Greek Text · Translation · Interlinear · Discourse Structure

The Gospel according to John, Chapter 4ΚΑΤΑ ΙΩΑΝΝΗΝ Δ′

Each verse opens with the running Greek, an English translation, and a discourse note (its connective, relation, and role in the argument). Below follows the word-by-word breakdown in six tiers: gloss, case (color), parsing, syntax, semantic force, and a lexical note.

Case Nominative Genitive Dative Accusative Vocative Verb (no case) Indeclinable

Discourse notes head each verse: relation · connective · clause-flow. Indentation marks prominence — flush-left = main line of argument; indented = supporting / subordinate material.

1

Ὡς οὖν ἔγνω ὁ Ἰησοῦς ὅτι ἤκουσαν οἱ Φαρισαῖοι ὅτι Ἰησοῦς πλείονας μαθητὰς ποιεῖ καὶ βαπτίζει ἢ Ἰωάννης,

When therefore Jesus learned that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus was making and baptizing more disciples than John,

Temporal-inferential introductionὩς οὖνThe οὖν is resumptive, picking up the thread from 3:22–36 (the Baptist's final testimony). Ὡς + aorist marks the moment Jesus becomes aware of the Pharisees' awareness — the political pressure that triggers the withdrawal to Galilee.
Ὡςwhentemporal conjunction
οὖνthereforeinferential/resumptive particle
ἔγνωhe learned / he knewAor Act Indic 3 Sg · γινώσκωmain verb (temporal clause)→ constative aorist (moment of perception)γινώσκω: 'know, perceive, learn'; here a moment of realization with political consequences.
theNominativearticle
ἸησοῦςJesusNominativesubject of ἔγνωἸησοῦς: Jesus.
ὅτιthatconjunction introducing indirect statement
ἤκουσανhad heardAor Act Indic 3 Pl · ἀκούωverb of indirect statement→ constative aoristἀκούω: 'hear'; the Pharisees' intelligence-gathering drives the narrative.
οἱtheNominativearticle
ΦαρισαῖοιPhariseesNominativesubject of ἤκουσανΦαρισαῖος: 'Pharisee'; the authoritative religious party whose scrutiny repeatedly provokes Jesus' movements in John.
ὅτιthatconjunction introducing second indirect statement
ἸησοῦςJesusNominativesubject of ποιεῖ and βαπτίζει
πλείοναςmoreAccusativeaccusative of comparison (direct object of ποιεῖ)πλείων: comparative of πολύς; Jesus' movement surpasses John's in numerical reach.
μαθητὰςdisciplesAccusativedirect objectμαθητής: 'learner, disciple'; the making of disciples is the contested activity.
ποιεῖmakesPres Act Indic 3 Sg · ποιέωpredicate (indirect statement)→ descriptive presentποιέω: 'make, do'; 'making disciples' — discipleship-formation as an ongoing activity.
καὶandcoordinating conjunction
βαπτίζειbaptizesPres Act Indic 3 Sg · βαπτίζωpredicate (coordinated with ποιεῖ)→ descriptive presentβαπτίζω: 'baptize, immerse'; the narrator will clarify in v.2 that Jesus himself did not baptize — his disciples did.
thancomparative particle
ἸωάννηςJohnNominativestandard of comparisonἸωάννης: John the Baptist, whose role was established in 1:6–8 and 3:22–30.
2

καίτοιγε Ἰησοῦς αὐτὸς οὐκ ἐβάπτιζεν ἀλλ᾽ οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ,

although Jesus himself was not baptizing but his disciples were,

Concessive parenthesis (narrator's gloss)καίτοιγεA rare NT particle (only here), the narrator steps outside the story to correct a potential misreading: the report that 'Jesus baptizes' is technically inaccurate — his disciples performed the rite. The imperfect ἐβάπτιζεν underscores the ongoing non-practice.
καίτοιγεalthough indeedconcessive particle (parenthetical)καίτοιγε: 'and yet, although indeed'; strengthened form of καίτοι; NT hapax; marks a concessive corrective aside.
ἸησοῦςJesusNominativesubject
αὐτὸςhimselfNominativeintensive pronoun (emphatic)αὐτός: emphatic 'himself' — underscores the personal distinction from his disciples.
οὐκnotnegative particle
ἐβάπτιζενwas baptizingImpf Act Indic 3 Sg · βαπτίζωmain verb of parenthesis→ descriptive imperfect (ongoing non-practice)βαπτίζω: the imperfect denotes a continuing state — at no point was Jesus personally administering baptism.
ἀλλ᾽butadversative conjunction
οἱtheNominativearticle
μαθηταὶdisciplesNominativesubject of implied verbμαθητής: 'disciple'; the disciples act as Jesus' agents in baptism.
αὐτοῦof him / hisGenitivegenitive of possession
3

ἀφῆκεν τὴν Ἰουδαίαν καὶ ἀπῆλθεν πάλιν εἰς τὴν Γαλιλαίαν.

he left Judea and departed again into Galilee.

Narrative main clause (result of v.1)asyndetonAsyndeton resumes the main narrative after the parenthesis of v.2. The two aorists (ἀφῆκεν, ἀπῆλθεν) are sequential punctiliar acts. Πάλιν ('again') recalls the Galilean origins of 1:43 and the movement from 2:1.
ἀφῆκενhe leftAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ἀφίημιmain verb→ constative aorist (decisive departure)ἀφίημι: 'let go, leave, forsake'; here a deliberate withdrawal triggered by political pressure.
τὴνtheAccusativearticle
ἸουδαίανJudeaAccusativedirect objectἸουδαία: the southern region centered on Jerusalem; the zone of Pharisaic scrutiny.
καὶandcoordinating conjunction
ἀπῆλθενhe departedAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ἀπέρχομαιcoordinated main verb→ constative aoristἀπέρχομαι: 'go away, depart'; emphasizes movement away from a place.
πάλινagainadverb of repetitionπάλιν: 'again'; links this journey to previous Galilean episodes (cf. 2:1, 1:43).
εἰςintopreposition + accusative (goal)
τὴνtheAccusativearticle
ΓαλιλαίανGalileeAccusativeaccusative of goal (after εἰς)Γαλιλαία: the northern region; Jesus' home territory, associated with welcome rather than hostility (cf. v.45).
4

ἔδει δὲ αὐτὸν διέρχεσθαι διὰ τῆς Σαμαρείας.

Now it was necessary for him to pass through Samaria.

Narrative circumstance (divine necessity)δέThe impersonal ἔδει ('it was necessary') carries Johannine theological weight: the 'must' of divine necessity that governs Jesus' itinerary. Geographically Samaria lay between Judea and Galilee; many Jews went around via Perea, but the divine purpose required this route.
ἔδειit was necessaryImpf Act Indic 3 Sg · δεῖimpersonal main verb of necessity→ descriptive imperfect (continuing necessity)δεῖ: 'it is necessary'; the impersonal verb of divine compulsion throughout John (3:14, 30; 9:4; 10:16); here it governs the whole Samaritan encounter as purposed by God.
δὲnowmild adversative/continuative particle
αὐτὸνhimAccusativeaccusative subject of infinitive
διέρχεσθαιto pass throughPres Mid/Pass Inf · διέρχομαιinfinitive (subject complement of ἔδει)→ present infinitive (progressive journey)διέρχομαι: 'pass through, travel through'; the compound captures traversal of a territory.
διὰthroughpreposition + genitive (route)
τῆςtheGenitivearticle
ΣαμαρείαςSamariaGenitivegenitive of route (after διά)Σαμάρεια: the central territory between Judea and Galilee, home of the Samaritans; a zone of ethnic and religious tension with Jewish groups since the Assyrian resettlement (2 Kgs 17).
5

ἔρχεται οὖν εἰς πόλιν τῆς Σαμαρείας λεγομένην Συχὰρ πλησίον τοῦ χωρίου ὃ ἔδωκεν Ἰακὼβ τῷ Ἰωσὴφ τῷ υἱῷ αὐτοῦ·

So he comes to a city of Samaria called Sychar, near the plot of land that Jacob gave to his son Joseph.

Narrative consequence (arrival)οὖνThe historic present ἔρχεται is vivid and typical of John's narrative technique. The patriarchal reference to Jacob and Joseph (Gen 33:18–19; 48:22) situates the encounter in the deep story of Israel; the well is about to be explicitly identified as Jacob's. Sychar is traditionally identified with ancient Shechem or nearby Askar.
ἔρχεταιhe comesPres Mid Indic 3 Sg · ἔρχομαιmain verb (historic present)→ historical present (vivid narration)ἔρχομαι: 'come, go'; the historic present is John's preferred narrative tense for vivid foreground events.
οὖνso / thereforeinferential particle
εἰςto / intopreposition + accusative (goal)
πόλινa cityAccusativeaccusative of goalπόλις: 'city'; an inhabited town, contrasted with the rural well outside it.
τῆςof theGenitivearticle
ΣαμαρείαςSamariaGenitivegenitive of location/belongingΣαμάρεια: the region; the city belongs to Samaritan territory.
λεγομένηνcalledPres Pass Part Acc Sg Fem · λέγωattributive participle (modifying πόλιν)λέγω: 'call, name'; the passive participle in attribution identifies the city by its name.
ΣυχὰρSycharAccusativepredicate name (apposition)Συχάρ: traditionally identified with Shechem (Gen 33:18) or the nearby village Askar; exact identification debated.
πλησίονnearadverb of proximity (+ genitive)πλησίον: 'near, close to'; sets the spatial relationship between the city and the patriarchal field.
τοῦtheGenitivearticle
χωρίουplot of land / fieldGenitivegenitive after πλησίονχωρίον: 'place, plot, piece of ground'; the specific parcel, evoking Gen 33:18–19 and 48:22.
that / whichAccusativerelative pronoun (object of ἔδωκεν)
ἔδωκενgaveAor Act Indic 3 Sg · δίδωμιverb of relative clause→ constative aorist (past patriarchal grant)δίδωμι: 'give'; the land-gift to Joseph (cf. Gen 48:22 — Jacob gives Shechem to Joseph as a portion above his brothers).
ἸακὼβJacobNominativesubject of ἔδωκενἸακώβ: the patriarch; his well (v.6) and this land-grant ground the encounter in Israel's history.
τῷto theDativearticle
ἸωσὴφJosephDativeindirect object (dative of recipient)Ἰωσήφ: Joseph, son of Jacob, buried at Shechem (Josh 24:32).
τῷtheDativearticle
υἱῷsonDativeapposition to Ἰωσήφυἱός: 'son'; identifies the relationship.
αὐτοῦof him / hisGenitivegenitive of relationship
6

ἦν δὲ ἐκεῖ πηγὴ τοῦ Ἰακώβ. ὁ οὖν Ἰησοῦς κεκοπιακὼς ἐκ τῆς ὁδοιπορίας ἐκαθέζετο οὕτως ἐπὶ τῇ πηγῇ· ὥρα ἦν ὡς ἕκτη.

