New King James Version
John 4:21
21Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe Me, the hour is coming when you will neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, worship the Father.
John 4:21 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father.
- New International Version (NIV)“Woman,” Jesus replied, “believe me, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Jesus said to her, "Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father.
- New Living Translation (NLT)Jesus replied, “Believe me, dear woman, the time is coming when it will no longer matter whether you worship the Father on this mountain or in Jerusalem.
Context of John 4:21
19The woman said to Him, “Sir, I perceive that You are a prophet. 20Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, and you Jews say that in Jerusalem is the place where one ought to worship.” Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe Me, the hour is coming when you will neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, worship the Father. 22You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews. 23But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him.
Read all of John 4John 4:21 word by word
Λέγει αὐτῇ ὁ Ἰησοῦς· πίστευέ μοι, γύναι, ὅτι ἔρχεται ὥρα ὅτε οὔτε ἐν τῷ ὄρει τούτῳ οὔτε ἐν Ἱεροσολύμοις προσκυνήσετε τῷ πατρί.Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Jesusὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- JesusἸησοῦςIēsous · JesusG2424
- saithλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
- unto herαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- Womanγυνήgunē · womanG1135
- believeπιστεύωpisteuō · to trust (in)G4100
- meἐγώegō · I/weG1473
- ·ὅτιhoti · that/since: thatG3754
- the hourὥραhōra · hourG5610
- comethἔρχομαιerchomai · to come/goG2064
- whenὅτεhote ho te hē te tō te · whenG3753
- ye shallπροσκυνέωproskuneō · to worshipG4352
- neitherοὔτεoute · neitherG3777
- inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
- thisοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
- mountainὄροςoros · mountainG3735
- JerusalemἹεροσόλυμαHierosoluma · JerusalemG2414
- the Fatherπατήρpatēr · fatherG3962
Cross-references for John 4:21
- Ezekiel 14:3“Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their hearts, and put before them that which causes them to stumble into iniquity. Should I let Myself be inquired of at all by them?
- Ezekiel 20:3“Son of man, speak to the elders of Israel, and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “Have you come to inquire of Me? As I live,” says the Lord God, “I will not be inquired of by you.” ’
- Malachi 1:11For from the rising of the sun, even to its going down, My name shall be great among the Gentiles; In every place incense shall be offered to My name, And a pure offering; For My name shall be great among the nations,” Says the Lord of hosts.
- Matthew 18:20For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.”
- Luke 21:5Then, as some spoke of the temple, how it was adorned with beautiful stones and donations, He said,
- Acts 6:14for we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and change the customs which Moses delivered to us.”
- 1 Timothy 2:8I desire therefore that the men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting;
- John 4:23But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him.
- John 14:6Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
- Matthew 28:19Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
- Ephesians 2:18For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father.
- Ephesians 3:14For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
- 1 Peter 1:17And if you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves throughout the time of your stay here in fear;
Commentaries on John 4:21
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 21The hour cometh, etc. - The time was now at hand in which the spiritual worship of God was about to be established in the earth, and all the Jewish rites and ceremonies entirely abolished. Worship the Father - This epithet shows the mild, benignant, and tender nature of the Gospel dispensation. Men are called to worship their heavenly Father, and to consider themselves as his children. In reference to this, our Lord's prayer begins, Our Father, who art in…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 21Believe me - As she had professed to believe that he was a prophet, it was right to require her to put faith in what he was about to utter. It also shows the importance of what he was about to say. The hour cometh - The time is coming, or is near. When neither in this mountain - Hitherto the public solemn worship of God has been confined to one place. It has been a matter of dispute whether that place should be Jerusalem or Mount Gerizim. That…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 4:21
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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries