John 4:20

John 4:20 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship.
• New International Version (NIV)Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you say that in Jerusalem is the place where people ought to worship."
• New King James Version (NKJV)Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, and you Jews say that in Jerusalem is the place where one ought to worship.”

Context of John 4:20

18In fact, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. You have spoken truthfully.” 19“Sir,” the woman said, “I see that You are a prophet. Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews say that the place where one must worship is in Jerusalem.” 21“Believe Me, woman,” Jesus replied, “a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. 22You worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews.

John 4:20 word by word

οἱ πατέρες ἡμῶν ἐν τῷ ὄρει τούτῳ προσεκύνησαν, καὶ ὑμεῖς λέγετε ὅτι ἐν Ἱεροσολύμοις ἐστὶν ὁ τόπος ὅπου προσκυνεῖν δεῖ.¶Read the interlinear

• Ourἐγώegō · I/weG1473
• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• fathersπατήρpatēr · fatherG3962
• worshipedπροσκυνέωproskuneō · to worshipG4352
• onἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• thisοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
• mountainὄροςoros · mountainG3735
• butκαίkai · andG2532
• youσύsu · youG4771
• sayλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• thatὅτιhoti · that/since: thatG3754
• placeτόποςtopos · placeG5117
• whereὅπουhopou · where(-ever)G3699
• mustδεῖdei · be necessaryG1163
• isεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• JerusalemἹεροσόλυμαHierosoluma · JerusalemG2414

Cross-references for John 4:20

• Genesis 12:6Abram traveled through the land as far as the site of the Oak of Moreh at Shechem. And at that time the Canaanites were in the land.
• Genesis 33:18After Jacob had come from Paddan-aram, he arrived safely at the city of Shechem in the land of Canaan, and he camped just outside the city.
• Deuteronomy 27:12“When you have crossed the Jordan, these tribes shall stand on Mount Gerizim to bless the people: Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Joseph, and Benjamin.
• Joshua 8:33All Israel, foreigners and citizens alike, with their elders, officers, and judges, stood on both sides of the ark of the covenant of the LORD facing the Levitical priests who carried it. Half of the people stood in front of Mount Gerizim and half of them in front of Mount Ebal, as Moses the servant of the LORD had commanded earlier, to bless the people of Israel.
• Judges 9:6Then all the leaders of Shechem and Beth-millo gathered beside the oak at the pillar in Shechem and proceeded to make Abimelech their king.
• 2 Kings 17:26So they spoke to the king of Assyria, saying, “The peoples that you have removed and placed in the cities of Samaria do not know the requirements of the God of the land. Because of this, He has sent lions among them, which are indeed killing them off.”
• Deuteronomy 12:5Instead, you must seek the place the LORD your God will choose from among all your tribes to establish as a dwelling for His Name, and there you must go.
• 1 Kings 9:3And the LORD said to him: “I have heard your prayer and petition before Me. I have consecrated this temple, which you have built, by putting My Name there forever; My eyes and My heart will be there for all time.
• 1 Chronicles 21:26And there he built an altar to the LORD and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. He called upon the LORD, who answered him with fire from heaven on the altar of burnt offering.
• 1 Chronicles 22:1Then David said, “Here shall be the house of the LORD God, as well as the altar of burnt offering for Israel.”
• 2 Chronicles 6:6But now I have chosen Jerusalem for My Name to be there, and I have chosen David to be over My people Israel.’
• 2 Chronicles 7:12the LORD appeared to him at night and said to him: “I have heard your prayer and have chosen this place for Myself as a house of sacrifice.
• Psalms 78:68But He chose the tribe of Judah, Mount Zion, which He loved.
• Psalms 87:1He has founded His city on the holy mountains.
• Psalms 132:13For the LORD has chosen Zion; He has desired it for His home:

Commentaries on John 4:20

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 20Worshipped in this mountain - Probably pointing to Mount Gerizim, at the foot of which Sychar was situated. The patriarchs had worshipped here-Jacob builded an altar on this mountain, and worshiped the true God: see Genesis 22:2; Genesis 33:20. Thus she could say, Our fathers worshipped in this mountain. On this mountain Sanballat had built them a temple, about 332 years before our Lord's incarnation. See Joseph. Antiq. xi. c. viii. s. 4, and 2 Maccabees…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 20Our fathers - The Samaritans; perhaps also meaning to intimate that the patriarchs had done it also. See Genesis 12:6; Genesis 33:20. Worshipped - Had a place of worship. In this mountain - Mount Gerizim, only a little way from Sychar. On this mountain they had built a temple somewhat similar to the one in Jerusalem. This was one of the main subjects of controversy between them and the Jews. The old Samaritan Pentateuch, or five books of Moses, has the…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. 20The Samaritans worshiped on Mount Gerizim. This mountain rises above the city of Shechem. Both Mount Gerizim and Shechem were important places in the Old Testament (see Genesis 12:6–7; 33:19; Deuteronomy 11:29; Joshua 8:33; 24:1, 25, 32).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 19-2019-20. Sir, I perceive, &c.--Seeing herself all revealed, does she now break down and ask what hopes there might be for one so guilty? Nay, her convictions have not reached that point yet. She ingeniously shifts the subject from a personal to a public question. It is not, "Alas, what a wicked life am I leading!" but "Lo, what a wonderful prophet I got into conversation with! He will be able to settle that interminable dispute between us and the Jews. Sir…Read the comment

Topics related to John 4:20

• Gerizim
• Jacob
• Jerusalem
• Jesus, the Christ
• Law
• Samaria
• Shechem

In the dictionaries

• Jerusalem
• Dealing
• Ere
• Gerizim
• God
• Hear
• Live
• Meat
• Messiah
• Samaritans

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