Jesus replied, “Anyone who drinks this water will soon become thirsty again.
Parallel translations
- WEB Jesus answered her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will thirst again,
- KJV Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again:
- BSB Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again.
- NKJV Jesus answered and said to her, “Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again,
- NASB Jesus answered and said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again;
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Jesus replies that everyone who drinks well water will be thirsty again. Earthly satisfactions never permanently quench human need.
Overview
Jesus contrasts ordinary water, which only temporarily relieves thirst, with the gift he gives. The point reaches beyond physical thirst to the deeper longings of the soul. It prepares for his promise of water that satisfies forever.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 4
- John 6:27Don’t work for the food which perishes, but for the food which remains to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For God the Father has sealed him.”
- Isa 65:13–14Therefore thus says the Lord Yahweh, “Behold, my servants will eat, but you will be hungry; behold, my servants will drink, but you will be thirsty. Behold, my servants will rejoice, but you will be disappointed;
- Luke 16:24He cried and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue! For I am in anguish in this flame.’
- John 6:49Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Commentaries & study tools
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Christ at the center
John declares him plainly: the eternal Word made flesh, the Lamb of God, the great 'I AM' — bread, light, door, shepherd, way, truth, life, resurrection — that you may believe and have life in his name.
How John 4:13 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.