The Samaritan woman
She came to draw water at noon, and left her water jar to tell her town about Jesus.
New Testament · 1st century · John · Also known as The woman at the well
About The Samaritan woman
An unnamed Samaritan woman came to Jacob’s well at noon and found Jesus, tired from his journey, sitting there. He asked her for a drink, which startled her, "for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans." He offered her "living water," told her about her life, though she had said little, and spoke of worship "in spirit and in truth." When she spoke of the coming Messiah, Jesus said, "I that speak unto thee am he," one of his plainest statements in the Gospels. She left her water pot, ran into the town, and said, "Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did." Many Samaritans believed.
Jews and Samaritans had been divided for centuries over history, worship and which mountain was holy. A Jewish teacher talking alone with a Samaritan woman broke several social customs, which is why the disciples "marvelled that he talked with the woman." Scripture doesn’t name her.
The story
Give me to drink
Jesus, "wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well: and it was about the sixth hour." A woman of Samaria came to draw water. "Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink." She replied, "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."
John 4:5-9
Living water
"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." "Sir, give me this water," she said.
John 4:10-15
I that speak unto thee am he
Jesus told her she had had five husbands, and the man she now had was not her husband. "Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet." He spoke of a time when "the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth." She said, "I know that Messias cometh." "Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he."
John 4:16-26
Come, see a man
"The woman then left her waterpot, and 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?" Many Samaritans believed, and said, "this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world."
John 4:28-42
Key moments
- Meets Jesus at Jacob’s well: At the sixth hour. (John 4:6-7)
- Offered living water: "Shall never thirst." (John 4:14)
- Worship in spirit and truth: Not on a mountain. (John 4:23)
- "I that speak unto thee am he": Jesus names himself Messiah. (John 4:26)
- Tells her town: "Come, see a man." (John 4:29)
Questions about The Samaritan woman
In meetBible these answers are given in The Samaritan woman’s voice. They are written by hand and checked against Scripture.
What is living water?
I first thought Jesus meant fresh, flowing water. He said, "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." Later in John’s Gospel, Jesus speaks of "rivers of living water," and John explains, "this spake he of the Spirit."
Why was it surprising that Jesus talked to you?
I said it myself: "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." When his disciples returned, they "marvelled that he talked with the woman." He crossed the divide between our peoples, and the expectations about men and women, to speak with me.
Connected people
Read it yourself
Start with John 4:1-42.