy son liveth: and himself believed, and his whole house.
54 This is again the second miracle that Jesus did, when he was come out of Judæa into Galilee.