New Living Translation
John 4:35
35You know the saying, ‘Four months between planting and harvest.’ But I say, wake up and look around. The fields are already ripe for harvest.
John 4:35 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.
- New International Version (NIV)Don’t you have a saying, ‘It’s still four months until harvest’? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Do you not say, 'There are yet four months, then comes the harvest'? Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Do you not say, ‘There are still four months and then comes the harvest’? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest!
Context of John 4:35
33“Did someone bring him food while we were gone?” the disciples asked each other. 34Then Jesus explained: “My nourishment comes from doing the will of God, who sent me, and from finishing his work. You know the saying, ‘Four months between planting and harvest.’ But I say, wake up and look around. The fields are already ripe for harvest. 36The harvesters are paid good wages, and the fruit they harvest is people brought to eternal life. What joy awaits both the planter and the harvester alike! 37You know the saying, ‘One plants and another harvests.’ And it’s true.
Read all of John 4John 4:35 word by word
οὐχ ὑμεῖς λέγετε ὅτι ἔτι τετράμηνός ἐστιν καὶ ὁ θερισμὸς ἔρχεται; ἰδοὺ λέγω ὑμῖν· ἐπάρατε τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς ὑμῶν καὶ θεάσασθε τὰς χώρας ὅτι λευκαί εἰσιν πρὸς θερισμόν ἤδη.Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Sayλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
- notοὐou · noG3756
- yeσύsu · youG4771
- ·ὅτιhoti · that/since: thatG3754
- There areεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
- yetἔτιeti · stillG2089
- four monthsτετράμηνοςtetramēnon · four monthsG5072
- andκαίkai · andG2532
- comethἔρχομαιerchomai · to come/goG2064
- harvestὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- harvestθερισμόςtherismos · harvestG2326
- beholdὁράωhoraō · to see: seeG3708
- Lift upἐπαίρωepairō · to lift upG1869
- eyesὀφθαλμόςophthalmos · eyeG3788
- look onθεάομαιtheaomai · to look atG2300
- the fieldsχώραchōra · countryG5561
- whiteλευκόςleukos · whiteG3022
- alreadyἤδηēdē · alreadyG2235
- toπρόςpros · to/withG4314
Cross-references for John 4:35
Commentaries on John 4:35
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 35There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? - In Palestine, the harvest did not begin till after the passover, which was fixed on the 14th of the month Nisan, which answers to our March, and sometimes extends into April. The barley harvest was the first; after that the wheat; and both were finished by Pentecost. For, in the feast of Pentecost, the first fruits of all the harvest were carried to the temple, and waved before the Lord. See Leviticus…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 35Say not ye - This seems to have been a proverb. Ye say - that is, men say. Four months and - The common time from sowing the seed to the harvest, in Judea, was about “four months.” The meaning of this passage may be thus expressed: “The husbandman, when he sows his seed, is compelled to wait a considerable period before it produces a crop. He is encouraged in sowing it; he expects fruit; his labor is lightened by that expectation; but it is not…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. 35four months until the harvest: Jesus referred to a common saying about farming. Farmers usually waited about four months between planting seed and gathering the crop. In Samaria, it was likely the time of harvest, and the fields were ready to be gathered. Jesus used this picture to speak about people, not crops. He had spoken with the woman at the well and planted spiritual seed (God’s message). Soon after, many Samaritans believed in him (4:39–42). In…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 4:35
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 Living Translation — © 1996, 2004, 2015 Tyndale House Foundation
Commentaries