God’s Word Translation
John 4:22
22You don’t know what you’re worshiping. We ⌞Jews⌟ know what we’re worshiping, because salvation comes from the Jews.
John 4:22 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.
- New International Version (NIV)You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews.
- English Standard Version (ESV)You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews.
- New King James Version (NKJV)You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews.
Context of John 4:22
20Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain. But you Jews say that people must worship in Jerusalem.” 21Jesus told her, “Believe me. A time is coming when you Samaritans won’t be worshiping the Father on this mountain or in Jerusalem. You don’t know what you’re worshiping. We ⌞Jews⌟ know what we’re worshiping, because salvation comes from the Jews. 23Indeed, the time is coming, and it is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth. The Father is looking for people like that to worship him. 24God is a spirit. Those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”
Read all of John 4John 4:22 word by word
ὑμεῖς προσκυνεῖτε ὃ οὐκ οἴδατε, ἡμεῖς προσκυνοῦμεν ὃ οἴδαμεν, ὅτι ἡ σωτηρία ἐκ τῶν Ἰουδαίων ἐστίν.Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- Yeσύsu · youG4771
- worshipπροσκυνέωproskuneō · to worshipG4352
- ye knowεἴδωeidō · to perceive: understandG1492
- notοὐou · noG3756
- whatὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
- weἐγώegō · I/weG1473
- forὅτιhoti · that/since: sinceG3754
- salvationσωτηρίαsōtēria · salvationG4991
- isεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
- ofἐκek ex · out fromG1537
- the JewsἸουδαῖοςIoudaios · JewG2453
Cross-references for John 4:22
- 2 Kings 17:27The king of Assyria gave this command: “Bring one of the priests you captured from there. Let him go back to teach them the customs of the god of that country.”
- Ezra 4:2they approached Zerubbabel and the heads of the families. They told them, “We want to help you build because we worship the same God you worship. We have been sacrificing to him since the time of King Esarhaddon of Assyria, who brought us here.”
- Acts 17:23As I was going through your city and looking closely at the objects you worship, I noticed an altar with this written on it: ‘To an unknown god.’ I’m telling you about the unknown god you worship.
- 2 Chronicles 13:10“However, the Lord is our God. We haven’t abandoned him. The priests who serve the Lord are Aaron’s descendants, and the Levites assist them.
- Psalms 147:19He speaks his word to Jacob, his laws and judicial decisions to Israel.
- Romans 3:2There are all kinds of advantages. First of all, God entrusted them with his word.
- Romans 9:5The Messiah is descended from their ancestors according to his human nature. The Messiah is God over everything, forever blessed. Amen.
- Genesis 49:10A scepter will never depart from Judah nor a ruler’s staff from between his feet until Shiloh comes and the people obey him.
- Psalms 68:20Our God is the God of victories. The Almighty Lord is our escape from death.
- Isaiah 2:3Then many people will come and say, “Let’s go to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways so that we may live by them.” The teachings will go out from Zion. The Lord’s word will go out from Jerusalem.
- Isaiah 12:2Look! God is my Savior. I am confident and unafraid, because the Lord is my strength and my song. He is my Savior.”
- Isaiah 46:13I’ll bring my righteousness near; it isn’t far away. My salvation will not be delayed. I’ll provide salvation for Zion and bring my glory to Israel.
- Zephaniah 3:16On that day Jerusalem will be told, “Do not be afraid, Zion! Do not lose courage!”
- Zechariah 9:9Rejoice with all your heart, people of Zion! Shout in triumph, people of Jerusalem! Look! Your King is coming to you: He is righteous and victorious. He is humble and rides on a donkey, on a colt, a young pack animal.
- Luke 24:47Scripture also says that by the authority of Jesus people would be told to turn to God and change the way they think and act so that their sins will be forgiven. This would be told to people from all nations, beginning in the city of Jerusalem.
- Romans 9:4They are Israelites, God’s adopted children. They have the Lord’s glory, the pledges, Moses’ Teachings, the true worship, and the promises.
Commentaries on John 4:22
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 22Ye worship ye know not what - The Samaritans believed in the same God with the Jews; but, as they rejected all the prophetical writings, they had but an imperfect knowledge of the Deity: besides, as they incorporated the worship of idols with his worship, they might be justly said to worship him whom they did not properly know. See the account of their motley worship, 2 Kings 17:26-34. But after Sanballat had built the temple on Mount Gerizim, the…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 22Ye worship ye know not what - This probably refers to the comparative ignorance and corruption of the Samaritan worship. Though they received the five books of Moses, yet they rejected the prophets, and of course all that the prophets had said respecting the true God. Originally, also, they had joined the worship of idols to that of the true God. See 2 Kings 17:26-34. They had, moreover, no authority for building their temple and conducting public worship…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. 21-22Jesus affirmed that the Jews had preserved the correct understanding of the one true God whom they worshiped. God chose the Jewish people for a special relationship with himself. He gave them his law, his promises, and his covenant (promises between God and his people). The Messiah (God’s chosen one) was to come from the Jewish people (see also Romans 9:4–5).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 21-2421-24. Woman, &c.--Here are three weighty pieces of information: (1) The point raised will very soon cease to be of any moment, for a total change of dispensation is about to come over the Church. (2) The Samaritans are wrong, not only as to the place, but the whole grounds and nature of their worship, while in all these respects the truth lies with the Jews. (3) As God is a Spirit, so He both invites and demands a spiritual worship, and already all is in…Read the comment
Topics related to John 4:22
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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
Commentaries