Paragraph 4:19–26

The woman next asked Jesus about where people should worship God. The Samaritans said it was right to worship on Mount Gerizim, but the Jews worshiped in Jerusalem. Jesus said that where people worship is not important. It is how they worship that is important.

Jesus also said that the Samaritans really did not know whom they worshiped. The Jewish people knew whom they worshiped, and it was through them that all people will be saved. The woman mentioned the Messiah or Chosen Savior who was coming. Jesus told her that he was the Messiah. This is a very important part of the story.

4:19a

Sir: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Sir is more literally “lord.” It is a polite form of address for an important person. See 4:11a.

the woman said: The Greek contains a phrase that the New Revised Standard Version translates literally as “to him” in order to indicate that Jesus was the one whom the woman was talking to. In some languages it may be natural to that this explicitly. For example:

The woman said to him (New Revised Standard Version)

4:19b

I see that You are a prophet: The woman realized that Jesus was someone important. She thought he was a prophet because he knew things about her that she had not told him.

I see: The word see here means “understand” or “recognize.” The woman realized that Jesus’ knowledge was greater than that of an ordinary human. She believed that God had revealed to Jesus about her five husbands.

Here is another way to translate this clause:

You must be a prophet. (New Living Translation (2004))

prophet: A prophet is a person who speaks as God’s representative. He receives messages from God for people. In this way he may know things that people cannot know naturally.

Here are some ways to translate prophet :

a messenger/representative for God
-or-
a man who speaks God’s words
-or-
God’s message-speaker

Consider how you will translate words that are similar in meaning, such as “angel,” “apostle,” and “preacher.”

See how you translated this word in 1:21d. See also prophet 1(a) in Key Biblical Terms.

General Comment on 4:19a–b

Place the quote introducer where it is natural in your language. For example:

‘Sir,’ replied the woman, ‘I can see you are a prophet.’ (Revised English Bible)
-or-
“I see you are a prophet, sir,” the woman said. (Good News Translation)

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