John 4, side by side

Two versions of the same chapter. Each row is one verse, so you can see how the wording changes.

Modern

1When Jesus realized that the Pharisees were aware He was gaining and baptizing more disciples than John

Classic

1When therefore the LORD knew how the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John,

Modern

2(although it was not Jesus who baptized, but His disciples),

Classic

2(Though Jesus himself baptized not, but his disciples,)

Modern

3He left Judea and returned to Galilee.

Classic

3He left Judaea, and departed again into Galilee.

Modern

4Now He had to pass through Samaria.

Classic

4And he must needs go through Samaria.

Modern

5So He came to a town of Samaria called Sychar, near the plot of ground that Jacob had given to his son Joseph.

Classic

5Then cometh he to a city of Samaria, which is called Sychar, near to the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph.

Modern

6Since Jacob’s well was there, Jesus, weary from His journey, sat down by the well. It was about the sixth hour.

Classic

6Now Jacob’s well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well: and it was about the sixth hour.

Modern

7When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, “Give Me a drink.”

Classic

7There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink.

Modern

8(His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.)

Classic

8(For his disciples were gone away unto the city to buy meat.)

Modern

9“You are a Jew,” said the woman. “How can You ask for a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?” (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.)

Classic

9Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him, How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans.

Modern

10Jesus answered, “If you knew the gift of God and who is asking you for a drink, you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.”

Classic

10Jesus 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.

Modern

11“Sir,” the woman replied, “You have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where then will You get this living water?

Classic

11The woman saith unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from whence then hast thou that living water?

Modern

12Are You greater than our father Jacob, who gave us this well and drank from it himself, as did his sons and his livestock?”

Classic

12Art thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his children, and his cattle?

Modern

13Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again.

Classic

13Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again:

Modern

14But whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a fount of water springing up to eternal life.”

Classic

14But 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.

Modern

15The woman said to Him, “Sir, give me this water so that I will not get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water.”

Classic

15The woman saith unto him, Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw.

Modern

16Jesus told her, “Go, call your husband and come back.”

Classic

16Jesus saith unto her, Go, call thy husband, and come hither.

Modern

17“I have no husband,” the woman replied. Jesus said to her, “You are correct to say that you have no husband.

Classic

17The woman answered and said, I have no husband. Jesus said unto her, Thou hast well said, I have no husband:

Modern

18In fact, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. You have spoken truthfully.”

Classic

18For thou hast had five husbands; and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband: in that saidst thou truly.

Modern

19“Sir,” the woman said, “I see that You are a prophet.

Classic

19The woman saith unto him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet.

Modern

20Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews say that the place where one must worship is in Jerusalem.”

Classic

20Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship.

Modern

21“Believe Me, woman,” Jesus replied, “a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem.

Classic

21Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father.

Modern

22You worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews.

Classic

22Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.

Modern

23But a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth, for the Father is seeking such as these to worship Him.

Classic

23But 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.

Modern

24God is Spirit, and His worshipers must worship Him in spirit and in truth.”

Classic

24God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

Modern

25The woman said, “I know that Messiah” (called Christ) “is coming. When He comes, He will explain everything to us.”

Classic

25The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things.

Modern

26Jesus answered, “I who speak to you am He.”

Classic

26Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he.

Modern

27Just then His disciples returned and were surprised that He was speaking with a woman. But no one asked Him, “What do You want from her?” or “Why are You talking with her?”

Classic

27And upon this came his disciples, and marvelled that he talked with the woman: yet no man said, What seekest thou? or, Why talkest thou with her?

Modern

28Then the woman left her water jar, went back into the town, and said to the people,

Classic

28The woman then left her waterpot, and went her way into the city, and saith to the men,

Modern

29“Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Christ?”

Classic

29Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ?

Modern

30So they left the town and made their way toward Jesus.

Classic

30Then they went out of the city, and came unto him.

Modern

31Meanwhile the disciples urged Him, “Rabbi, eat something.”