Now Jacob's spring was there. Jesus therefore, wearied from the journey, was sitting thus beside the spring. It was about the sixth hour.

Scene-setting (place and condition of protagonist)δέThree clauses set the scene. The perfect κεκοπιακώς is remarkable — the only place in the Gospels where Jesus' physical fatigue is explicitly noted; it grounds the request for water in v.7. The imperfect ἐκαθέζετο is durational. 'About the sixth hour' is midday on a Roman reckoning (noon), heightening the heat and the woman's isolation.
ἦνwasImpf Act Indic 3 Sg · εἰμίexistential main verb→ descriptive imperfect (scene-setting)εἰμί: 'be, exist'; existential use locating the spring.
δὲnowcontinuative particle
ἐκεῖthereadverb of place
πηγὴspring / wellNominativesubject of ἦνπηγή: 'spring, source of water'; distinct from the word for a cistern (φρέαρ used in v.11-12); implies a flowing, living source — which feeds the metaphor of v.10–14.
τοῦof theGenitivearticle
ἸακώβJacobGenitivegenitive of possession/originἸακώβ: Jacob; the patriarchal well becomes the setting for a discourse that transcends patriarchal precedent.
theNominativearticle
οὖνtherefore / soinferential particle
ἸησοῦςJesusNominativesubject of ἐκαθέζετο
κεκοπιακὼςhaving grown wearyPerf Act Part Nom Sg Masc · κοπιάωcausal participle (modifying Ἰησοῦς)→ intensive perfect (the accumulated weariness of the journey)κοπιάω: 'grow weary, toil, be exhausted'; the perfect participle captures the state resulting from the journey — a rare note of Jesus' genuine physical limitation.
ἐκfrompreposition + genitive (source/cause)
τῆςtheGenitivearticle
ὁδοιπορίαςjourney / travelingGenitivegenitive of source (cause of weariness)ὁδοιπορία: 'journey, traveling'; NT rare (also 2 Cor 11:26); the compound (ὁδός + πορεία) pictures road-travel on foot.
ἐκαθέζετοwas sittingImpf Mid Indic 3 Sg · καθέζομαιmain verb→ descriptive imperfect (ongoing posture)καθέζομαι: 'sit down, sit'; middle voice; the durational imperfect pictures Jesus seated at the well waiting.
οὕτωςthus / in this manneradverb of mannerοὕτως: 'so, thus'; may imply 'just as he was' — sitting down from weariness without further arrangement.
ἐπὶon / besidepreposition + dative (location)
τῇtheDativearticle
πηγῇspringDativedative of place (beside the spring)
ὥραhourNominativesubject of ἦν (time note)ὥρα: 'hour'; John marks significant moments by the hour (1:39; 4:52; 19:14).
ἦνwasImpf Act Indic 3 Sg · εἰμίcopulative verb (time clause)→ descriptive imperfect
ὡςaboutadverb of approximationὡς: 'about, approximately'; with numerals denotes approximation.
ἕκτηthe sixthNominativepredicate nominative (ordinal)ἕκτη: 'sixth (hour)'; noon on a Roman reckoning — the heat of the day, when a respectable woman would not normally draw water alone, heightening the social detail.
7

ἔρχεται γυνὴ ἐκ τῆς Σαμαρείας ἀντλῆσαι ὕδωρ. λέγει αὐτῇ ὁ Ἰησοῦς· Δός μοι πεῖν.

A woman from Samaria comes to draw water. Jesus says to her, 'Give me a drink.'

Narrative event (encounter initiated)asyndetonAsyndeton and the historic present ἔρχεται and λέγει move quickly. The unnamed woman is identified only by her territory. Jesus' request inverts social expectation: the Jewish male asks the Samaritan woman for a favor. The aorist infinitive ἀντλῆσαι states her purpose — she came to draw water — and sets up the irony that Jesus, the giver of living water, needs to ask for a drink.
ἔρχεταιcomesPres Mid Indic 3 Sg · ἔρχομαιmain verb (historic present)→ historical present (vivid arrival)ἔρχομαι: 'come'; historic present continues the narrative vividness.
γυνὴa womanNominativesubjectγυνή: 'woman, wife'; the woman is anonymous throughout the narrative, her identity embedded in her community and her story.
ἐκfrompreposition + genitive (origin)
τῆςtheGenitivearticle
ΣαμαρείαςSamariaGenitivegenitive of origin/identificationΣαμάρεια: her ethnic-religious identity is her defining feature in this encounter.
ἀντλῆσαιto draw (water)Aor Act Inf · ἀντλέωinfinitive of purpose→ aorist infinitive (single act of drawing)ἀντλέω: 'draw water'; only in John in the NT (2:8-9; 4:7,15); practical activity that grounds the metaphorical contrast.
ὕδωρwaterAccusativedirect object of ἀντλῆσαιὕδωρ: 'water'; the literal water she came for becomes the springboard for the metaphor of living water.
λέγειsaysPres Act Indic 3 Sg · λέγωmain verb of speech (historic present)→ historical presentλέγω: 'say, speak'; the most common speech-introduction verb in John.
αὐτῇto herDativedative of indirect object
theNominativearticle
ἸησοῦςJesusNominativesubject of λέγει
Δόςgive!Aor Act Impv 2 Sg · δίδωμιimperative (request)→ aorist imperative (urgent single act)δίδωμι: 'give'; the irony of the divine giver asking to receive — Jesus' thirst mirrors the woman's deeper need.
μοιme / to meDativedative of indirect object (beneficiary)
πεῖνto drinkAor Act Inf · πίνωcomplementary infinitive (with Δός)→ aorist infinitiveπίνω: 'drink'; the verb recurs in vv.9-14 escalating from physical to spiritual drinking.
8

οἱ γὰρ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ ἀπεληλύθεισαν εἰς τὴν πόλιν ἵνα τροφὰς ἀγοράσωσιν.

For his disciples had gone away into the city to buy food.

Explanatory parenthesis (accounts for Jesus being alone)γάρAnother narrator's parenthesis (like v.2), explaining the one-on-one setting. The pluperfect ἀπεληλύθεισαν marks an action prior to the main narrative — they were already gone when the woman arrived. The purpose clause (ἵνα + subjunctive) states why.
οἱtheNominativearticle
γὰρforexplanatory conjunction
μαθηταὶdisciplesNominativesubjectμαθητής: 'disciple'; their absence makes the private dialogue possible.
αὐτοῦof him / hisGenitivegenitive of possession
ἀπεληλύθεισανhad gone awayPlpf Act Indic 3 Pl · ἀπέρχομαιmain verb (pluperfect — prior action)→ pluperfect (state of prior departure)ἀπέρχομαι: 'go away, depart'; the pluperfect is rare and marks a state-of-affairs antecedent to the main story.
εἰςintopreposition + accusative (goal)
τὴνtheAccusativearticle
πόλινcityAccusativeaccusative of goalπόλις: Sychar (v.5), from which the woman has come.
ἵναin order that / topurpose conjunction
τροφὰςfood / provisionsAccusativedirect object of ἀγοράσωσιντροφή: 'food, nourishment'; the plural suggests various provisions; it contrasts with the 'food' Jesus speaks of in v.32 (ποιεῖν τὸ θέλημα).
ἀγοράσωσινthey might buyAor Act Subj 3 Pl · ἀγοράζωsubjunctive in purpose clause (ἵνα + subj.)→ aorist subjunctive (single act of purchase)ἀγοράζω: 'buy, purchase'; from ἀγορά (marketplace); the disciples' errand into the city sets up the harvest/food metaphor of vv.31–38.
9

λέγει οὖν αὐτῷ ἡ γυνὴ ἡ Σαμαρῖτις· Πῶς σὺ Ἰουδαῖος ὢν παρ᾽ ἐμοῦ πεῖν αἰτεῖς γυναικὸς Σαμαρίτιδος οὔσης; οὐ γὰρ συγχρῶνται Ἰουδαῖοι Σαμαρίταις.

The Samaritan woman therefore says to him, 'How is it that you, being a Jew, ask a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?' (For Jews do not share things in common with Samaritans.)

Responsive question (social barrier raised)οὖνThe woman's astonishment is genuine and culturally grounded. She perceives two boundary crossings: ethnic (Jew asking a Samaritan) and gender (man asking a woman). The parenthetical narrator's comment (οὐ γὰρ συγχρῶνται) explains the surprise for non-Jewish readers. The verb συγχράομαι (NT hapax) means 'use-in-common / associate with' — the precise scope of the practice (common vessels, table fellowship, all social contact) remains debated.
λέγειsaysPres Act Indic 3 Sg · λέγωmain verb (historic present)→ historical present
οὖνthereforeinferential particle
αὐτῷto himDativedative of indirect object
theNominativearticle
γυνὴwomanNominativesubject
theNominativearticle
ΣαμαρῖτιςSamaritan (woman)Nominativesubstantival adjective in appositionΣαμαρῖτις: the feminine adjective-noun; her ethnic-religious identity is the heart of the social obstacle.
Πῶςhow (is it that)interrogative adverbπῶς: 'how?'; expresses astonished incomprehension rather than a request for method.
σὺyouNominativesubject (emphatic)
Ἰουδαῖοςa JewNominativepredicate of ὤν (concessive)Ἰουδαῖος: 'Jew'; ethnic-religious designation; the woman reads Jesus' appearance or accent as Jewish.
ὢνbeingPres Act Part Nom Sg Masc · εἰμίconcessive participle (modifying σύ)εἰμί: 'be'; the participle is concessive — 'you who are a Jew.'
παρ᾽frompreposition + genitive (source)παρά: with genitive, 'from the side of'; indicates the source of the requested drink.
ἐμοῦmeGenitivegenitive of source (after παρά)
πεῖνto drinkAor Act Inf · πίνωcomplementary infinitive (with αἰτεῖς)πίνω: 'drink'; the physical thirst that mirrors spiritual need.
αἰτεῖςyou askPres Act Indic 2 Sg · αἰτέωmain verb of the question→ descriptive presentαἰτέω: 'ask, request'; the irony deepens: the one who gives living water makes a humble request.
γυναικὸςa womanGenitivegenitive (after implied παρά or in apposition to ἐμοῦ)γυνή: gender is the second boundary being crossed.
ΣαμαρίτιδοςSamaritanGenitivegenitive adjective modifying γυναικόςΣαμαρῖτις: the ethnic identity reinforces the double taboo.
οὔσηςbeingPres Act Part Gen Sg Fem · εἰμίcircumstantial participle (agreeing with Σαμαρίτιδος)
οὐnotnegative particle
γὰρforexplanatory conjunction (narrator's gloss)
συγχρῶνταιassociate / use things in commonPres Mid/Pass Indic 3 Pl · συγχράομαιmain verb of narrator's explanation→ gnomic present (customary practice)συγχράομαι: 'use together, associate with, have dealings with'; NT hapax legomenon; the exact scope of this Jewish avoidance of Samaritan social contact (common vessels? table fellowship? all dealings?) is historically debated.
ἸουδαῖοιJewsNominativesubject
ΣαμαρίταιςSamaritansDativedative with συγχράομαι (association)Σαμαρίτης: 'Samaritan'; the people of Samaria, whose mixed religious heritage (2 Kgs 17) made them suspect in Jewish eyes; tension ran deep since at least the post-exilic period.
10

ἀπεκρίθη Ἰησοῦς καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῇ· Εἰ ᾔδεις τὴν δωρεὰν τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ τίς ἐστιν ὁ λέγων σοι· Δός μοι πεῖν, σὺ ἂν ᾔτησας αὐτὸν καὶ ἔδωκεν ἄν σοι ὕδωρ ζῶν.

