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

18for thou hast had five husbands, and he whom now thou hast is not thy husband: this thou hast spoken truly. 19The woman says to him, Sir, I see that thou art a prophet. Our fathers worshipped in this mountain, and ye say that in Jerusalem is the place where one must worship. 21Jesus says to her, Woman, believe me, [the] hour is coming when ye shall neither in this mountain nor in Jerusalem worship the Father. 22Ye worship ye know not what; we worship what we know, for salvation is of 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

• fathersπατήρpatēr · fatherG3962
• mountainὄροςoros · mountainG3735
• sayλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• JerusalemἹεροσόλυμαHierosoluma · JerusalemG2414
• isεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• placeτόποςtopos · placeG5117
• whereὅπουhopou · where(-ever)G3699
• oneοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
• worshipπροσκυνέωproskuneō · to worshipG4352

Cross-references for John 4:20

• Genesis 12:6And Abram passed through the land to the place of Shechem, to the oak of Moreh. And the Canaanite was then in the land.
• Genesis 33:18And Jacob came safely [to the] city Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, when he came from Padan-Aram; and he encamped before the city.
• Deuteronomy 27:12These shall stand to bless the people upon mount Gerizim, when ye have gone over the Jordan: Simeon, and Levi, and Judah, and Issachar, and Joseph, and Benjamin.
• Joshua 8:33And all Israel, and their elders, and their officers and judges, stood on this side and on that side of the ark before the priests the Levites, who bore the ark of the covenant of Jehovah, as well the stranger as the home-born [Israelite]; half of them toward mount Gerizim, and the other half of them toward mount Ebal; as Moses the servant of Jehovah had commanded, that they should bless the people of Israel, in the beginning.
• Judges 9:6And all the citizens of Shechem gathered together, and all the house of Millo, and went and made Abimelech king, by the memorial-oak that is in Shechem.
• 2 Kings 17:26And they spoke to the king of Assyria saying, The nations that thou hast removed and made to dwell in the cities of Samaria know not the manner of the god of the land; therefore he has sent lions among them, and behold, they slay them, because they know not the manner of the god of the land.
• Deuteronomy 12:5but unto the place which Jehovah your God will choose out of all your tribes to set his name there, his habitation shall ye seek, and thither thou shalt come;
• 1 Kings 9:3And Jehovah said to him, I have heard thy prayer and thy supplication which thou hast made before me: I have hallowed this house, which thou hast built, to put my name there for ever; and mine eyes and my heart shall be there perpetually.
• 1 Chronicles 21:26And David built there an altar to Jehovah, and offered up burnt-offerings and peace-offerings, and called upon Jehovah; and he answered him from the heavens by fire upon the altar of burnt-offering.
• 1 Chronicles 22:1And David said, This is the house of Jehovah Elohim, and this is the altar of burnt-offering for Israel.
• 2 Chronicles 6:6but I have chosen Jerusalem, that my name might be there; and I have chosen David to be over my people Israel.
• 2 Chronicles 7:12Then Jehovah appeared to Solomon by night, and said to him: I have heard thy prayer, and I have chosen for myself this place for a house of sacrifice.
• Psalms 78:68But chose the tribe of Judah, the mount Zion which he loved;
• Psalms 87:1His foundation is in the mountains of holiness.
• Psalms 132:13For Jehovah hath chosen Zion; he hath desired it for his dwelling:

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