JOHN EXALTS JESUS--WOMAN AT THE WELL--VISIT TO SAMARIA.
After these things came Jesus and his disciples into the land of Judea;
and there he tarried with them, and baptized. And John also was
baptizing in AEnon near to Salim, because there was much water there: and
they came, and were baptized. For John was not yet cast into prison.
Then there arose a question between _some_ of John's disciples and the
Jews about purifying. And they came unto John, and said unto him, Rabbi,
he that was with thee beyond Jordan, to whom thou barest witness,
behold, the same baptizeth, and all _men_ come to him, John answered and
said, a man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven. Ye
yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I
am sent before him. He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the
friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth
greatly because of the bridegroom's voice: this my joy therefore is
fulfilled. He must increase, but I _must_ decrease. He that cometh from
above is above all: he that is of the earth is earthly, and speaketh of
the earth: he that cometh from heaven is above all.
And what he hath seen and heard, that he testifieth; and no man
receiveth his testimony. He that hath received his testimony hath set to
his seal that God is true. For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words
of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure _unto him_. The Father
loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand. He that
believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not
the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.
When therefore the Lord knew how the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made
and baptized more disciples than John, (though Jesus himself baptized
not, but his disciples,) He left Judea, and departed again into Galilee.
And he must needs go through Samaria.
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. 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. There cometh a woman of
Samaria to draw water: Jesus saith unto her,
Give me to drink.
(For his disciples were gone away into the city to buy meat.)
Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him, How is it that thou, being a
Jew, asketh drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? for the Jews have
no dealings with the Samaritans. 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.
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? Art thou
greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank thereof
himself, and his children, and his cattle? Jesus answered and said unto
her,
Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: 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.
The woman saith unto him, Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not,
neither come hither to draw. Jesus saith unto her,
Go, call thy husband, and come hither.
The woman answered and said, I have no husband. Jesus said unto her,
Thou hast well said, I have no husband: for thou hast had five
husbands; and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband: in
that saidst thou truly.
The woman said unto him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet. Our
fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is
the place where men ought to worship. Jesus saith unto her,
Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in
this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father. Ye
worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for
salvation is of the Jews. 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. God
_is_ a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship _him_ in
spirit and in truth.
The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called
Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things. Jesus saith unto
her,
I that speak unto thee am _he_.
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 woman then left her waterpot, and went her way into the city,
and said to the men, Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever
I did: is not this the Christ? Then they went out of the city, and came
unto him. In the meanwhile his disciples prayed him saying, Master, eat.
But he said unto them,
I have meat to eat that ye know not of.
Therefore said the disciples one to another, Hath any man brought him
_ought_ to eat? Jesus saith unto them,
My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish
his work. 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. And
he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto
life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may
rejoice together. And herein is that saying true, One soweth,
and another reapeth. I sent you to reap that whereon ye
bestowed no labor: other men labored, and ye are entered into
their labors.
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. So when
the Samaritans were come unto him, they besought him that he would tarry
with them: and he abode there two days. And many more believed because
of his own word; 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.