The Complete Sayings of Jesus

John Extols Jesus — The Woman at the Well — "One Soweth, and Another Reapeth."

A.D. 27. Age 30 Samaria: Sychar.

John 3, 22 . . . 28; 1-40.

AFTER these things came Jesus and his disciples into the land of Judea. John was baptizing in Enon near to Salim. For John was not yet cast into prison.

There arose a question between some of John's disciples and the Jews. They came unto John, saying, Rabbi, he that was with thee beyond Jordan, to whom thou barest witness, behold, the same baptizeth, and all men come to him. John said, Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him.

When Jesus knew how the Pharisees had heard that he made and baptized more disciples than John (though Jesus himself baptized not, but his disciples), he left Judea, and departed again into Galilee. And he must needs go through Samaria. Then cometh he to a city of Samaria called Sychar, near to the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. Now Jacob's well was there. Jesus being wearied with his journey, sat on the well. There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink. The woman saith, How is it that thou, being a Jew, asketh drink of me, a woman of Samaria? for the Jews have no dealings with the Samarians. Jesus answered, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water. The woman saith, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from whence then hast thou that living water? Art thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his children, and his cattle? Jesus said, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again; but whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life. The woman answered, Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw. Jesus saith, Go, call thy husband, and come hither. The woman answered, I have no husband. Jesus said, Thou hast well said, I have no husband: for thou hast had five husbands; and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband: in that saidst thou truly. The woman saith, Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet. Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship. Jesus saith, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father. Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship; for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. The woman saith, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things. Jesus saith, I that speak unto thee am he. The woman went her way into the city, and saith to the men, Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ?

In the mean while his disciples prayed him, saying, Master, eat. But he said, I have meat to eat that ye know not of. Therefore said the disciples one to another, Hath any man brought him aught to eat? Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work. 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. And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together. And herein is that saying true, One soweth, and another reapeth. I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labor: other men labored, and ye are entered into their labor.

Many of the Samaritans of that city believed on him for the saying of the woman, which testified, He told me all that ever I did. So they besought Jesus that he would tarry with them: and he abode there two days.