but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never thirst again; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life.”
Parallel translations
- KJV 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.
- BSB But 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.”
- ESV but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”
- NKJV but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.”
- NASB but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never be thirsty; but the water that I will give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up to eternal life.”
- NLT But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life.”
Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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
Whoever drinks the water Jesus gives will never thirst again, for it becomes a spring welling up to eternal life. Christ alone satisfies the soul's deepest thirst.
Overview
The 'living water' Jesus gives, understood as the Spirit and the eternal life he brings, fully and permanently satisfies. Unlike Jacob's well, this water becomes an inner, ongoing source of life. The promise reveals Jesus as the giver of eternal life that no earthly thing can supply.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 18
- John 7:38–39He who believes in me, as the Scripture has said, from within him will flow rivers of living water.”
- John 6:35Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will not be hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.
- Isa 49:10They shall not hunger nor thirst; neither shall the heat nor sun strike them: for he who has mercy on them will lead them. He will guide them by springs of water.
- Rev 7:16They will never be hungry, neither thirsty any more; neither will the sun beat on them, nor any heat;
- Eph 1:13–14in whom you also, having heard the word of the truth, the Good News of your salvation — in whom, having also believed, you were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit,
- John 11:26Whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?”
- John 6:58This is the bread which came down out of heaven — not as our fathers ate the manna, and died. He who eats this bread will live forever.”
- 1 Jn 5:20We know that the Son of God has come, and has given us an understanding, that we know him who is true, and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.
- 2 Cor 1:22who also sealed us, and gave us the down payment of the Spirit in our hearts.
- Rom 6:23For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
- Rom 8:16–17The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God;
- 1 Pet 1:22Seeing you have purified your souls in your obedience to the truth through the Spirit in sincere brotherly affection, love one another from the heart fervently:
- John 17:2–3even as you gave him authority over all flesh, he will give eternal life to all whom you have given him.
- John 10:10The thief only comes to steal, kill, and destroy. I came that they may have life, and may have it abundantly.
- Matt 25:46These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
- John 14:16–19I will pray to the Father, and he will give you another Counselor, that he may be with you forever, —
- Rom 5:21that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
- Eph 4:30Don’t grieve the Holy Spirit of God, in whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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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 4:14 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.