Jesus answered and said to her, 'If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that says to you, Give me a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.'

Responsive revelation (offer of living water)asyndetonJesus pivots from the social question to the theological. The condition is second-class (εἰ + pluperfect / aorist indicative in both protasis and apodosis — counterfactual, 'if you knew, which you do not'), intensifying the irony: the woman does not know she stands before the very giver of God's gift. 'Living water' (ὕδωρ ζῶν) exploits the double sense: fresh running water vs. the eschatological gift of life.
ἀπεκρίθηansweredAor Pass Indic 3 Sg · ἀποκρίνομαιmain verb (Semitic formula of response)→ constative aoristἀποκρίνομαι: 'answer, respond'; the deponent aorist passive is the standard Johannine formula ἀπεκρίθη καὶ εἶπεν.
ἸησοῦςJesusNominativesubject
καὶandcoordinating conjunction (formula)
εἶπενsaidAor Act Indic 3 Sg · λέγωcoordinated main verb (speech formula)→ constative aorist
αὐτῇto herDativedative of indirect object
Εἰifconditional conjunction (2nd-class condition)
ᾔδειςyou knewPlpf Act Indic 2 Sg · οἶδαverb of protasis (counterfactual)→ pluperfect as imperfect of οἶδα (ongoing not-knowing)οἶδα: 'know (by perception/intuition)'; the pluperfect form of οἶδα functions as an imperfect; the woman's ignorance is the pathos of the condition.
τὴνtheAccusativearticle
δωρεὰνgiftAccusativedirect object of ᾔδειςδωρεά: 'gift, free gift'; a word for unearned divine grace (Acts 2:38; 8:20; Rom 5:15,17; Eph 3:7; 4:7); here the gift is the living water / the Spirit / eternal life.
τοῦofGenitivearticle
θεοῦGodGenitivegenitive of source/giverθεός: the ultimate giver; Jesus mediates God's own gift.
καὶandcoordinating conjunction
τίςwhoNominativeinterrogative pronoun (indirect question, obj. of ᾔδεις)
ἐστινisPres Act Indic 3 Sg · εἰμίcopula of indirect question→ descriptive present
the oneNominativearticle (substantival)
λέγωνsayingPres Act Part Nom Sg Masc · λέγωsubstantival participle (subject of ἐστιν in indirect question)λέγω: the participle identifies the speaker as the subject of the indirect question.
σοιto youDativedative of indirect object
Δόςgive!Aor Act Impv 2 Sg · δίδωμιimperative (quoted speech)→ aorist imperative
μοιmeDativedative of indirect object
πεῖνto drinkAor Act Inf · πίνωcomplementary infinitive
σὺyouNominativesubject of apodosis (emphatic)
ἂνwouldmodal particle (apodosis marker)ἄν: the particle of contingency marking the apodosis of a 2nd-class condition.
ᾔτησαςyou would have askedAor Act Indic 2 Sg · αἰτέωmain verb of apodosis (counterfactual)→ constative aorist (unfulfilled)αἰτέω: 'ask, request'; the asking that should have happened but hasn't — yet.
αὐτὸνhimAccusativedirect object
καὶandcoordinating conjunction
ἔδωκενhe would have givenAor Act Indic 3 Sg · δίδωμιcoordinated apodosis verb (counterfactual)→ constative aorist (unfulfilled)δίδωμι: 'give'; the giving that would follow the asking — the divine gift awaiting only the recognition and request.
ἄνwouldmodal particle (apodosis)
σοιto youDativedative of indirect object (recipient)
ὕδωρwaterAccusativedirect objectὕδωρ: 'water'; now charged with theological meaning — the living water Jesus will describe.
ζῶνliving / runningPres Act Part Acc Sg Neut · ζάωattributive participle (modifying ὕδωρ)ζάω: 'live'; ὕδωρ ζῶν = 'living water' — exploiting the double sense: (1) fresh, flowing spring-water (the woman's reading, vv.11–12) vs. (2) the water of eternal life that Jesus gives (his meaning, vv.13–14; cf. 7:38–39, where it is identified with the Spirit).
11

λέγει αὐτῷ ἡ γυνή· Κύριε, οὔτε ἄντλημα ἔχεις καὶ τὸ φρέαρ ἐστὶν βαθύ· πόθεν οὖν ἔχεις τὸ ὕδωρ τὸ ζῶν;

The woman says to him, 'Sir, you have nothing to draw with, and the well is deep. From where then do you have the living water?'

Misunderstanding (literal reading of 'living water')asyndetonThe classic Johannine misunderstanding device: the woman hears 'living water' as 'fresh running water' and poses a perfectly reasonable practical objection. She addresses Jesus as Κύριε ('Sir,' not yet 'Lord') — the title will deepen in significance. The shift from πηγή (spring, v.6) to φρέαρ (cistern/well with a bucket) is the woman's vocabulary, not the narrator's — she pictures a deep, static well.
λέγειsaysPres Act Indic 3 Sg · λέγωmain verb (historic present)→ historical present
αὐτῷto himDativedative of indirect object
theNominativearticle
γυνήwomanNominativesubject
ΚύριεSir / LordVocativevocative of addressκύριος: 'lord, master, sir'; at this point a polite honorific for a stranger, though the title will carry fuller christological weight as the narrative progresses (cf. v.19, 'a prophet'; v.29, 'the Christ?'; v.42, 'the Savior of the world').
οὔτεneither / you have nonegative correlative (introducing first clause)οὔτε: here effectively 'not even' — not part of an οὔτε…οὔτε pair but emphasizing the practical impossibility.
ἄντλημαbucket / vessel for drawingAccusativedirect object of ἔχειςἄντλημα: 'that which draws, a draw-bucket or rope'; NT hapax; related to ἀντλέω (v.7); the woman is thinking concretely — no vessel, no water.
ἔχειςyou havePres Act Indic 2 Sg · ἔχωmain verb→ descriptive presentἔχω: 'have, possess'.
καὶandcoordinating conjunction
τὸtheNominativearticle
φρέαρwellNominativesubjectφρέαρ: 'well, pit (of water)'; a cistern or bored well requiring a rope and vessel to draw water — in contrast to πηγή (a spring that flows up). The woman's word for the structure underscores her literal, practical mindset.
ἐστὶνisPres Act Indic 3 Sg · εἰμίcopulative verb→ descriptive present
βαθύdeepNominativepredicate adjectiveβαθύς: 'deep'; archaeological surveys of Jacob's well at Bir Ya'qub confirm a depth of ~30 meters; the depth makes drawing without equipment impossible.
πόθενfrom whereinterrogative adverb of sourceπόθεν: 'from what source?'; the woman's question is practical but the narrator knows it is also the theological question of the Gospel: where does Jesus come from?
οὖνthen / thereforeinferential particle
ἔχειςdo you havePres Act Indic 2 Sg · ἔχωmain verb of question→ descriptive present
τὸtheAccusativearticle
ὕδωρwaterAccusativedirect object
τὸtheAccusativearticle (second, attributive)
ζῶνlivingPres Act Part Acc Sg Neut · ζάωattributive participle (in second attributive position)ζάω: 'live'; the woman echoes Jesus' own phrase 'living water' — still heard as 'running/fresh water.'
12

μὴ σὺ μείζων εἶ τοῦ πατρὸς ἡμῶν Ἰακώβ, ὃς ἔδωκεν ἡμῖν τὸ φρέαρ καὶ αὐτὸς ἐξ αὐτοῦ ἔπιεν καὶ οἱ υἱοὶ αὐτοῦ καὶ τὰ θρέμματα αὐτοῦ;

Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and himself drank from it, and his sons and his livestock?

Challenge / rhetorical question (patriarchal authority invoked)asyndetonThe μή + indicative expects a negative answer ('Surely you're not greater than Jacob, are you?'). The woman appeals to Jacob as 'our father' — the Samaritans claimed Israelite descent through Jacob. The patriarch's own use of the well (αὐτὸς ἔπιεν) is her credential. The irony is profound: the answer to her question is yes, Jesus is greater than Jacob.
μὴnot / surely notnegative particle introducing rhetorical question expecting 'no'μή: with a direct question expects a negative answer — 'Surely you are not…?'
σὺyouNominativesubject (emphatic)
μείζωνgreaterNominativepredicate adjective (comparative)μέγας (comp. μείζων): 'greater'; the comparative of magnitude/status; the woman intends a rhetorical denial, but the Gospel's answer is yes.
εἶarePres Act Indic 2 Sg · εἰμίcopulative verb→ descriptive present
τοῦthan theGenitivearticle (genitive of comparison)
πατρὸςfatherGenitivegenitive of comparison (after μείζων)πατήρ: 'father, ancestor'; the patriarchal ancestor as communal possession ('our father').
ἡμῶνourGenitivegenitive of possession
ἸακώβJacobGenitivegenitive in apposition to πατρόςἸακώβ: the patriarch claimed by both Samaritans and Jews; the Samaritan appeal to Jacob as 'our father' is significant.
ὃςwhoNominativerelative pronoun (subject of ἔδωκεν)
ἔδωκενgaveAor Act Indic 3 Sg · δίδωμιverb of relative clause→ constative aoristδίδωμι: 'give'; Jacob gave the well as heritage to the community.
ἡμῖνus / to usDativedative of indirect object
τὸtheAccusativearticle
φρέαρwellAccusativedirect object
καὶandcoordinating conjunction
αὐτὸςhimselfNominativeintensive pronoun (emphatic subject)αὐτός: 'himself'; emphasizes that Jacob personally used the well — ultimate authentication.
ἐξfrompreposition + genitive (source)
αὐτοῦitGenitivegenitive of source (the well)
ἔπιενdrankAor Act Indic 3 Sg · πίνωcoordinated main verb→ constative aoristπίνω: 'drink'; Jacob's drinking authenticates the well as patriarchal heritage.
καὶandcoordinating conjunction
οἱtheNominativearticle
υἱοὶsonsNominativesubject (implied drank)υἱός: 'son'; Jacob's twelve sons — the twelve tribes, further grounding Samaritan ancestry.
αὐτοῦhisGenitivegenitive of possession
καὶandcoordinating conjunction
τὰtheNominativearticle
θρέμματαlivestock / animalsNominativesubject (implied drank)θρέμμα: 'animal, flock'; NT hapax; 'that which is reared/fed'; including livestock amplifies the patriarchal bounty of the well — sufficient for the whole household.
αὐτοῦhisGenitivegenitive of possession
13

