The big picture
John 4 opens in verse 1 with “When therefore the Lord knew how the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized…”, reaches its middle movement near verse 27 with “And upon this came his disciples, and marvelled that he talked with the woman: yet no…”, and closes in verse 54 with “This is again the second miracle that Jesus did, when he was come out of Judæa into…” Repeated or prominent terms include Jesus, woman, water, worship, cometh. Together, those details trace this chapter’s own movement from its opening to its conclusion.
Scripture beside the summary
John · King James Version · 54John 4:1-8
1–8: When therefore the Lord knew how the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made…
John 4:1–8 opens with “When therefore the Lord knew how the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more…” and reaches “(For his disciples were gone away unto the city to buy meat.)” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Jesus speaking with the Samaritan woman at the well and later receiving the official’s plea for his son, with particular weight carried by Jesus, disciples, Samaria.
Context that brings the passage to life
“When therefore the Lord knew how the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John,” Naming Jesus and John keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
John 4:1-8
King James Version1When 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,)
3He left Judæa, and departed again into Galilee.
4And he must needs go through Samaria.
5Then cometh he to a city of Samaria, which is called Sychar, near to the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph.
6Now Jacob’s well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well: and it was about the sixth hour.
7There 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.)
John 4:9-16
9–16: Saith the woman of Samaria unto him, How is it that thou, being a Jew…
John 4:9–16 opens with “Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him, How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me…” and reaches “Jesus saith unto her, Go, call thy husband, and come hither.” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Jesus speaking with the Samaritan woman at the well and later receiving the official’s plea for his son, with particular weight carried by water, woman, Jesus.
Context that brings the passage to life
This block contains 3 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.
“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…” The question slows the passage down. Notice who is being pressed to answer, what the question assumes, and whether the next lines provide a response.
“The woman saith unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from whence then hast thou that…” The question slows the passage down. Notice who is being pressed to answer, what the question assumes, and whether the next lines provide a response.
John 4:9-16
King James Version9Then 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.
10Jesus 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.
11The woman saith unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from whence then hast thou that living water?
12Art thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his children, and his cattle?
13Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again:
14But 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.
15The woman saith unto him, Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw.
16Jesus saith unto her, Go, call thy husband, and come hither.
John 4:17-24
17–24: The woman answered and said, I have no husband. Jesus said unto her…
John 4:17–24 opens with “The woman answered and said, I have no husband. Jesus said unto her, Thou hast well said, I have…” and reaches “God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Jesus speaking with the Samaritan woman at the well and later receiving the official’s plea for his son, with particular weight carried by worship, Father, husband.
Context that brings the passage to life
“The woman answered and said, I have no husband. Jesus said unto her, Thou hast well said, I have no husband:” Naming Jesus and Thou keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“The woman saith unto him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet.” Naming Sir keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
John 4:17-24
King James Version17The woman answered and said, I have no husband. Jesus said unto her, Thou hast well said, I have no husband:
18For thou hast had five husbands; and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband: in that saidst thou truly.
19The woman saith unto him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet.
20Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship.
21Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father.
22Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.
23But 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.
24God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
John 4:25-32
25–32: The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called…
John 4:25–32 opens with “The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come…” and reaches “But he said unto them, I have meat to eat that ye know not of.” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Jesus speaking with the Samaritan woman at the well and later receiving the official’s plea for his son, with particular weight carried by woman, Christ, city.
Context that brings the passage to life
This block contains 2 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.
“The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all…” Naming Christ and Messias keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
John 4:25-32
King James Version25The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things.
26Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he.
27And 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?
28The woman then left her waterpot, and went her way into the city, and saith to the men,
29Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ?
30Then they went out of the city, and came unto him.
31In the mean while his disciples prayed him, saying, Master, eat.
32But he said unto them, I have meat to eat that ye know not of.
John 4:33-40
33–40: Therefore said the disciples one to another, Hath any man brought him…
John 4:33–40 opens with “Therefore said the disciples one to another, Hath any man brought him ought to eat?” and reaches “So when the Samaritans were come unto him, they besought him that he would tarry with them: and…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Jesus speaking with the Samaritan woman at the well and later receiving the official’s plea for his son, with particular weight carried by reapeth, harvest, Samaritans.
