English Standard Version
John 4:9
9The Samaritan woman said to him, "How is it that you, a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a woman of Samaria?" (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.)
John 4:9 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him, How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans.
- New International Version (NIV)The Samaritan woman said to him, “You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?” (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.)
- New King James Version (NKJV)Then the woman of Samaria said to Him, “How is it that You, being a Jew, ask a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?” For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.
- New Living Translation (NLT)The woman was surprised, for Jews refuse to have anything to do with Samaritans. She said to Jesus, “You are a Jew, and I am a Samaritan woman. Why are you asking me for a drink?”
Context of John 4:9
7A woman from Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, "Give me a drink." 8(For his disciples had gone away into the city to buy food.) The Samaritan woman said to him, "How is it that you, a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a woman of Samaria?" (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.) 10Jesus answered her, "If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, 'Give me a drink,' you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water." 11The woman said to him, "Sir, you have nothing to draw water with, and the well is deep. Where do you get that living water?
Read all of John 4John 4:9 word by word
λέγει οὖν αὐτῷ ἡ γυνὴ ἡ Σαμαρῖτις· πῶς σὺ Ἰουδαῖος ὢν παρ᾽ ἐμοῦ πεῖν αἰτεῖς γυναικὸς Σαμαρίτιδος οὔσης; οὐ γὰρ συγχρῶνται Ἰουδαῖοι Σαμαρίταις.¶Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Thenοὖνoun · therefore/thenG3767
- saithλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
- the womanὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- the womanγυνήgunē · womanG1135
- of SamariaΣαμαρεῖτιςSamareitis · SamariaG4542
- unto himαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- How is it thatπῶςpōs · how?!G4459
- thouσύsu · youG4771
- beingεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
- a JewἸουδαῖοςIoudaios · JewG2453
- askestαἰτέωaiteō · to askG154
- drinkπίνωpinō piō poō · to drinkG4095
- ofπαράpara · from/with/besideG3844
- meἐγώegō · I/weG1473
- forγάρgar · forG1063
- haveσυγχράομαιsugchraomai · to associate withG4798
- noοὐou · noG3756
- with the SamaritansΣαμαρείτηςSamareitēs · SamaritanG4541
Cross-references for John 4:9
- John 4:27Just then his disciples came back. They marveled that he was talking with a woman, but no one said, "What do you seek?" or, "Why are you talking with her?"
- John 8:48The Jews answered him, "Are we not right in saying that you are a Samaritan and have a demon?"
- Luke 10:33But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion.
- Luke 17:16and he fell on his face at Jesus' feet, giving him thanks. Now he was a Samaritan.
- 2 Kings 17:24And the king of Assyria brought people from Babylon, Cuthah, Avva, Hamath, and Sepharvaim, and placed them in the cities of Samaria instead of the people of Israel. And they took possession of Samaria and lived in its cities.
- Ezra 4:1Now when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the returned exiles were building a temple to the Lord, the God of Israel,
- Nehemiah 4:1Now when Sanballat heard that we were building the wall, he was angry and greatly enraged, and he jeered at the Jews.
- Luke 9:52And he sent messengers ahead of him, who went and entered a village of the Samaritans, to make preparations for him.
- Acts 1:8But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth."
- Acts 10:28And he said to them, "You yourselves know how unlawful it is for a Jew to associate with or to visit anyone of another nation, but God has shown me that I should not call any person common or unclean.
Commentaries on John 4:9
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 9That thou, being a Jew - Probably the inhabitants of Judea distinguished themselves from those of Samaria by some peculiar mode of dress; and by this the Samaritan woman might have known Christ: but it is likely that our Lord spoke the Galilean dialect, by which we find, from Mark 14:70, a Jew of that district might easily be known. The Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans - Perhaps better, Jews have no communion with Samaritans. These words appear…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 9No dealings with the Samaritans - For an account of the Samaritans, and of the differences between them and the Jews, see the notes at Matthew 10:5.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. 9The woman was surprised. Social taboos (strict cultural rules about proper behavior) would normally prevent a Jewish teacher like Jesus from speaking to her (4:18). But Jesus did not allow these social rules to control him. He chose to speak with her and offer what she truly needed.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 9-129-12. How is it that thou--not altogether refusing, yet wondering at so unusual a request from a Jew, as His dress and dialect would at once discover Him to be, to a Samaritan. for, &c.--It is this national antipathy that gives point to the parable of the good Samaritan (Lu 10:30-37), and the thankfulness of the Samaritan leper (Lu 17:16, 18).Read the comment
Topics related to John 4:9
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
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
Commentaries