John 4:1-13

1The Pharisees heard the news that many people were joining Jesus' group of disciples. They heard that Jesus was baptizing more disciples than John was baptizing.

2But really Jesus himself did not baptize anyone. It was only Jesus' disciples who baptized people.

3Jesus discovered what the Pharisees were thinking, so he left Judea. He returned to Galilee.

4On his way, he had to go through Samaria.

5He came to a town in Samaria called Sychar. It was near to the piece of land that Jacob had given to his son, Joseph, many years earlier.

6Jacob's well was there. Jesus was tired after his journey and he sat down by the well. It was about midday. His disciples had gone to buy food in the town. A woman from Samaria came to the well to get some water. Jesus said to her, ‘Please give a drink to me.’

9The woman from Samaria said to him, ‘You are a Jew and I am a woman from Samaria. Why would you ask me to give you a drink?’ (The Jews usually do not talk to people who come from Samaria.)

10Jesus answered the woman, ‘You do not know what God could give to you. I asked you to give a drink to me. But you do not know who I am. If you did know, you would have asked me to give a drink to you. Then I would have given to you water that gives life.’

11The woman said, ‘Sir, you have no bucket, and the well is deep. Where can you get this water that gives life?

12Jacob, our ancestor, gave this well to us. He, his sons and his sheep, goats and cows all drank its water. Are you saying that you are greater than Jacob?’

13Jesus answered, ‘Everyone who drinks water from this well will get thirsty again.