ἀπεκρίθη Ἰησοῦς καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῇ· Πᾶς ὁ πίνων ἐκ τοῦ ὕδατος τούτου διψήσει πάλιν·

Jesus answered and said to her, 'Everyone who drinks from this water will thirst again;'

Contrast (limitation of earthly water)asyndetonJesus does not directly answer the question about Jacob; he instead contrasts the two kinds of water. The gnomic future διψήσει states a universal law: earthly water only temporarily relieves. Πᾶς ὁ πίνων is the typical Johannine generalizing construction (πᾶς + substantival participle), setting up the corresponding positive statement in v.14.
ἀπεκρίθηansweredAor Pass Indic 3 Sg · ἀποκρίνομαιmain verb (speech formula)→ constative aorist
ἸησοῦςJesusNominativesubject
καὶandcoordinating conjunction (formula)
εἶπενsaidAor Act Indic 3 Sg · λέγωcoordinated speech verb→ constative aorist
αὐτῇto herDativedative of indirect object
Πᾶςeveryone / allNominativesubject (universal quantifier)πᾶς: 'all, every'; with the substantival participle forms a universal class.
the oneNominativearticle (substantival)
πίνωνdrinkingPres Act Part Nom Sg Masc · πίνωsubstantival participle (subject class)πίνω: 'drink'; the present tense generalizes — anyone who habitually or repeatedly drinks from this well.
ἐκfrompreposition + genitive (source)
τοῦtheGenitivearticle
ὕδατοςwaterGenitivegenitive of sourceὕδωρ: 'water'; τοῦ ὕδατος τούτου — 'this water' specifically, pointing to the well before them.
τούτουthisGenitivedemonstrative adjective (attributive)
διψήσειwill thirstFut Act Indic 3 Sg · διψάωmain predicate (gnomic future)→ gnomic future (universal truth)διψάω: 'thirst, be thirsty'; the future here is gnomic — not a prediction about one instance but an always-true law; cf. v.14 where the contrast is drawn.
πάλινagainadverb of repetitionπάλιν: 'again'; the endless cycle of earthly thirst-quenching, the need that always recurs.
14

ὃς δ᾽ ἂν πίῃ ἐκ τοῦ ὕδατος οὗ ἐγὼ δώσω αὐτῷ, οὐ μὴ διψήσει εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα, ἀλλὰ τὸ ὕδωρ ὃ δώσω αὐτῷ γενήσεται ἐν αὐτῷ πηγὴ ὕδατος ἁλλομένου εἰς ζωὴν αἰώνιον.

But whoever drinks from the water that I will give him will certainly not thirst forever; rather the water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.

Antithetical contrast (the gift of living water defined)δέThe Johannine antithesis is climactic. The emphatic double negative οὐ μὴ + future (διψήσει) is the strongest negation in Greek — 'will absolutely not thirst.' The metaphor deepens: the water becomes a self-generating spring inside the recipient (ἐν αὐτῷ). The participle ἁλλομένου ('springing up, leaping') is vivid — the life-giving water is not static but dynamic. The movement is toward ζωὴν αἰώνιον — eternal life, the goal of the entire Gospel (20:31).
ὃςwhoeverNominativerelative pronoun (generalizing)
δ᾽butadversative particle (elided δέ)
ἂνever (generalizing)modal particle (with indefinite relative)ἄν: with relative pronoun creates an indefinite-universal condition — 'whoever.'
πίῃdrinksAor Act Subj 3 Sg · πίνωverb of indefinite relative clause (subj. with ἄν)→ aorist subjunctive (single act of drinking = single reception of the gift)πίνω: 'drink'; the aorist subjunctive pictures the reception of the gift as a decisive moment.
ἐκfrompreposition + genitive (source)
τοῦtheGenitivearticle
ὕδατοςwaterGenitivegenitive of source
οὗthat / whichGenitiverelative pronoun (genitive by attraction)
ἐγὼINominativesubject (emphatic)
δώσωwill giveFut Act Indic 1 Sg · δίδωμιverb of relative clause (future promise)→ futuristic future (promise)δίδωμι: 'give'; the emphatic ἐγώ makes this a personal promise — I, Jesus, will give it.
αὐτῷhim / to himDativedative of indirect object
οὐnotnegative particle (double negative with μή)
μὴnot (emphatic)negative particle (ou mē construction)
διψήσειwill thirstFut Act Indic 3 Sg · διψάωmain predicate (emphatic negation)→ futuristic future with emphatic οὐ μή negationδιψάω: 'thirst'; the emphatic double negative (οὐ μή + future indicative) is the strongest negation in Greek — absolute certainty.
εἰςinto / forpreposition + accusative (extent/goal)
τὸνtheAccusativearticle
αἰῶναage / eternityAccusativeaccusative of extent (εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα = forever)αἰών: 'age, eternity'; εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα is the idiomatic expression for 'forever, into the age.'
ἀλλὰrather / butstrong adversative conjunction
τὸtheNominativearticle
ὕδωρwaterNominativesubject
that / whichAccusativerelative pronoun (direct object of δώσω)
δώσωI will giveFut Act Indic 1 Sg · δίδωμιverb of relative clause (future)→ futuristic future
αὐτῷhimDativedative of indirect object
γενήσεταιwill becomeFut Mid Indic 3 Sg · γίνομαιmain predicate→ futuristic future (transformative promise)γίνομαι: 'become'; the external gift becomes an internal, self-generating spring — transformation, not merely reception.
ἐνinpreposition + dative (locative)
αὐτῷhim / in himDativedative of location (internal)
πηγὴa springNominativepredicate nominativeπηγή: 'spring, fountain'; from φρέαρ (cistern) in the woman's vocabulary to πηγή (living spring) — the vocabulary upgrade signals the transcendence of the gift.
ὕδατοςof waterGenitivegenitive of material/description
ἁλλομένουspringing up / leaping upPres Mid Part Gen Sg Neut · ἅλλομαιattributive participle (modifying ὕδατος)ἅλλομαι: 'leap, spring up'; NT uses are Acts 3:8; 14:10 (physical leaping) and here; the dynamic verb pictures internal, inexhaustible spiritual vitality. LXX of Isa 35:6 uses it of the lame leaping.
εἰςto / untopreposition + accusative (goal)
ζωὴνlifeAccusativeaccusative of goalζωή: 'life'; one of John's key theological terms — not biological existence but eschatological life in relationship with God (17:3).
αἰώνιονeternalAccusativeadjective attributiveαἰώνιος: 'eternal, of the age (to come)'; the goal of the gift — not merely unending duration but a qualitatively different mode of existence inaugurated now (cf. 17:3: 'this is eternal life, that they know you').
15

λέγει πρὸς αὐτὸν ἡ γυνή· Κύριε, δός μοι τοῦτο τὸ ὕδωρ, ἵνα μὴ διψῶ μηδὲ διέρχωμαι ἐνθάδε ἀντλεῖν.

The woman says to him, 'Sir, give me this water, so that I will not thirst nor come here to draw.'

Request (still on the literal level)asyndetonThe woman's request is sincere but still operates on the level of practical convenience — the misunderstanding continues. Her motivation is pragmatic: no more thirst, no more arduous daily trips to the well. The double negative (μή…μηδέ) covers both thirst and the inconvenience of coming. This sets up the dramatic pivot in v.16 where Jesus abruptly shifts to her personal life.
λέγειsaysPres Act Indic 3 Sg · λέγωmain verb (historic present)→ historical present
πρὸςtopreposition + accusative (addressee)
αὐτὸνhimAccusativeaccusative after πρός
theNominativearticle
γυνήwomanNominativesubject
ΚύριεSir / LordVocativevocative of addressκύριος: 'Sir'; the same polite address as v.11 — her understanding of Jesus has not yet advanced beyond a courtesy title.
δόςgive!Aor Act Impv 2 Sg · δίδωμιimperative (request)→ aorist imperative (decisive single act)δίδωμι: 'give'; the woman echoes Jesus' own word from v.7, reversing the direction of request.
μοιme / to meDativedative of indirect object (beneficiary)
τοῦτοthisAccusativedemonstrative adjective
τὸtheAccusativearticle
ὕδωρwaterAccusativedirect objectὕδωρ: 'water'; τοῦτο τὸ ὕδωρ — 'this water' she points to the concept Jesus described; she wants it even if she does not yet understand what it is.
ἵναso thatpurpose/result conjunction
μὴnotnegative particle (in purpose clause)
διψῶI thirstPres Act Subj 1 Sg · διψάωsubjunctive in purpose clause→ present subjunctive (ongoing state: never thirst again)διψάω: 'thirst'; present subjunctive of ongoing non-thirst — permanent relief.
μηδὲnornegative coordinating conjunction
διέρχωμαιI come through / I keep comingPres Mid Subj 1 Sg · διέρχομαιsubjunctive coordinated in purpose clause→ present subjunctive (ongoing repetitive journey)διέρχομαι: 'pass through, come through'; the present tense pictures the habitual daily journey she wants to end.
ἐνθάδεhereadverb of placeἐνθάδε: 'here, to this place'; to the well — the location of her daily labor.
ἀντλεῖνto draw (water)Pres Act Inf · ἀντλέωinfinitive of purpose (after διέρχωμαι)→ present infinitive (habitual activity)ἀντλέω: 'draw water'; the practical labor she would avoid — ironically, this becomes the moment of her spiritual encounter.
16

Λέγει αὐτῇ· Ὕπαγε φώνησον τὸν ἄνδρα σου καὶ ἐλθὲ ἐνθάδε.

He says to her, 'Go, call your husband and come here.'

