Jesus told her, “Go, call your husband and come back.”
Parallel translations
- WEB Jesus said to her, “Go, call your husband, and come here.”
- KJV Jesus saith unto her, Go, call thy husband, and come hither.
- NKJV Jesus said to her, “Go, call your husband, and come here.”
- NASB He *said to her, “Go, call your husband and come here.”
- NLT “Go and get your husband,” Jesus told her.
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 tells her to call her husband and come back. This turns the conversation toward her personal life and need for honesty.
Overview
By asking about her husband, Jesus exposes the moral and relational reality beneath her request. It is not a trap but a means of leading her to self-knowledge and truth. The exchange shows that receiving living water involves facing one's actual condition before God.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 7
- Heb 4:13Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight; everything is uncovered and exposed before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.
- Rev 2:23Then I will strike her children dead, and all the churches will know that I am the One who searches minds and hearts, and I will repay each of you according to your deeds.
- John 21:17Jesus asked a third time, “Simon son of John, do you love Me?” Peter was deeply hurt that Jesus had asked him a third time, “Do you love Me?” “Lord, You know all things,” he replied. “You know I love You.” Jesus said to him, “Feed My sheep.
- John 2:24–25But Jesus did not entrust Himself to them, for He knew them all.
- John 1:47–48When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, He said of him, “Here is a true Israelite, in whom there is no deceit.”
- John 4:18In fact, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. You have spoken truthfully.”
- John 1:42Andrew brought him to Jesus, who looked at him and said, “You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas” (which is translated as Peter).
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 4:16 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.