Then they said to the woman, “Now we believe, not just because of what you told us, but because we have heard him ourselves. Now we know that he is indeed the Savior of the world.”
Parallel translations
- WEB They said to the woman, “Now we believe, not because of your speaking; for we have heard for ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Savior of the world.”
- KJV And said unto the woman, Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world.
- BSB They said to the woman, “We now believe not only because of your words; we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man truly is the Savior of the world.”
- NKJV Then they said to the woman, “Now we believe, not because of what you said, for we ourselves have heard Him and we know that this is indeed the Christ, the Savior of the world.”
- NASB and they were saying to the woman, “It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves and know that this One truly is the Savior of the world.”
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
The Samaritans declared Jesus to be the Savior of the world, having heard him for themselves. Their faith matured from borrowed testimony to firsthand conviction.
Overview
This is one of the great confessions in John's Gospel: Jesus is not merely Israel's Messiah but the Savior of the world. Coming from Samaritans, it underscores the universal scope of his saving work. Mature faith must finally rest on Christ himself, known personally, not merely on the report of others.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 19
- 1 Jn 4:14We have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son as the Savior of the world.
- 1 Tim 4:10For to this end we both labor and suffer reproach, because we have set our trust in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of those who believe.
- 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.
- John 1:29The next day, he saw Jesus coming to him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!
- 2 Cor 5:19namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself, not reckoning to them their trespasses, and having committed to us the word of reconciliation.
- Acts 4:12There is salvation in none other, for neither is there any other name under heaven, that is given among men, by which we must be saved!”
- John 6:68–69Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words of eternal life.
- John 3:14–18As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up,
- Isa 45:22“Look to me, and be saved, all the ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is no other.
- Isa 52:10Yahweh has made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.
- Acts 17:11–12Now these were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so.
- John 17:8for the words which you have given me I have given to them, and they received them, and knew for sure that I came from you, and they have believed that you sent me.
- John 4:29“Come, see a man who told me everything that I did. Can this be the Christ?”
- John 1:45–49Philip found Nathanael, and said to him, “We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, wrote: Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.”
- Rom 10:11–13For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes in him will not be disappointed.”
- Luke 2:10–11The angel said to them, “Don’t be afraid, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be to all the people.
- Luke 2:32a light for revelation to the nations, and the glory of your people Israel.”
- Matt 1:21She shall give birth to a son. You shall call his name Jesus, for it is he who shall save his people from their sins.”
- John 11:17So when Jesus came, he found that he had been in the tomb four days already.
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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 4:42 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
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