New King James Version
John 4:38
38I sent you to reap that for which you have not labored; others have labored, and you have entered into their labors.”
John 4:38 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labour: other men laboured, and ye are entered into their labours.
- New International Version (NIV)I sent you to reap what you have not worked for. Others have done the hard work, and you have reaped the benefits of their labor.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)I sent you to reap that for which you did not labor. Others have labored, and you have entered into their labor."
- New Living Translation (NLT)I sent you to harvest where you didn’t plant; others had already done the work, and now you will get to gather the harvest.”
Context of John 4:38
36And he who reaps receives wages, and gathers fruit for eternal life, that both he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together. 37For in this the saying is true: ‘One sows and another reaps.’ I sent you to reap that for which you have not labored; others have labored, and you have entered into their labors.” 39And many of the Samaritans of that city believed in Him because of the word of the woman who testified, “He told me all that I ever did.” 40So when the Samaritans had come to Him, they urged Him to stay with them; and He stayed there two days.
Read all of John 4John 4:38 word by word
ἐγὼ ἀπέστειλα ὑμᾶς θερίζειν ὃ οὐχ ὑμεῖς κεκοπιάκατε· ἄλλοι κεκοπιάκασιν, καὶ ὑμεῖς εἰς τὸν κόπον αὐτῶν εἰσεληλύθατε.Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Iἐγώegō · I/weG1473
- sentἀποστέλλωapostellō · to sendG649
- youσύsu · youG4771
- to reapθερίζωtheridō · to reapG2325
- that whereonὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
- bestowedκοπιάωkopiaō · to laborG2872
- noοὐou · noG3756
- other menἄλλοςallos · anotherG243
- andκαίkai · andG2532
- are enteredεἰσέρχομαιeiserchomai · to enterG1525
- intoεἰςeis · towardG1519
- theirαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- laboursὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- laboursκόποςkopos · laborG2873
Cross-references for John 4:38
- Acts 2:41Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them.
- Acts 4:4However, many of those who heard the word believed; and the number of the men came to be about five thousand.
- Acts 5:14And believers were increasingly added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women,
- Acts 6:7Then the word of God spread, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were obedient to the faith.
- Acts 8:4Therefore those who were scattered went everywhere preaching the word.
- John 1:7This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe.
- 2 Chronicles 36:15And the Lord God of their fathers sent warnings to them by His messengers, rising up early and sending them, because He had compassion on His people and on His dwelling place.
- Jeremiah 44:4However I have sent to you all My servants the prophets, rising early and sending them, saying, “Oh, do not do this abominable thing that I hate!”
- Matthew 3:1In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea,
- Matthew 4:23And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease among the people.
- Matthew 11:8But what did you go out to see? A man clothed in soft garments? Indeed, those who wear soft clothing are in kings’ houses.
- Acts 10:37that word you know, which was proclaimed throughout all Judea, and began from Galilee after the baptism which John preached:
- 1 Peter 1:11searching what, or what manner of time, the Spirit of Christ who was in them was indicating when He testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow.
Commentaries on John 4:38
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 38I sent you - In the commission given you to preach the gospel. You have not labored or toiled in preparing the way for the great harvest which is now to be gathered in. Other men laboured - (1)The prophets, who long labored to prepare the way for the coming of the Messiah. (2)the teachers among the Jews, who have read and explained the law and taught the people. (3)John the Baptist, who came to prepare the way. And, (4)The Saviour himself, who by his…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 27-42Verses 27-42 The disciples wondered that Christ talked thus with a Samaritan. Yet they knew it was for some good reason, and for some good end. Thus when particular difficulties occur in the word and providence of God, it is good to satisfy ourselves that all is well that Jesus Christ says and does. Two things affected the woman. The extent of his knowledge. Christ knows all the thoughts, words, and actions, of all the children of men. And the power of…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 38others: Jesus might have meant John the Baptist. Or, he might have been referring to the work he had just done with the Samaritan woman.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 31-3831-38. meantime--that is, while the woman was away. Master, eat--Fatigue and thirst we saw He felt; here is revealed another of our common infirmities to which the Lord was subject--hunger.Read the comment
Topics related to John 4:38
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