Back to John 4

John 4:28-30

So the woman left her water pot, went away into the city, and said to the people, “Come, see a man who told me everything that I did. Can this be the Christ?”

They went out of the city, and were coming to him.

World English Bible · Public Domain
Show the surrounding paragraph

John 4:28-30 sits inside this longer paragraph.

Jesus said to her, “I am he, the one who speaks to you.” At this, his disciples came. They marveled that he was speaking with a woman; yet no one said, “What are you looking for?” or, “Why do you speak with her?” So the woman left her water pot, went away into the city, and said to the people, “Come, see a man who told me everything that I did. Can this be the Christ?”

They went out of the city, and were coming to him. In the meanwhile, the disciples urged him, saying, “Rabbi, eat.”

Read all of John 4 →

Parallel Translations

  • WEB World English Bible

    So the woman left her water pot, went away into the city, and said to the people,

    “Come, see a man who told me everything that I did. Can this be the Christ?”

    They went out of the city, and were coming to him.

  • TYNDALE Tyndale New Testament (1534)

    The woman then lefte her waterpot and went her waye into the cite and sayde to the men.

    Come se a man which tolde me all thinges that ever I dyd. Is not he Christ?

    Then they went out of the cite and came vnto him.

Show all 3 translations
  • GNV Geneva Bible (1599)

    The woman then left her waterpot, and went her way into the citie, and said to the men,

    Come, see a man which hath tolde me all things that euer I did: is not he that Christ?

    Then they went out of the citie, and came vnto him.

View more translations →

Cross-references (25)

  • Revelation 22:17 (v29) The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” He who hears, let him say, “Come!” He who is thirsty, let him come. He who desires, let him take the…
  • 1 Corinthians 14:24-25 (v29) But if all prophesy, and someone unbelieving or unlearned comes in, he is reproved by all, and he is judged by all. And thus the secrets of…
  • John 1:41-49 (v29) He first found his own brother, Simon, and said to him, “We have found the Messiah!” (which is, being interpreted, Christ). He brought him…
  • John 4:7 (v28) A woman of Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give me a drink.”
  • John 4:25 (v29) The woman said to him, “I know that Messiah comes, he who is called Christ. When he has come, he will declare to us all things.”
Show all 25 cross-references
  • Matthew 28:8 (v28) They departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to bring his disciples word.
  • Luke 24:33 (v28) They rose up that very hour, returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven gathered together, and those who were with them,
  • John 4:17-18 (v29) The woman answered, “I have no husband.” Jesus said to her, “You said well, ‘I have no husband,’ for you have had five husbands; and he…
  • Acts 10:33 (v30) Therefore I sent to you at once, and it was good of you to come. Now therefore we are all here present in the sight of God to hear all…
  • Isaiah 60:8 (v30) “Who are these who fly as a cloud, and as the doves to their windows?
  • Matthew 2:1-3 (v30) Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of King Herod, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying, “Where…
  • Matthew 8:11-12 (v30) I tell you that many will come from the east and the west, and will sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the Kingdom of Heaven, but…
  • Matthew 11:20-24 (v30) Then he began to denounce the cities in which most of his mighty works had been done, because they didn’t repent. “Woe to you, Chorazin!…
  • Matthew 12:40-42 (v30) For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the whale, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart…
  • Matthew 20:16 (v30) So the last will be first, and the first last. For many are called, but few are chosen.”
  • Mark 16:8-10 (v28) They went out, and fled from the tomb, for trembling and astonishment had come on them. They said nothing to anyone; for they were afraid.…
  • Luke 17:16-18 (v30) He fell on his face at Jesus’ feet, giving him thanks; and he was a Samaritan. Jesus answered, “Weren’t the ten cleansed? But where are the…
  • Luke 24:9 (v28) returned from the tomb, and told all these things to the eleven and to all the rest.
  • John 7:26 (v29) Behold, he speaks openly, and they say nothing to him. Can it be that the rulers indeed know that this is truly the Christ?
  • John 7:31 (v29) But of the multitude, many believed in him. They said, “When the Christ comes, he won’t do more signs than those which this man has done,…
  • Acts 8:5-8 (v30) Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and proclaimed to them the Christ. The multitudes listened with one accord to the things that were…
  • Acts 13:42 (v30) So when the Jews went out of the synagogue, the Gentiles begged that these words might be preached to them the next Sabbath.
  • Romans 5:20 (v30) The law came in that the trespass might abound; but where sin abounded, grace abounded more exceedingly;
  • Matthew 12:23 (v29) All the multitudes were amazed, and said, “Can this be the son of David?”
  • Acts 28:28 (v30) “Be it known therefore to you, that the salvation of God is sent to the nations, and they will listen.”

Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)

Explain this passage (17 sources)

Historical commentary, presented as a primary source — not an endorsement.

John Calvin 1540 · Public Domain On vv28–29 28. Therefore the woman left her pitcher. This circumstance…

28. Therefore the woman left her pitcher. This circumstance is related by the Evangelist to express the ardor of her zeal; for it is an indication of haste, that she leaves her pitcher, and returns to the city. And this is the nature of faith, that when we have become partakers of eternal life, we wish to bring others to share with us; nor is it possible that the knowledge of God shall lie buried and inactive in our hearts without being manifested before men, for that saying must be true:

I believed, and therefore I will speak, (Psalm 116:10.)

Read full note →

The earnestness and promptitude of the woman are so much the more worthy of attention, that it was only a small spark of faith that kindled them; for scarcely had she tasted Christ when she spreads his name throughout the whole city. In those who have already made moderate progress in his school, sluggishness will be highly disgraceful. But she may appear to deserve blame on this account, that while she is still ignorant and imperfectly taught, she goes beyond the limits of her faith. I reply, she would have acted inconsiderately, if she had assumed the office of a teacher, but when she desires nothing more than to excite her fellow-citizens to hear Christ speaking, we will not say that she forgot herself, or proceeded farther than she had a right to do. She merely does the office of a trumpet or a bell to invite others to come to Christ.

John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.

John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain On vv28–30 28 The woman then left her waterpot, and went…
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain On vv28–30 She had no sooner tasted of the living water…
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain On vv28–30 The woman then left her water pot,.... Her pail,…
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain On vv28–29 The woman left her water pot - Forgetting smaller…
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain On vv28–30 Verse 28. Left her waterpot] She was so penetrated…
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain On v28 Joh 4:28-30. The woman then — Seeing other company…
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain On vv28–30 Left her water-pot - Her mind was greatly excited.…
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain On v29 The Samaritans looked for the Messias, because they had…
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain On vv28–30 left her water-pot--How exquisitely natural! The presence of strangers…
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain On vv28–30 28. Left her waterpot—Either because she brought it from…
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain On vv28–30 28. The woman then] Better, The woman therefore; because…
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain On vv28–30 (28) The woman then left her waterpot.—The waterpot left…
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain On vv28–30 Vers. 28, 29. The woman then (i.e. in consequence…
The Biblical Illustrator 1887 · Public Domain On vv28–29 The woman left her waterpot, and went her way…
B. W. Johnson 1891 · Public Domain On v29 29. Come, see a man, which told me all…
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On v28 Come, see a man who told me everything that…
Share