Classic

31In the mean while his disciples prayed him, saying, Master, eat.

Modern

32But He told them, “I have food to eat that you know nothing about.”

Classic

32But he said unto them, I have meat to eat that ye know not of.

Modern

33So the disciples asked one another, “Could someone have brought Him food?”

Classic

33Therefore said the disciples one to another, Hath any man brought him ought to eat?

Modern

34Jesus explained, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to finish His work.

Classic

34Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.

Modern

35Do you not say, ‘There are still four months until the harvest’? I tell you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are ripe for harvest.

Classic

35Say 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.

Modern

36Already the reaper draws his wages and gathers a crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may rejoice together.

Classic

36And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together.

Modern

37For in this case the saying ‘One sows and another reaps’ is true.

Classic

37And herein is that saying true, One soweth, and another reapeth.

Modern

38I sent you to reap what you have not worked for; others have done the hard work, and now you have taken up their labor.”

Classic

38I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labour: other men laboured, and ye are entered into their labours.

Modern

39Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in Jesus because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me everything I ever did.”

Classic

39And 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.

Modern

40So when the Samaritans came to Him, they asked Him to stay with them, and He stayed two days.

Classic

40So when the Samaritans were come unto him, they besought him that he would tarry with them: and he abode there two days.

Modern

41And many more believed because of His message.

Classic

41And many more believed because of his own word;

Modern

42They said to the woman, “We now believe not only because of your words; we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man truly is the Savior of the world.”

Classic

42And said unto the woman, Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world.

Modern

43After two days, Jesus left for Galilee.

Classic

43Now after two days he departed thence, and went into Galilee.

Modern

44Now He Himself had testified that a prophet has no honor in his own hometown.

Classic

44For Jesus himself testified, that a prophet hath no honour in his own country.

Modern

45Yet when He arrived, the Galileans welcomed Him. They had seen all the great things He had done in Jerusalem at the feast, for they had gone there as well.

Classic

45Then when he was come into Galilee, the Galilaeans received him, having seen all the things that he did at Jerusalem at the feast: for they also went unto the feast.

Modern

46So once again He came to Cana in Galilee, where He had turned the water into wine. And there was a royal official whose son lay sick at Capernaum.

Classic

46So Jesus came again into Cana of Galilee, where he made the water wine. And there was a certain nobleman, whose son was sick at Capernaum.

Modern

47When he heard that Jesus had come from Judea to Galilee, he went and begged Him to come down and heal his son, who was about to die.

Classic

47When he heard that Jesus was come out of Judaea into Galilee, he went unto him, and besought him that he would come down, and heal his son: for he was at the point of death.

Modern

48Jesus said to him, “Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will never believe.”

Classic

48Then said Jesus unto him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe.

Modern

49“Sir,” the official said, “come down before my child dies.”

Classic

49The nobleman saith unto him, Sir, come down ere my child die.

Modern

50“Go,” said Jesus. “Your son will live.” The man took Jesus at His word and departed.

Classic

50Jesus saith unto him, Go thy way; thy son liveth. And the man believed the word that Jesus had spoken unto him, and he went his way.

Modern

51And while he was still on the way, his servants met him with the news that his boy was alive.

Classic

51And as he was now going down, his servants met him, and told him, saying, Thy son liveth.

Modern

52So he inquired as to the hour when his son had recovered, and they told him, “The fever left him yesterday at the seventh hour.”

Classic

52Then enquired he of them the hour when he began to amend. And they said unto him, Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him.

Modern

53Then the father realized that this was the very hour in which Jesus had told him, “Your son will live.” And he and all his household believed.

Classic

53So the father knew that it was at the same hour, in the which Jesus said unto him, Thy son liveth: and himself believed, and his whole house.

Modern

54This was now the second sign that Jesus performed after coming from Judea into Galilee.

Classic

54This is again the second miracle that Jesus did, when he was come out of Judaea into Galilee.

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