God’s Word Translation
John 4:9
9The Samaritan woman asked him, “How can a Jewish man like you ask a Samaritan woman like me for a drink of water?” (Jews, of course, don’t associate 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.)
- English Standard Version (ESV)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.)
- 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.
Context of John 4:9
7A Samaritan woman went to get some water. Jesus said to her, “Give me a drink of water.” 8(His disciples had gone into the city to buy some food.) The Samaritan woman asked him, “How can a Jewish man like you ask a Samaritan woman like me for a drink of water?” (Jews, of course, don’t associate with Samaritans.) 10Jesus replied to her, “If you only knew what God’s gift is and who is asking you for a drink, you would have asked him for a drink. He would have given you living water.” 11The woman said to him, “Sir, you don’t have anything to use to get water, and the well is deep. So where are you going to get this 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 4:27At that time his disciples returned. They were surprised that he was talking to a woman. But none of them asked him, “What do you want from her?” or “Why are you talking to her?”
- John 8:48The Jews replied to Jesus, “Aren’t we right when we say that you’re a Samaritan and that you’re possessed by a demon?”
- Luke 10:33“But a Samaritan, as he was traveling along, came across the man. When the Samaritan saw him, he felt sorry for the man,
- Luke 17:16He quickly bowed at Jesus’ feet and thanked him. (The man was a Samaritan.)
- 2 Kings 17:24The king of Assyria brought people from Babylon, Cuthah, Avva, Hamath, and Sepharvaim and settled them in the cities of Samaria in place of the Israelites. They took over Samaria and lived in its cities.
- Ezra 4:1When the enemies of Judah and Benjamin heard that the people who returned from exile were building a temple for the Lord God of Israel,
- Nehemiah 4:1When Sanballat heard we were rebuilding the wall, he became enraged and made fun of the Jews.
- Luke 9:52He sent messengers ahead of him. They went into a Samaritan village to arrange a place for him to stay.
- Acts 1:8But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes to you. Then you will be my witnesses to testify about me in Jerusalem, throughout Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
- Acts 10:28He said to them, “You understand how wrong it is for a Jewish man to associate or visit with anyone of another race. But God has shown me that I should no longer call anyone impure 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
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