Abrupt command (pivot to personal revelation)asyndetonWithout transition Jesus pivots from the water-metaphor to a personal command that will expose the woman's history. Three imperatives in quick succession (Ὕπαγε, φώνησον, ἐλθέ). The command is not a change of subject but a surgical move: Jesus is about to reveal he already knows her life — the prophetic knowledge that will reframe the encounter.
Λέγειhe saysPres Act Indic 3 Sg · λέγωmain verb (historic present)→ historical present
αὐτῇto herDativedative of indirect object
Ὕπαγεgo!Pres Act Impv 2 Sg · ὑπάγωimperative (command)→ present imperative (prompt action)ὑπάγω: 'go away, go off'; in John often used by Jesus sending someone on a mission or journey.
φώνησονcall!Aor Act Impv 2 Sg · φωνέωimperative (sequential command)→ aorist imperative (single summons)φωνέω: 'call out to, summon'; used of calling a person to come.
τὸνtheAccusativearticle
ἄνδραhusband / manAccusativedirect objectἀνήρ: 'man, husband'; the command will expose the fact that she has none — and yet has had five, and the current man is not her husband.
σουyourGenitivegenitive of possession
καὶandcoordinating conjunction
ἐλθὲcome!Aor Act Impv 2 Sg · ἔρχομαιimperative (third command)→ aorist imperative (single act)ἔρχομαι: 'come'; she is to return with her husband — which she cannot do in the way Jesus implies.
ἐνθάδεhereadverb of placeἐνθάδε: 'here'; the well-side is the place of revelation.
17

ἀπεκρίθη ἡ γυνὴ καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ· Οὐκ ἔχω ἄνδρα. λέγει αὐτῇ ὁ Ἰησοῦς· Καλῶς εἶπας ὅτι Ἄνδρα οὐκ ἔχω·

The woman answered and said to him, 'I have no husband.' Jesus says to her, 'Rightly you have said, "I have no husband";'

Disclosure (woman's partial truth / Jesus' confirmation)asyndetonThe woman's answer is minimally true — technically accurate but concealing. Jesus' response — Καλῶς εἶπας — commends the formal truth before unfolding the fuller truth in v.18. This is a Johannine ironic affirmation: she told the truth, but not the whole truth, and Jesus will complete it.
ἀπεκρίθηansweredAor Pass Indic 3 Sg · ἀποκρίνομαιmain verb→ constative aorist
theNominativearticle
γυνὴwomanNominativesubject
καὶandcoordinating conjunction
εἶπενsaidAor Act Indic 3 Sg · λέγωcoordinated speech verb→ constative aorist
αὐτῷto himDativedative of indirect object
Οὐκnotnegative particle
ἔχωI havePres Act Indic 1 Sg · ἔχωmain verb (woman's statement)→ descriptive presentἔχω: 'have, possess'; the present tense states current marital status — technically true.
ἄνδραhusband / a manAccusativedirect objectἀνήρ: 'husband'; in the context of Jewish-Samaritan culture, 'husband' is the expected reading.
λέγειsaysPres Act Indic 3 Sg · λέγωmain verb (historic present)→ historical present
αὐτῇto herDativedative of indirect object
theNominativearticle
ἸησοῦςJesusNominativesubject
Καλῶςrightly / welladverb of mannerκαλῶς: 'well, rightly, correctly'; Johannine ironic commendation — she spoke accurately, if incompletely.
εἶπαςyou saidAor Act Indic 2 Sg · λέγωmain verb→ constative aoristλέγω: 'say'; the aorist refers to her just-uttered statement.
ὅτιthatconjunction introducing quoted speech
Ἄνδραa husbandAccusativedirect object (quoted)
οὐκnotnegative particle
ἔχωI havePres Act Indic 1 Sg · ἔχωverb of quoted speech→ descriptive present
18

πέντε γὰρ ἄνδρας ἔσχες καὶ νῦν ὃν ἔχεις οὐκ ἔστιν σου ἀνήρ· τοῦτο ἀληθὲς εἴρηκας.

for you have had five husbands, and the one you now have is not your husband; this you have said truly.

Explanation of the commendation (prophetic disclosure)γάρJesus completes the picture: five prior husbands (ἔσχες — aorist, finished relationships) and a current irregular union (ὃν ἔχεις — present, ongoing). The word ἀνήρ appears without the article — 'he is not your man/husband' at all. The final clause Τοῦτο ἀληθὲς εἴρηκας ('this you have spoken truly') closes the disclosure with an emphatic perfect — her word stands as truth.
πέντεfivecardinal numeral (adjectival)πέντε: 'five'; the exact number of prior husbands; some interpreters allegorize the five as the five gods of 2 Kgs 17:29–31, but the narrative presents a literal reading.
γὰρforexplanatory conjunction
ἄνδραςhusbands / menAccusativedirect object of ἔσχεςἀνήρ: 'man, husband'; five prior legitimate husbands, now gone (by death, divorce, or both).
ἔσχεςyou hadAor Act Indic 2 Sg · ἔχωmain verb→ constative aorist (completed possession in the past)ἔχω: 'have, possess'; the aorist marks the five husbands as past — these relationships are completed.
καὶandcoordinating conjunction
νῦνnowadverb of timeνῦν: 'now'; the present situation contrasted with the past.
ὃνwhomAccusativerelative pronoun (object of ἔχεις)
ἔχειςyou havePres Act Indic 2 Sg · ἔχωverb of relative clause (present, ongoing)→ descriptive presentἔχω: the current relationship is ongoing — present tense marks it as current.
οὐκnotnegative particle
ἔστινisPres Act Indic 3 Sg · εἰμίcopulative verb→ descriptive present
σουof you / yourGenitivegenitive of relationship
ἀνήρhusbandNominativepredicate nominative (anarthrous = qualitative)ἀνήρ: 'husband'; anarthrous, qualitative — 'not your husband at all,' not in the legitimate marital relationship.
τοῦτοthisAccusativedirect object (proleptic)
ἀληθὲςtruly / truthfullyAccusativepredicate adjective / adverbial accusativeἀληθής: 'true, truthful'; the neuter accusative functions as an adverbial accusative ('truly') or as a predicate with εἴρηκας.
εἴρηκαςyou have said / spokenPerf Act Indic 2 Sg · λέγωmain predicate (perfect)→ intensive perfect (her words stand as established truth)λέγω: 'say'; the perfect εἴρηκας gives the statement permanence — her truthful word remains on the record.
19

λέγει αὐτῷ ἡ γυνή· Κύριε, θεωρῶ ὅτι προφήτης εἶ σύ.

The woman says to him, 'Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet.'

Recognition (ascending christology: prophet)asyndetonThe woman's perception ascends: from 'Sir' (vv.11,15) to 'prophet.' The verb θεωρῶ ('I am observing, I perceive') is the Johannine verb of insight — to 'behold' in a way that begins understanding. Recognizing Jesus as a prophet is the natural response to his supernatural knowledge; the Samaritans expected a Taheb (the coming one), often figured as a prophet like Moses (Deut 18:15–18). Her recognition sets up the worship-site question of v.20.
λέγειsaysPres Act Indic 3 Sg · λέγωmain verb (historic present)→ historical present
αὐτῷto himDativedative of indirect object
theNominativearticle
γυνήwomanNominativesubject
ΚύριεSir / LordVocativevocative of addressκύριος: 'Sir'; still the polite title, but about to be exceeded by 'prophet' — the recognition is christologically significant.
θεωρῶI perceive / I seePres Act Indic 1 Sg · θεωρέωmain verb of statement→ progressive present (dawning perception)θεωρέω: 'behold, observe, perceive'; in John this verb often marks a kind of seeing that involves understanding (6:19; 12:45; 14:17); the woman is beginning to see who Jesus is.
ὅτιthatconjunction introducing indirect statement
προφήτηςa prophetNominativepredicate nominative (anarthrous)προφήτης: 'prophet'; anarthrous but with clear reference; in the Samaritan context the prophet-like-Moses figure (Deut 18:15,18 — the Taheb) was the expected eschatological figure; her recognition of Jesus as prophet is both accurate and a significant step toward full christological recognition.
εἶyou arePres Act Indic 2 Sg · εἰμίcopulative verb→ descriptive present
σύyouNominativesubject (post-positive emphatic)
20

οἱ πατέρες ἡμῶν ἐν τούτῳ τῷ ὄρει προσεκύνησαν· καὶ ὑμεῖς λέγετε ὅτι ἐν Ἱεροσολύμοις ἐστὶν ὁ τόπος ὅπου προσκυνεῖν δεῖ.

Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, and you people say that Jerusalem is the place where it is necessary to worship.

Topic change (worship controversy posed)asyndetonHaving recognized a prophet, the woman immediately raises the central Jew-Samaritan controversy: the proper place of worship — Mount Gerizim (where the Samaritan temple stood until destroyed by John Hyrcanus in 128 BC) versus Jerusalem. The ὑμεῖς ('you people') vs. the implied ἡμεῖς ('we') marks the ethnic-religious boundary. Jesus' reply will transcend both mountains entirely.
οἱtheNominativearticle
πατέρεςfathers / ancestorsNominativesubjectπατήρ: 'father, ancestor'; the communal ancestors — Jacob, Joseph, and the Israelite tradition associated with Gerizim (Deut 11:29; 27:12; Gen 12:6).
ἡμῶνourGenitivegenitive of possession
ἐνonpreposition + dative (location)
τούτῳthisDativedemonstrative adjective
τῷtheDativearticle
ὄρειmountainDativedative of place (on this mountain)ὄρος: 'mountain'; Mount Gerizim, visible from Jacob's well near Sychar; the sacred site for Samaritan worship where their temple had stood.
προσεκύνησανworshipedAor Act Indic 3 Pl · προσκυνέωmain verb→ constative aorist (historical practice)προσκυνέω: 'worship, bow down before'; the key verb of the worship-discourse (vv.20–24); from πρός + κυνέω ('to kiss toward'), the posture of reverent submission.
καὶandcoordinating conjunction
ὑμεῖςyou (plural)Nominativesubject (emphatic, contrastive)
λέγετεsayPres Act Indic 2 Pl · λέγωmain verb→ descriptive present (ongoing Jewish claim)λέγω: 'say, claim'; the Jews assert Jerusalem as the exclusive valid worship-place (cf. Deut 12:5; 2 Chr 6:6).
ὅτιthatconjunction introducing indirect statement
ἐνinpreposition + dative (location)
ἹεροσολύμοιςJerusalemDativedative of placeἹεροσόλυμα: the Greek rendering of Hebrew יְרוּשָׁלַיִם; the city of David, site of Solomon's temple and its successors.
ἐστὶνisPres Act Indic 3 Sg · εἰμίcopulative verb→ descriptive present
theNominativearticle
τόποςplaceNominativesubjectτόπος: 'place'; with the article — 'the place,' the uniquely valid location; a loaded term given Jerusalem's status as God's chosen dwelling.
ὅπουwhererelative adverb of place
προσκυνεῖνto worshipPres Act Inf · προσκυνέωinfinitive (subject of δεῖ)→ present infinitive (habitual worship)προσκυνέω: 'worship'; the infinitive is the subject of the impersonal δεῖ.
δεῖit is necessaryPres Act Indic 3 Sg · δεῖimpersonal verb of necessity→ gnomic presentδεῖ: 'it is necessary'; the same verb of divine necessity used of Jesus' route in v.4, now applied to the Jewish claim about worship — a claim Jesus is about to transcend.
21

λέγει αὐτῇ ὁ Ἰησοῦς· Πίστευέ μοι, γύναι, ὅτι ἔρχεται ὥρα ὅτε οὔτε ἐν τῷ ὄρει τούτῳ οὔτε ἐν Ἱεροσολύμοις προσκυνήσετε τῷ πατρί.