Context that brings the passage to life
This block contains 2 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.
“Therefore said the disciples one to another, Hath any man brought him ought to eat?” The question slows the passage down. Notice who is being pressed to answer, what the question assumes, and whether the next lines provide a response.
“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 question slows the passage down. Notice who is being pressed to answer, what the question assumes, and whether the next lines provide a response.
John 4:33-40
King James Version33Therefore said the disciples one to another, Hath any man brought him ought to eat?
34Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.
35Say 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.
36And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together.
37And herein is that saying true, One soweth, and another reapeth.
38I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labour: other men laboured, and ye are entered into their labours.
39And 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.
40So when the Samaritans were come unto him, they besought him that he would tarry with them: and he abode there two days.
John 4:41-48
41–48: Many more believed because of his own word;
John 4:41–48 opens with “And many more believed because of his own word;” and reaches “Then said Jesus unto him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe.” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Jesus speaking with the Samaritan woman at the well and later receiving the official’s plea for his son, with particular weight carried by Galilee, Jesus, believe.
Context that brings the passage to life
“And many more believed because of his own word;” The line’s distinctive content terms include believed, word. Its relationship to verses 42 shows what work it does in this passage.
“Now after two days he departed thence, and went into Galilee.” The number two makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.
“Then when he was come into Galilee, the Galilæans received him, having seen all the things that he did at Jerusalem at…” Naming Galil and Galilee keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
John 4:41-48
King James Version41And many more believed because of his own word;
42And 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.
43Now after two days he departed thence, and went into Galilee.
44For Jesus himself testified, that a prophet hath no honour in his own country.
45Then 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.
46So 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.
47When 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.
48Then said Jesus unto him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe.
John 4:49-54
49–54: The nobleman saith unto him, Sir, come down ere my child die.
John 4:49–54 opens with “The nobleman saith unto him, Sir, come down ere my child die.” and reaches “This is again the second miracle that Jesus did, when he was come out of Judæa into Galilee.” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Jesus speaking with the Samaritan woman at the well and later receiving the official’s plea for his son, with particular weight carried by Jesus, hour, liveth.
Context that brings the passage to life
“The nobleman saith unto him, Sir, come down ere my child die.” Naming Sir keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
John 4:49-54
King James Version49The nobleman saith unto him, Sir, come down ere my child die.
50Jesus 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.
51And as he was now going down, his servants met him, and told him, saying, Thy son liveth.
52Then enquired he of them the hour when he began to amend. And they said unto him, Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him.
53So 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.
54This is again the second miracle that Jesus did, when he was come out of Judæa into Galilee.
Details worth noticing
The opening image
John 4:1 begins with “When therefore the Lord knew how the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John,”
Where the chapter turns
John 4:27 forms a natural hinge: “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?”
The final note
John 4:54 leaves the reader with “This is again the second miracle that Jesus did, when he was come out of Judæa into Galilee.”
A word trail through the chapter
The words Jesus, woman, water, worship, cometh, disciples help reveal the chapter’s repeated concerns.
What opportunity exists before the murder?
Cain receives a warning and a call to resist sin in verse 7. Anger is not treated as an irresistible excuse.
What do the two speeches about vengeance reveal?
God limits retaliation against Cain; Lamech celebrates escalation.
KJV words made clear
- behold
- look, or pay close attention
- unto
- to
- thee
- you
- thou
- you
- thy
- your
Text first
Where readers differ
The chapter summary begins with what the passage says and how its parts fit together. It does not assume one denomination has already settled every question. Where a conclusion depends on a tradition, literary theory, or historical reconstruction, that dependence is named openly.
The KJV text is presented first. Interpretive conclusions are labeled, and differences are introduced only when they help a reader understand why serious communities do not always reach the same answer.
Comparative interpretive notes for this chapter are in preparation. Until reviewed notes are ready, this page separates the KJV text from summary and application without claiming that serious readers agree on every question.