John 4:1

John 4:1 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)When therefore the Lord knew how the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John,
• New International Version (NIV)Now Jesus learned that the Pharisees had heard that he was gaining and baptizing more disciples than John—
• English Standard Version (ESV)Now when Jesus learned that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus was making and baptizing more disciples than John
• New King James Version (NKJV)Therefore, when the Lord knew that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John

Context of John 4:1

So when the Lord learned that the Pharisees had been told that Jesus was making and baptizing more disciples than John 2(although Jesus Himself was not baptizing, but His disciples were), 3He left Judea and returned again to Galilee.

John 4:1 word by word

Ὡς οὖν ἔγνω ὁ Ἰησοῦς ὅτι ἤκουσαν οἱ Φαρισαῖοι ὅτι Ἰησοῦς πλείονας μαθητὰς ποιεῖ καὶ βαπτίζει ἢ Ἰωάννης,Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Whenὡςhōs · as/whenG5613
• thereforeοὖνoun · therefore/thenG3767
• the Lordὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• the Lordκύριοςkurios · lord: GodG2962
• knewγινώσκωginōskō · to knowG1097
• howὅτιhoti · that/since: thatG3754
• the PhariseesΦαρισαῖοςPharisaios · PhariseeG5330
• had heardἀκούωakouō · to hearG191
• JesusἸησοῦςIēsous · JesusG2424
• madeποιέωpoieō · to do/make: doG4160
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• baptizedβαπτίζωbaptizō · to baptizeG907
• moreπλείων, πλεῖονpleiōn pleion pleon · greaterG4119
• disciplesμαθητήςmathētēs · discipleG3101
• thanἤē · orG2228
• JohnἸωάννηςIōannēs · JohnG2491

Cross-references for John 4:1

• Luke 1:76And you, child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; For you will go on before the Lord (the Messiah) to prepare His ways;
• Luke 2:11For this day in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord (the Messiah).
• Luke 19:31If anybody asks you, ‘Why are you untying the colt?’ you will say, ‘The Lord needs it.’ ”
• Acts 10:36You know the message which He sent to the sons of Israel, announcing the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all—
• 1 Corinthians 2:8None of the rulers of this age recognized and understood this wisdom; for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory;
• 1 Corinthians 15:47The first man [Adam] is from the earth, earthy [made of dust]; the second Man [Christ, the Lord] is from heaven.
• 2 Corinthians 4:5For we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves [merely] as your bond-servants for Jesus’ sake.
• James 2:1My fellow believers, do not practice your faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ with an attitude of partiality [toward people—show no favoritism, no prejudice, no snobbery].
• Revelation 19:16And on His robe and on His thigh He has a name inscribed, “KING OF KINGS, AND Lord OF LORDS.”
• John 3:22After these things Jesus and His disciples went into the land of Judea, and there He spent time with them and baptized.

Commentaries on John 4:1

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 1Jesus made and baptized, etc. - These seem to be quoted as the very words which were brought to the Pharisees; and, from our Lord's conduct after this information, we may take it for granted that they were so irritated that they were determined to seek an occasion to take away his life; in consequence of which, leaving Judea, he withdrew into Galilee.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1The Lord knew - When Jesus knew. how he knew this we are not informed; whether by that power of omniscience by which he knew all things, or whether some person had informed him of it. How the Pharisees had heard - The Pharisees, here, seem to denote either the members of the Sanhedrin or those who were in authority. They claimed the authority to regulate the rites and ceremonies of religion, and hence they supposed they had a right to inquire into the…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 1Christ's departure into Galilee. (1-3) His discourse with the Samaritan woman. (4-26) The effects of Christ's conversation with the woman of Samaria. (27-42) Christ heals the nobleman's son. (43-54) Verses 1-3 Jesus applied himself more to preaching, which was the more excellent, 1Co 1:17, than to baptism. He would put honour upon his disciples, by employing them to baptize. He teaches us that the benefit of sacraments depends not on the hand that…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-42At an ancient well in Samaria, Jesus offered himself as living water. This living water means the life that comes from God. Jesus spoke openly about who he was. When he revealed God’s truth, people had to respond. They either followed him or turned away. The Samaritan woman is very different from Nicodemus. She was a woman, not a man. She was a Samaritan, not a Jew. She had a sinful past, not a reputation for righteousness. She was an outsider, not a…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-421-4. the Lord knew--not by report, but in the sense of Joh 2:25, for which reason He is here styled "the Lord."Read the comment

Topics related to John 4:1

• Baptism
• Jesus, the Christ
• Samaria
• Shechem

In the dictionaries

• Jesus
• Jesus, Jesus Christ, Christ Jesus
• Dealing
• Ere
• God
• Hear
• Live
• Meat
• Messiah
• Spirit

Commentaries on John 4

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Catena Aurea
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• John Lightfoot Commentary
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings