After these things Jesus and His disciples went into the land of Judaea. There He tarried with them and baptized. And John also was baptizing in Aenon near to Salim because there was much water there, so many people came and were baptized. For John was not yet cast into prison.
A question arose between some of John's disciples and the Jews about purifying. They went to John and said, Rabbi, He that was with thee beyond Jordan, to whom thou barest witness, behold, He baptizeth and all men come to Him.
John answered and said, A man can receive nothing unless it be given him from heaven. Ye yourselves bear me witness that I said I am not the Christ but that I am sent before Him. He that hath the bride is the bridegroom, but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth Him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom's voice. This my joy therefore is fulfilled. He must increase, but I must decrease.
He that cometh from above is above all. He that is of the earth is earthly and speaketh of the earth. He that cometh from heaven is above all. All that He hath seen and heard He testifieth and no one receiveth His testimony. He that hath received His testimony hath set to his seal that God is true. For He whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God because God giveth unto Him the Spirit without limit. The Father loveth the Son and hath given all things into His hand. He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life. He that believeth not on the Son shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him.
4. When the Lord knew how the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John, (Though Jesus Himself baptized not, but His disciples) He left Judaea and departed again into Galilee. He needed to go through Samaria. There He came to a city of Samaria called Sychar, which is near the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. Now Jacob's well was there. Jesus, therefore, being wearied with His journey, sat down on the well. It was about the sixth hour. There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water. Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink. (For His disciples were gone away unto the city to buy meat.)
She said unto Him, How is it that Thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, a woman of Samaria? The Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans? Jesus answered and said unto her, 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 unto Him, Sir, Thou hast nothing to draw with and the well is deep. From whence hast Thou that living water? Art Thou greater than our father Jacob who gave us the well and drank thereof himself, and his children, and his cattle?
Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again. But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst. The water that I give him shall be a well of water springing up in him into everlasting life. The woman saith unto Him, Sir, give me this water that I thirst not and never have to come hither to draw it. Jesus saith unto her, Go, call thy husband and come hither. The woman answered and said, I have no husband.
Jesus said unto her, Thou hast well said, I have no husband for thou hast had five husbands. He whom thou now hast is not thy husband. In that saidst thou truly. The woman saith unto Him, 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 unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh when ye shall, neither worship the Father in this mountain nor at Jerusalem. Ye worship ye know not what. We know what we worship because salvation is of the Jews. But the hour cometh, and is now, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth because the Father seeketh such to worship Him. God is a Spirit. They that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth. The woman saith unto Him, I know that a messias cometh which is called Christ. When He is come He will tell us all things. Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am He. At this time His disciples came and they marvelled that He talked with the woman. Yet no man said, What seekest Thou? or, Why talkest Thou with her?