Jesus says to her, 'Believe me, woman, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you people worship the Father.'

Revelation (transcendence of the place question)asyndetonJesus begins his central declaration with Πίστευέ μοι — an appeal for trust, rare in the Gospels (only here and 14:11). The hour (ὥρα) is the Johannine eschatological hour, now approaching. The double οὔτε…οὔτε ('neither…nor') transcends both sacred sites; the goal is worship of 'the Father' — the relational term that will dominate vv.21–24.
λέγειsaysPres Act Indic 3 Sg · λέγωmain verb (historic present)→ historical present
αὐτῇto herDativedative of indirect object
theNominativearticle
ἸησοῦςJesusNominativesubject
Πίστευέbelieve!Pres Act Impv 2 Sg · πιστεύωimperative (appeal for trust)→ present imperative (ongoing trust)πιστεύω: 'believe, trust'; the appeal to personal trust introduces a declaration that will be hard to accept — it transcends all existing categories.
μοιmeDativedative of object (believe me)
γύναιwomanVocativevocative of addressγυνή: 'woman'; the direct address γύναι is not contemptuous in Greek (cf. 2:4; 19:26 — Jesus uses it to his mother); it is respectful but significant.
ὅτιthatconjunction introducing content of belief
ἔρχεταιis comingPres Mid Indic 3 Sg · ἔρχομαιmain verb (futuristic present)→ futuristic present (the hour that is already approaching)ἔρχομαι: 'come'; the futuristic present captures an hour already in motion — the eschatological transformation is imminent.
ὥραhourNominativesubjectὥρα: 'hour'; the Johannine eschatological hour, used of the decisive moment of God's purposes (cf. 5:25,28; 12:23; 17:1); here 'the hour is coming (and now is)' — cf. v.23.
ὅτεwhentemporal conjunction
οὔτεneithernegative correlative (first of pair)
ἐνon / inpreposition + dative (place)
τῷtheDativearticle
ὄρειmountainDativedative of placeὄρος: Gerizim.
τούτῳthisDativedemonstrative adjective
οὔτεnornegative correlative (second of pair)
ἐνinpreposition + dative (place)
ἹεροσολύμοιςJerusalemDativedative of placeἹεροσόλυμα: Jerusalem — both sacred sites are transcended; the new era of worship supersedes geography.
προσκυνήσετεyou will worshipFut Act Indic 2 Pl · προσκυνέωmain verb of temporal clause→ predictive futureπροσκυνέω: 'worship'; the you-plural addresses both Samaritans and, implicitly, Jews — the old worship-geography applies to both.
τῷtheDativearticle
πατρίFatherDativedative of object (worship directed toward)πατήρ: 'Father'; the object of true worship is not a place but the Father — the relational designation that dominates vv.21–24; Jesus introduces it here for the first time in this pericope.
22

ὑμεῖς προσκυνεῖτε ὃ οὐκ οἴδατε· ἡμεῖς προσκυνοῦμεν ὃ οἴδαμεν, ὅτι ἡ σωτηρία ἐκ τῶν Ἰουδαίων ἐστίν.

You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, because salvation is from the Jews.

Contrast (Samaritan vs. Jewish worship; salvation located)asyndetonJesus makes a remarkable concession toward his own people (ἡμεῖς / 'we'): Jewish worship has the advantage of knowledge — the Samaritans limited their canon to the Pentateuch and had a reduced understanding of God's saving purposes. The neuter relative ὃ ('what') for worship is striking — God as the object of worship is not fully personalized in Samaritan practice. 'Salvation is from the Jews' (ἐκ τῶν Ἰουδαίων) is a frank theological statement: the line of salvific revelation and the Messiah runs through Israel.
ὑμεῖςyou (pl.)Nominativesubject (emphatic, contrastive)
προσκυνεῖτεworshipPres Act Indic 2 Pl · προσκυνέωmain verb→ descriptive present (habitual practice)προσκυνέω: 'worship'; used six times in vv.20–24 — the density signals the thematic center.
whatAccusativerelative pronoun (neuter — object)ὃ (neuter): 'what' rather than 'whom'; the neuter is theologically significant — Samaritan worship lacks the relational specificity of full knowledge of God.
οὐκnotnegative particle
οἴδατεyou knowPerf Act Indic 2 Pl · οἶδαmain verb of relative clause→ intensive perfect (state of not-knowing)οἶδα: 'know'; perfect form functioning as present — a state of knowledge or lack thereof; the Samaritans' limited canon restricted their theological knowledge.
ἡμεῖςweNominativesubject (emphatic, contrastive)
προσκυνοῦμενworshipPres Act Indic 1 Pl · προσκυνέωmain verb→ descriptive present
whatAccusativerelative pronoun (neuter)
οἴδαμενwe knowPerf Act Indic 1 Pl · οἶδαmain verb of relative clause→ intensive perfect (state of knowing)οἶδα: Jewish worship is grounded in the full OT revelation, including the prophets and writings.
ὅτιbecausecausal conjunction
theNominativearticle
σωτηρίαsalvationNominativesubjectσωτηρία: 'salvation, deliverance'; the comprehensive saving purpose of God — the word anticipates the climactic σωτὴρ τοῦ κόσμου of v.42.
ἐκfrom / out ofpreposition + genitive (source)
τῶνtheGenitivearticle
ἸουδαίωνJewsGenitivegenitive of sourceἸουδαῖος: 'Jew'; salvation originates from the Jewish people — through their scriptures, their Messiah, and ultimately through Jesus himself who speaks these words; cf. Rom 9:5.
ἐστίνisPres Act Indic 3 Sg · εἰμίcopulative verb→ descriptive present (theological fact)
23

ἀλλὰ ἔρχεται ὥρα καὶ νῦν ἐστιν, ὅτε οἱ ἀληθινοὶ προσκυνηταὶ προσκυνήσουσιν τῷ πατρὶ ἐν πνεύματι καὶ ἀληθείᾳ· καὶ γὰρ ὁ πατὴρ τοιούτους ζητεῖ τοὺς προσκυνοῦντας αὐτόν.

But the hour is coming and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for indeed the Father seeks such people to worship him.

Programmatic declaration (the new worship defined)ἀλλάThe 'hour coming and now is' (ἔρχεται ὥρα καὶ νῦν ἐστιν) is John's realized eschatology in crystalline form: the eschatological future has arrived in Jesus. 'True worshipers' (οἱ ἀληθινοὶ προσκυνηταί) — the adjective ἀληθινός is John's word for the genuine, ultimate-reality version of things (1:9; 6:32; 15:1). The phrase ἐν πνεύματι καὶ ἀληθείᾳ is the crux of the passage. The Father's own seeking (ζητεῖ) motivates and enables the worship.
ἀλλὰbutstrong adversative conjunction
ἔρχεταιis comingPres Mid Indic 3 Sg · ἔρχομαιmain verb (futuristic present)→ futuristic present
ὥραhourNominativesubjectὥρα: 'hour'; cf. v.21; the eschatological hour of the new order.
καὶandcoordinating conjunction (adding νῦν ἐστιν)
νῦνnowadverb of timeνῦν: 'now'; the realized element — the hour is not only coming but already present in Jesus' ministry.
ἐστινisPres Act Indic 3 Sg · εἰμίexistential verb→ descriptive present (realized eschatology)
ὅτεwhentemporal conjunction
οἱtheNominativearticle (substantival)
ἀληθινοὶtrue / genuineNominativeattributive adjectiveἀληθινός: 'true, genuine, real'; the Johannine word for ultimate reality as opposed to shadow or type (1:9; 6:32; 15:1); 'the true worshipers' are not the Samaritans or Jews per se, but those who worship in spirit and truth.
προσκυνηταὶworshipersNominativesubjectπροσκυνητής: 'worshiper'; NT hapax; the noun formed from the verb προσκυνέω — those whose defining characteristic is worship.
προσκυνήσουσινwill worshipFut Act Indic 3 Pl · προσκυνέωmain verb→ predictive future (the eschatological practice)προσκυνέω: 'worship'; the future tense looks to the consummation of the new order of worship.
τῷtheDativearticle
πατρὶFatherDativedative of object (worship directed to)πατήρ: 'Father'; the relational name for God that emerges in Jesus' proclamation — worship is now directed to the Father as Father, not to God as merely the God of a mountain.
ἐνinpreposition + dative (sphere/manner)
πνεύματιspiritDativedative of sphere/manner (after ἐν)πνεῦμα: 'spirit, Spirit'; in the broader context of John, the Spirit is the eschatological gift (3:5–8; 7:38–39); ἐν πνεύματι is likely both instrumental (by means of the Spirit) and locative (in the sphere of the Spirit).
καὶandcoordinating conjunction
ἀληθείᾳtruthDativedative of sphere/manner (coordinated with πνεύματι)ἀλήθεια: 'truth'; in John, truth is not merely propositional accuracy but the divine reality revealed in Jesus ('I am the truth,' 14:6); the Spirit and truth are identified (14:17; 16:13 — 'the Spirit of truth'); worship ἐν πνεύματι καὶ ἀληθείᾳ is worship enabled by and responsive to the eschatological reality of God in Christ.
καὶfor indeedcoordinating conjunction (introducing ground)
γὰρforexplanatory conjunctionκαὶ γάρ: 'for indeed'; introduces the grounds for the new worship.
theNominativearticle
πατὴρFatherNominativesubjectπατήρ: 'Father'; the Father as the active seeker — worship is not a human achievement but a response to divine initiative.
τοιούτουςsuch peopleAccusativedirect object (proleptic)τοιοῦτος: 'such, of such a kind'; the Father seeks worshipers of this character — spirit-and-truth worshipers.
ζητεῖseeksPres Act Indic 3 Sg · ζητέωmain verb→ descriptive present (ongoing divine seeking)ζητέω: 'seek, search for'; the Father actively seeks worshipers — worship is the fruit of the Father's own initiative in sending the Son and the Spirit.
τοὺςthe onesAccusativearticle (substantival)
προσκυνοῦνταςworshipingPres Act Part Acc Pl Masc · προσκυνέωsubstantival participle (in apposition to τοιούτους)προσκυνέω: 'worship'; the participle defines the class the Father seeks — those characterized by ongoing worship.
αὐτόνhimAccusativedirect object (of προσκυνοῦντας)
24

πνεῦμα ὁ θεός, καὶ τοὺς προσκυνοῦντας αὐτὸν ἐν πνεύματι καὶ ἀληθείᾳ δεῖ προσκυνεῖν.

