Jesus answered, “I who speak to you am He.”
Parallel translations
- WEB Jesus said to her, “I am he, the one who speaks to you.”
- KJV Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he.
- NKJV Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you am He. ”
- NASB Jesus *said to her, “I am He, the One speaking to you.”
- NLT Then Jesus told her, “I Am the Messiah!”
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 plainly tells her, 'I am he,' identifying himself as the Messiah. This is one of his clearest self-revelations, given to a Samaritan woman.
Overview
Jesus openly claims to be the awaited Christ, a disclosure he rarely makes so directly. The Greek 'I am' may also echo the divine name, hinting at his deeper identity. That he reveals himself first and so clearly to a Samaritan woman magnifies the breadth and grace of his mission.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 8
- John 8:24That is why I told you that you would die in your sins. For unless you believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.”
- Mark 14:61–62But Jesus remained silent and made no reply. Again the high priest questioned Him, “Are You the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?”
- Rom 10:20–21And Isaiah boldly says: “I was found by those who did not seek Me; I revealed Myself to those who did not ask for Me.”
- John 9:35–37When Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, He found the man and said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?”
- Matt 26:63–64But Jesus remained silent. Then the high priest said to Him, “I charge You under oath by the living God: Tell us if You are the Christ, the Son of God.”
- Luke 13:30And indeed, some who are last will be first, and some who are first will be last.”
- Matt 20:15Do I not have the right to do as I please with what is mine? Or are you envious because I am generous?’
- Matt 16:20Then He admonished the disciples not to tell anyone that He was the Christ.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
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 4:26 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.