Swindoll Study Bible - Book of John - Flipbook - Page 22
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18 “There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him
has already been judged for not believing in God’s
one and only Son. 19 And the judgment is based on
this fact: God’s light came into the world, but people
loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil. 20 All who do evil hate the light and
refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed.
21 But those who do what is right come to the light so
others can see that they are doing what God wants.*”
John the Baptist Exalts Jesus
22 Then Jesus
and his disciples left Jerusalem and
went into the Judean countryside. Jesus spent some
time with them there, baptizing people.
23 At this time John the Baptist was baptizing at Ae
non, near Salim, because there was plenty of water
there; and people kept coming to him for baptism.
24 (This was before John was thrown into prison.)
25 A debate broke out between John’s disciples and a
certain Jew* over ceremonial cleansing. 26 So John’s
disciples came to him and said, “Rabbi, the man you
met on the other side of the Jordan River, the one you
identified as the Messiah, is also baptizing people.
And everybody is going to him instead of coming
to us.”
27 John replied, “No one can receive anything unless God gives it from heaven. 28 You yourselves
know how plainly I told you, ‘I am not the Messiah.
I am only here to prepare the way for him.’ 29 It is the
bridegroom who marries the bride, and the bridegroom’s friend is simply glad to stand with him and
hear his vows. Therefore, I am filled with joy at his
success. 30 He must become greater and greater, and
I must become less and less.
31 “He has come from above and is greater than
anyone else. We are of the earth, and we speak of
earthly things, but he has come from heaven and is
greater than anyone else.* 32 He testifies about what
he has seen and heard, but how few believe what
he tells them! 33 Anyone who accepts his testimony
can affirm that God is true. 34 For he is sent by God.
He speaks God’s words, for God gives him the Spirit
J ohn 4 : 1 7
without limit. 35 The Father loves his Son and has
put everything into his hands. 36 And anyone who
believes in God’s Son has eternal life. Anyone who
doesn’t obey the Son will never experience eternal
life but remains under God’s angry judgment.”
Jesus and the Samaritan Woman
4
J esus* knew the Pharisees had heard that he was
baptizing and making more disciples than John
2 (though Jesus himself didn’t baptize them—his disciples did). 3 So he left Judea and returned to Galilee.
4 He had to go through Samaria on the way. 5 Eventually he came to the Samaritan village of Sychar, near
the field that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. 6 Jacob’s
well was there; and Jesus, tired from the long walk,
sat wearily beside the well about noontime. 7 Soon a
Samaritan woman came to draw water, and Jesus said
to her, “Please give me a drink.” 8 He was alone at the
time because his disciples had gone into the village
to buy some food.
9 The woman was surprised, for Jews refuse to have
anything to do with Samaritans.* She said to Jesus,
“You are a Jew, and I am a Samaritan woman. Why are
you asking me for a drink?”
10 Jesus replied, “If you only knew the gift God has
for you and who you are speaking to, you would ask
me, and I would give you living water.”
11 “But sir, you don’t have a rope or a bucket,” she
said, “and this well is very deep. Where would you get
this living water? 12 And besides, do you think you’re
greater than our ancestor Jacob, who gave us this
well? How can you offer better water than he and his
sons and his animals enjoyed?”
13 Jesus replied, “Anyone who drinks this water will
soon become thirsty again. 14 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.”
15 “Please, sir,” the woman said, “give me this water!
Then I’ll never be thirsty again, and I won’t have to
come here to get water.”
16 “Go and get your husband,” Jesus told her.
17 “I don’t have a husband,” the woman replied.
3:21 Or can see God at work in what he is doing. 3:25 Some manuscripts read some Jews. 3:31 Some manuscripts do not include and is greater than anyone else.
4:1 Some manuscripts read The Lord. 4:9 Some manuscripts do not include this sentence.
“He must become greater and greater, and I must
become less and less” (John 3:30). John the Baptist’s
words ring with humility and joy. John’s disciples were
worried about his followers now going after Jesus, but
John knew that this was good and right. John wasn’t the
Messiah; he came to point to the Messiah. When Jesus
arrived on the scene, John was thrilled: “I am filled with
joy at his success” (John 3:29).
A FAVOR John 4:7 If you know anything about human
nature, you know that one of the ways to break down that
strange, distant feeling that can come when you meet a
stranger is to ask for a favor. That was Jesus’ approach,
and He knows human nature better than anyone. He
broke down social and cultural barriers by appealing to
this woman’s kindness.
HE ALREADY KNOWS John 4:16-18 I think Jesus
was acting something like an attorney who has a portfolio
of facts and drops a question on a w
itness—a question
the witness is not expecting and doesn’t even know the
attorney has information about. Jesus knew the truth about
this woman, and He knows the truth about you and me. He
always does. There’s no point in trying to pull one over on
Him. He already knows it all.
LIVING INSIGHTS
HE MUST BECOME GREATER John 3:26-30