God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.

Ground (ontological definition of God requiring spirit-and-truth worship)asyndetonπνεῦμα ὁ θεός — God is spirit. The absence of the article before πνεῦμα makes this a qualitative predicate nominative: it says something about God's essential nature (not 'God is the spirit' but 'God is spirit [in his very being]'). This is the theological ground for the worship requirement: because God is spirit, not bounded by geography, location-based worship misunderstands him. The second clause uses δεῖ (divine necessity, as in v.4) — not a mere suggestion but an ontological-theological imperative.
πνεῦμαspiritNominativepredicate nominative (anarthrous = qualitative)πνεῦμα: 'spirit'; anarthrous predicate nominative — qualitative, stating the nature of God: 'God is spirit (in his essential being)'; not a spatial or material being, therefore not localized at Gerizim or Jerusalem. Contrast 1 John 4:8 'God is love' — same construction, ontological predication.
theNominativearticle (identifying subject)
θεόςGodNominativesubjectθεός: 'God'; with the article ὁ as subject, the anarthrous πνεῦμα as predicate — a Johannine chiastic echo of 1:1c (θεὸς ἦν ὁ λόγος).
καὶandcoordinating conjunction
τοὺςthe onesAccusativearticle (substantival)
προσκυνοῦνταςworshipingPres Act Part Acc Pl Masc · προσκυνέωsubstantival participle (accusative subject of δεῖ)προσκυνέω: 'worship'; the participial phrase is the accusative subject of the infinitive governed by δεῖ.
αὐτὸνhimAccusativedirect object of προσκυνοῦντας
ἐνinpreposition + dative (sphere/mode)
πνεύματιspiritDativedative of sphere (after ἐν)πνεῦμα: repeats the key word of the verse's first clause — the worship must correspond to God's nature as spirit.
καὶandcoordinating conjunction
ἀληθείᾳtruthDativedative of sphere (coordinated)ἀλήθεια: 'truth'; cf. v.23 note.
δεῖit is necessary / mustPres Act Indic 3 Sg · δεῖimpersonal verb of necessity→ gnomic present (ontological-theological necessity)δεῖ: 'it is necessary'; the same verb of divine necessity as v.4 and v.20 — worship in spirit and truth is not optional but flows necessarily from the nature of God.
προσκυνεῖνto worshipPres Act Inf · προσκυνέωcomplementary infinitive (governed by δεῖ)→ present infinitive (ongoing habitual worship)προσκυνέω: 'worship'; the complement of the necessity — what must be done.
25

λέγει αὐτῷ ἡ γυνή· Οἶδα ὅτι Μεσσίας ἔρχεται, ὁ λεγόμενος Χριστός· ὅταν ἔλθῃ ἐκεῖνος, ἀναγγελεῖ ἡμῖν ἅπαντα.

The woman says to him, 'I know that Messiah is coming, the one called Christ; when that one comes, he will announce all things to us.'

Messianic expectation (the Taheb anticipated)asyndetonThe woman introduces the Messiah ('Μεσσίας' — a Greek transliteration of Hebrew/Aramaic מָשִׁיחַ, explained for Greek readers as ὁ λεγόμενος Χριστός). The Samaritans expected a Taheb — a restorer-figure based on Deut 18:15–18 (the prophet-like-Moses), primarily as a revealer of all things rather than a political deliverer. Her expectation — ἀναγγελεῖ ἡμῖν ἅπαντα ('he will announce to us all things') — is exactly the prophetic-revelatory role she has just witnessed Jesus filling. Jesus' response in v.26 will be the most explicit self-disclosure in the Gospel.
λέγειsaysPres Act Indic 3 Sg · λέγωmain verb (historic present)→ historical present
αὐτῷto himDativedative of indirect object
theNominativearticle
γυνήwomanNominativesubject
ΟἶδαI knowPerf Act Indic 1 Sg · οἶδαmain verb→ intensive perfect (state of knowledge)οἶδα: 'know'; she knows this by religious tradition; now her tradition is about to be fulfilled before her eyes.
ὅτιthatconjunction introducing content
ΜεσσίαςMessiahNominativesubjectΜεσσίας: Greek transliteration of Aramaic מְשִׁיחָא / Hebrew מָשִׁיחַ, 'anointed one'; one of only two NT occurrences of this transliterated form (cf. 1:41); here explained immediately as ὁ λεγόμενος Χριστός.
ἔρχεταιis comingPres Mid Indic 3 Sg · ἔρχομαιmain verb (futuristic present)→ futuristic present (expected eschatological arrival)ἔρχομαι: 'come'; the Samaritan Taheb-expectation is of an imminent coming eschatological revealer.
the oneNominativearticle (substantival)
λεγόμενοςcalledPres Pass Part Nom Sg Masc · λέγωsubstantival participle in apposition to Μεσσίαςλέγω: 'call, name'; the participial phrase translates the term for a Greek audience.
ΧριστόςChristNominativepredicate of λεγόμενος (apposition)Χριστός: Greek translation of מָשִׁיחַ, 'Anointed One'; the explanatory apposition for non-Semitic readers.
ὅτανwhenever / whentemporal conjunction (with subjunctive)ὅταν: 'whenever'; with subjunctive = 'when that one comes' (anticipated temporal clause).
ἔλθῃhe comesAor Act Subj 3 Sg · ἔρχομαιsubjunctive in temporal clause (ὅταν + subj.)→ aorist subjunctive (anticipated single arrival)ἔρχομαι: 'come'; the aorist subjunctive pictures the Messiah's arrival as a single decisive coming event.
ἐκεῖνοςthat oneNominativesubject (emphatic demonstrative)ἐκεῖνος: 'that one'; the emphatic demonstrative — 'that one (the Messiah)'; John uses ἐκεῖνος for reference to significant third persons (3:28,30; 5:35,38,43).
ἀναγγελεῖwill announce / declareFut Act Indic 3 Sg · ἀναγγέλλωmain predicate (future promise)→ predictive futureἀναγγέλλω: 'announce, report, declare'; a word of authoritative proclamation; the Samaritan Taheb was expected to be a revealer of all things hidden — this verb captures the prophetic-revelatory function the woman expects.
ἡμῖνus / to usDativedative of indirect object (beneficiary)
ἅπανταall thingsAccusativedirect objectἅπας: 'all, everything'; the comprehensive revelation expected of the Taheb — interestingly, Jesus has already been doing exactly this to the woman throughout the dialogue.
26

λέγει αὐτῇ ὁ Ἰησοῦς· Ἐγώ εἰμι, ὁ λαλῶν σοι.

Jesus says to her, 'I am he — the one speaking to you.'

Climactic self-disclosure (the fullest explicit Ego eimi in the Gospel)asyndetonἘγώ εἰμι is the most explicit Messianic self-disclosure in the Fourth Gospel — more direct than any statement made to Jewish interlocutors. The absolute 'I am' carries the full weight of both the OT divine name (Exod 3:14 LXX: ἐγώ εἰμι ὁ ὤν) and the Johannine ego-eimi formula (6:35; 8:12; 10:7,11; 11:25; 14:6; 15:1; and the absolute uses of 8:24,28,58; 13:19). The appositional participle ὁ λαλῶν σοι ('the one speaking to you') grounds the disclosure in the living conversation: the Messiah she expects is present at this well, in this dialogue.
λέγειsaysPres Act Indic 3 Sg · λέγωmain verb (historic present)→ historical present
αὐτῇto herDativedative of indirect object
theNominativearticle
ἸησοῦςJesusNominativesubject
ἘγώINominativesubject (emphatic)ἐγώ: emphatic first-person — 'I myself'; the emphasis is built into the explicit pronoun before εἰμι.
εἰμιam (he / it)Pres Act Indic 1 Sg · εἰμίmain verb (absolute ego-eimi formula)→ gnomic present (eternal being of the divine I am)εἰμί: 'be'; Ἐγώ εἰμι in the absolute use: (1) at the predicated level = 'I am the Messiah' (the contextual meaning picking up her reference); (2) at the deeper Johannine level = the divine self-identification echoing Exod 3:14 and Isa 43:10 LXX ('that you may know and believe that I am [he]').
the oneNominativearticle (substantival)
λαλῶνspeakingPres Act Part Nom Sg Masc · λαλέωsubstantival participle in apposition to Ἐγώ εἰμιλαλέω: 'speak, talk'; the present tense is vivid — at this very moment of speaking, Jesus reveals himself; λαλέω often carries a tone of relational, intimate speech in John (contrast λέγω as formal speech).
σοιto youDativedative of indirect objectσοί: 'to you'; the personal directness — the Messiah is not a distant future figure but the present speaking partner.
27

Καὶ ἐπὶ τούτῳ ἦλθαν οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐθαύμαζον ὅτι μετὰ γυναικὸς ἐλάλει· οὐδεὶς μέντοι εἶπεν· Τί ζητεῖς; ἤ· Τί λαλεῖς μετ᾽ αὐτῆς;

And at that moment his disciples came, and they were amazed that he was speaking with a woman; but no one said, 'What do you seek?' or 'Why are you speaking with her?'

