20
Our fathersοἱ πατέρες ἡμῶνworshipedπροσεκύνησανonἐνthis mountain,τῷ ὄρει τούτῳandκαὶyouὑμεῖςsayλέγετεthatὅτιinἐνJerusalemἹεροσολύμοιςisἐστὶνthe placeὁ τόποςwhereὅπουone mustδεῖworship.”προσκυνεῖν
John 4:20
Study it in the app“Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, and you say that in Jerusalem is the place where one must worship.””
Jesus tells the Samaritan woman the Father seeks worshipers in spirit and truthPraise and worship
With the Greek beneath
John 4:20, word by word
- Our fathersπατέρεςpateres
forefather
An ancestor: Abraham as the founder of the family.
Where else “pateres” appears- worshipedπροσεκύνησανprosekynēsan
worship
To give honor and devotion to God, or other gods.
Where else “prosekynēsan” appears- this mountainὄρειorei
mountain
Mountain, hill.
Where else “orei” appears- sayλέγετεlegete
say
To express something in words to others.
Where else “legete” appears- JerusalemἹεροσολύμοιςHierosolymois
Jerusalem
See it on the mapWhere else “Hierosolymois” appears- isἐστὶνestin
be present
To be in a place or with someone.
Where else “estin” appears- the placeτόποςtopos
place
A specific spot where something is or happens.
Where else “topos” appears- whereὅπουhopou
where
Where, wherever.
Where else “hopou” appears- one mustδεῖdei
must
Something that has to be done.
Where else “dei” appears
Translation note
“This mountain” is Gerizim, where the Samaritans worshiped. Elsewhere proskyneō is rendered “bow down”; here it is worship itself.
Places in this verse
Jerusalem
Today: Old City of Jerusalem
A city in the hills of Judea, about 22 miles (35 km) west of the Dead Sea and 35 miles (55 km) east of the Mediterranean.
David took it and made it his city (2 Sam 5:7); Solomon built the temple there (1 Kgs 8:1). Jesus was presented there, and the apostles' witness began from it (Luke 2:22; Acts 1:8).
The context
19The woman says to him, “Sir, I see that you are a prophet.
20 · This verse (above)
21Jesus says to her, “Believe me, woman, an hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father.
To study John 4 in a group
1. What it says
What does Jesus ask of the Samaritan woman at the well, and what does he offer her? (vv. 7-15)
2. What it means
Jesus says God seeks worshipers who worship “in spirit and truth.” What answer does he give to her question about the place? (vv. 20-24)
3. How I live it
The woman left her water jar and told others what had happened to her (vv. 28-29). Whom could you invite to “come and see” something good?