Amplified Bible
John 4:24
24God is spirit [the Source of life, yet invisible to mankind], and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”
John 4:24 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
- New International Version (NIV)God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth."
- New King James Version (NKJV)God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”
Context of John 4:24
22You [Samaritans] do not know what you worship; we [Jews] do know what we worship, for salvation is from the Jews. 23But a time is coming and is already here when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit [from the heart, the inner self] and in truth; for the Father seeks such people to be His worshipers. God is spirit [the Source of life, yet invisible to mankind], and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” 25The woman said to Him, “I know that Messiah is coming (He who is called Christ—the Anointed); when that One comes, He will tell us everything [we need to know].” 26Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you, am He (the Messiah).”
Read all of John 4John 4:24 word by word
πνεῦμα ὁ θεός, καὶ τοὺς προσκυνοῦντας αὐτὸν ἐν πνεύματι καὶ ἀληθείᾳ δεῖ προσκυνεῖν.¶Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for John 4:24
- 2 Corinthians 3:17Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty [emancipation from bondage, true freedom].
- 1 Timothy 1:17Now to the King of the ages [eternal], immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.
- 1 Samuel 16:7But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”
- Psalms 50:13Shall I eat the flesh of bulls Or drink the blood of male goats?
- Psalms 51:17My [only] sacrifice [acceptable] to God is a broken spirit; A broken and contrite heart [broken with sorrow for sin, thoroughly penitent], such, O God, You will not despise.
- Psalms 66:18If I regard sin and baseness in my heart [that is, if I know it is there and do nothing about it], The Lord will not hear [me];
- Isaiah 57:15For the high and exalted One He who inhabits eternity, Whose name is Holy says this, “I dwell on the high and holy place, But also with the contrite and humble in spirit In order to revive the spirit of the humble And to revive the heart of the contrite [overcome with sorrow for sin].
- Matthew 15:8‘This people honors Me with their lips, But their heart is far away from Me.
- 2 Corinthians 1:12This is our [reason for] proud confidence: our conscience testifies that we have conducted ourselves in the world [in general], and especially toward you, with pure motives and godly sincerity, not in human wisdom, but in the grace of God [that is, His gracious lovingkindness that leads people to Christ and spiritual maturity].
Commentaries on John 4:24
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 24God is a Spirit - This is one of the first, the greatest, the most sublime, and necessary truths in the compass of nature! There is a God, the cause of all things - the fountain of all perfection - without parts or dimensions, for he is Eternal - filling the heavens and the earth - pervading, governing, and upholding all things: for he is an infinite Spirit! This God can be pleased only with that which resembles himself: therefore he must hate sin and…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 24God is A spirit - This is the second reason why men should worship him in spirit and in truth. By this is meant that God is without a body; that he is not material or composed of parts; that he is invisible, in every place, pure and holy. This is one of the first truths of religion, and one of the sublimest ever presented to the mind of man. Almost all nations have had some idea of God as gross or material, but the Bible declares that he is a pure spirit…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 4-26Verses 4-26 There was great hatred between the Samaritans and the Jews. Christ's road from Judea to Galilee lay through Samaria. We should not go into places of temptation but when we needs must; and then must not dwell in them, but hasten through them. We have here our Lord Jesus under the common fatigue of travellers. Thus we see that he was truly a man. Toil came in with sin; therefore Christ, having made himself a curse for us, submitted to it. Also…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 24in spirit and in truth: In Greek, one preposition (a connecting word) is used for both words. This shows that spirit and truth form one united idea. True worship happens when God’s Spirit makes God’s truth known to a person. Worship is not only about a place or a ceremony. It is about responding to God with the help of his Spirit and according to what is true about him. Jesus himself is the Truth (14:6). The Spirit is also called the Spirit of truth…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 21-2421-24. Woman, &c.--Here are three weighty pieces of information: (1) The point raised will very soon cease to be of any moment, for a total change of dispensation is about to come over the Church. (2) The Samaritans are wrong, not only as to the place, but the whole grounds and nature of their worship, while in all these respects the truth lies with the Jews. (3) As God is a Spirit, so He both invites and demands a spiritual worship, and already all is in…Read the comment
Topics related to John 4:24
In the dictionaries
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
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