John 4:28-42

28Then the woman left her water pot and she returned to the town. She said to the people there,

29‘Come and see a man who has told me everything about myself. He told me all the things that I have ever done! He must be the Messiah!’

30So they left the town and they went to find Jesus.

31While that was happening, the disciples said to Jesus, ‘Teacher, eat something.’

32But he said to them, ‘I have food that I can eat. But you do not know about it.’

33So the disciples asked each other, ‘Could someone have brought food to him?’

34Jesus said to them, ‘My Father has sent me. I must do the things he wants me to do. I must finish the work that he has given to me to do. That is my food.

35You often say, “It is still four more months until the plants in the farmers' fields will be ready for the harvest.” But I say that you should open your eyes. Look at the fields. The plants are ready for the harvest now.

36The workers are already bringing in the fruit and their master is paying them. As a result, people are receiving life for ever with God. So the person who plants the seeds will be very happy. And the person who brings in the fruit will also be very happy. Both of them will be happy together.

37You also say, “One person plants the seeds and another person brings in the fruit.” Now you can see that this is true.

38I have sent you to bring people to me like a harvest of fruit. You did not do the work to prepare that fruit. Other people did that hard work. Now you have brought in the fruit that they worked for. That makes you happy.’

39Many of the people who lived in that town in Samaria heard the woman's story. She had said to them, ‘He told me all the things that I have ever done!’ Because of this, they believed in Jesus.

40So when these people came to Jesus, they asked him to stay with them. So he stayed there for two days.

41Many more people believed in Jesus when they listened to his own words.

42The people said to the woman, ‘Now we believe in him because we ourselves have heard him. We do not believe only because of what you told us. He really is the man that God has sent to save the world. We know that now.’