Narrative resumption (disciples return; silent amazement)ΚαίThe disciples' return is perfectly timed — just after the climactic Ego eimi. Their amazement (ἐθαύμαζον — imperfect, ongoing astonishment) is at the gender transgression, not the theological content (they did not hear it). The Johannine pregnant silence follows: no one asks the obvious questions. The narrator surfaces the questions they did not ask — a classic Johannine irony that highlights what was left unsaid.
Καὶandcoordinating conjunction
ἐπὶat / uponpreposition + dative (temporal)
τούτῳthis / thatDativedative of time (at that moment)ἐπὶ τούτῳ: 'at this, at that very point'; a temporal idiom marking precise simultaneity with the preceding disclosure.
ἦλθανcameAor Act Indic 3 Pl · ἔρχομαιmain verb→ constative aorist (arrival)ἔρχομαι: 'come'; the disciples' arrival closes the private dialogue.
οἱtheNominativearticle
μαθηταὶdisciplesNominativesubject
αὐτοῦhisGenitivegenitive of possession
καὶandcoordinating conjunction
ἐθαύμαζονwere amazedImpf Act Indic 3 Pl · θαυμάζωmain verb→ descriptive imperfect (ongoing astonishment)θαυμάζω: 'marvel, be amazed'; the imperfect pictures their prolonged astonishment — they stood there marveling.
ὅτιthatconjunction introducing object of ἐθαύμαζον
μετὰwithpreposition + genitive (association)
γυναικὸςa womanGenitivegenitive after μετάγυνή: the gender boundary is what amazes them — a Jewish male teacher in extended private dialogue with a woman violated social convention (cf. rabbinic tradition).
ἐλάλειhe was speakingImpf Act Indic 3 Sg · λαλέωmain verb of content clause→ descriptive imperfect (ongoing conversation)λαλέω: 'speak'; the same verb used in v.26 (ὁ λαλῶν σοι) — the intimate speech-word; the disciples arrived mid-dialogue.
οὐδεὶςno oneNominativesubject
μέντοιhowever / yetadversative particleμέντοι: 'however, yet'; mild adversative — despite their amazement, they restrained themselves.
εἶπενsaidAor Act Indic 3 Sg · λέγωmain verb→ constative aorist
ΤίwhatAccusativeinterrogative pronoun (object)
ζητεῖςdo you seekPres Act Indic 2 Sg · ζητέωverb of reported question (not asked)→ descriptive presentζητέω: 'seek'; the question they swallowed — they wanted to ask what he was looking for with this woman.
ordisjunctive conjunction
Τίwhy / whatAccusativeinterrogative (adverbial accusative)
λαλεῖςdo you speakPres Act Indic 2 Sg · λαλέωverb of second unreported question→ descriptive presentλαλέω: 'speak'; the intimate word echoes v.26; the unasked question mirrors the mystery of the encounter they witness.
μετ᾽withpreposition + genitive (association)
αὐτῆςherGenitivegenitive after μετά
28

ἀφῆκεν οὖν τὴν ὑδρίαν αὐτῆς ἡ γυνὴ καὶ ἀπῆλθεν εἰς τὴν πόλιν καὶ λέγει τοῖς ἀνθρώποις·

So the woman left her water jar and went into the city and says to the people,

Narrative action (woman's response: witness)οὖνThe left water jar (ἀφῆκεν τὴν ὑδρίαν) is a vivid Johannine detail that may be both practical (she left to return) and symbolic (she came to draw water, now she has received something greater — she abandons the earthly vessel). She left for the city immediately, embodying the missionary impulse the disciples have yet to grasp (cf. vv.35–38).
ἀφῆκενshe left / abandonedAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ἀφίημιmain verb→ constative aoristἀφίημι: 'let go, leave'; the same verb used in v.3 when Jesus 'left' Judea — now she leaves her water jar to bear witness; the symmetry is intentional.
οὖνso / thereforeinferential particle
τὴνtheAccusativearticle
ὑδρίανwater jarAccusativedirect objectὑδρία: 'water pot, water jar'; also used of the jars at Cana (2:6-7); the vessel she brought to draw water is left behind — she now carries something more valuable than water.
αὐτῆςherGenitivegenitive of possession
theNominativearticle
γυνὴwomanNominativesubject
καὶandcoordinating conjunction
ἀπῆλθενwent away / went offAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ἀπέρχομαιcoordinated main verb→ constative aoristἀπέρχομαι: 'go away'; her departure from the well is her movement toward witness.
εἰςintopreposition + accusative (goal)
τὴνtheAccusativearticle
πόλινcityAccusativeaccusative of goalπόλις: Sychar; the city from which she had come in isolation and to which she now returns as a witness.
καὶandcoordinating conjunction
λέγειsaysPres Act Indic 3 Sg · λέγωmain verb (historic present)→ historical presentλέγω: the shift from aorists to historic present marks the transition to the witnessing scene as vivid foreground action.
τοῖςto theDativearticle
ἀνθρώποιςpeople / menDativedative of indirect objectἄνθρωπος: 'person, human'; the town's people broadly — her witness is to the community.
29

Δεῦτε ἴδετε ἄνθρωπον ὃς εἶπέν μοι πάντα ὅσα ἐποίησα· μήτι οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ Χριστός;

'Come, see a man who told me everything I have done. Can this be the Christ?'

Witness (the woman's testimony and open question)asyndetonThe woman's witness is structurally parallel to Philip's in 1:46 ('Come and see'). Her testimony rests on the prophetic revelation of her personal history (πάντα ὅσα ἐποίησα — everything she had done). Her question uses μήτι — expecting a tentative or uncertain 'no' — but as an open question inviting the listener to come and judge for themselves. It is an invitation to encounter rather than a confident proclamation, and it works (v.39).
Δεῦτεcome!Impv (indeclinable) · δεῦτεimperative (summons)→ imperative (urgent invitation)δεῦτε: 'come! come here!'; the plural imperative of invitation; cf. Philip's invitation (1:46); the Samaritan woman becomes the first missionary in the Gospel.
ἴδετεsee!Aor Act Impv 2 Pl · ὁράωimperative (parallel command)→ aorist imperative (decisive act of seeing)ὁράω: 'see, behold'; the aorist imperative — come and see for yourselves; personal encounter is the basis of the invitation (cf. 1:39,46).
ἄνθρωπονa manAccusativedirect object of ἴδετεἄνθρωπος: 'man, person'; she describes Jesus as 'a man' — appropriately humble, inviting their own assessment.
ὃςwhoNominativerelative pronoun (subject)
εἶπένtoldAor Act Indic 3 Sg · λέγωverb of relative clause→ constative aoristλέγω: 'tell, say'; what Jesus told her — the prophetic disclosure of her past.
μοιme / to meDativedative of indirect object
πάνταall things / everythingAccusativedirect objectπᾶς: 'all'; her testimony uses hyperbole — Jesus told her about her husbands and current situation; the 'everything' amplifies the prophetic impact on her own experience.
ὅσαthat / whateverAccusativerelative pronoun (quantitative)ὅσα: 'as many things as, all that'; with πάντα = 'everything that.'
ἐποίησαI have doneAor Act Indic 1 Sg · ποιέωverb of relative clause→ constative aorist (life history)ποιέω: 'do, make'; her life story, including the multiple marriages and current relationship — the stuff of a human history that Jesus named.
μήτιcan this be? / surely not...?interrogative particle (expecting uncertain negative but inviting consideration)μήτι: a particle of cautious inquiry — weaker than μή alone; she poses the question tentatively, not as a firm claim but as an open invitation to decide; the interrogative leaves room for the hearer to make their own judgment.
οὗτόςthis oneNominativesubject (demonstrative)
ἐστινisPres Act Indic 3 Sg · εἰμίcopulative verb→ descriptive present
theNominativearticle
ΧριστόςChrist / MessiahNominativepredicate nominativeΧριστός: 'Christ, Anointed One'; the Messiah — the question she raises is whether Jesus is this figure; the townspeople's coming will lead to their own encounter and a more definitive conclusion (v.42).
30

ἐξῆλθον ἐκ τῆς πόλεως καὶ ἤρχοντο πρὸς αὐτόν.

They came out of the city and were coming to him.

Narrative consequence (Samaritans' response to witness)asyndetonBrief but structurally important: the aorist ἐξῆλθον (decisive departure from the city) followed by the imperfect ἤρχοντο (ongoing approach to Jesus). The imperfect creates dramatic anticipation — while they are still on the way, Jesus will deliver the harvest discourse to the disciples (vv.31–38). The two movements overlap.
ἐξῆλθονthey came outAor Act Indic 3 Pl · ἐξέρχομαιmain verb→ constative aorist (decisive departure)ἐξέρχομαι: 'come out, go out'; their exit from the city is the immediate effect of the woman's witness.
ἐκfrom / out ofpreposition + genitive (separation)
τῆςtheGenitivearticle
πόλεωςcityGenitivegenitive of separation (after ἐκ)πόλις: Sychar; the community responds as a whole.
καὶandcoordinating conjunction
ἤρχοντοwere comingImpf Mid Indic 3 Pl · ἔρχομαιmain verb→ descriptive imperfect (ongoing approach — in progress while the harvest discourse is delivered)ἔρχομαι: 'come, go'; the imperfect creates a narrative overlay — the Samaritans are still on their way while Jesus teaches the disciples about harvest in vv.31–38.
πρὸςto / towardpreposition + accusative (goal/direction)
αὐτόνhimAccusativeaccusative after πρός
31

Ἐν τῷ μεταξὺ ἠρώτων αὐτὸν οἱ μαθηταὶ λέγοντες· Ῥαββί, φάγε.

In the meantime the disciples were urging him, saying, 'Rabbi, eat.'

Temporal transition (disciples' request — opens the food discourse)Ἐν τῷ μεταξύThe temporal phrase 'in the meantime' (ἐν τῷ μεταξύ) marks the narrative interlude during which the Samaritans are still approaching (v.30). The imperfect ἠρώτων ('were urging/asking') captures repeated insistence. The disciples address Jesus as Rabbi — teacher — and make a practical request. This will prompt the food/harvest discourse.
Ἐνinpreposition + dative (temporal phrase)
τῷtheDativearticle (in phrase)
μεταξὺmeanwhile / betweenadverb (in temporal phrase: ἐν τῷ μεταξύ = in the meantime)μεταξύ: 'between, meanwhile'; ἐν τῷ μεταξύ is a fixed idiomatic expression for 'in the meantime, meanwhile.'
ἠρώτωνwere asking / urgingImpf Act Indic 3 Pl · ἐρωτάωmain verb→ descriptive imperfect (repeated urging)ἐρωτάω: 'ask, request'; the imperfect suggests they kept pressing him to eat — their repeated practical concern.
αὐτὸνhimAccusativedirect object
οἱtheNominativearticle
μαθηταὶdisciplesNominativesubject
λέγοντεςsayingPres Act Part Nom Pl Masc · λέγωsupplementary participle (manner of asking)λέγω: 'say'; the participle introduces the direct speech.
ῬαββίRabbiVocativevocative of addressῬαββί: 'Rabbi' (my great one, teacher); Aramaic honorific for a teacher; used of Jesus in John (1:38,49; 3:2,26; 6:25; 11:8).
φάγεeat!Aor Act Impv 2 Sg · ἐσθίωimperative (request)→ aorist imperative (eat — now)ἐσθίω: 'eat'; the disciples are simply hungry and want to share their food; the literal food request becomes the occasion for the discourse on spiritual food.
32

ὁ δὲ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· Ἐγὼ βρῶσιν ἔχω φαγεῖν ἣν ὑμεῖς οὐκ οἴδατε.

But he said to them, 'I have food to eat that you do not know about.'

Responsive declaration (spiritual food announced)δέThe pattern repeats: Jesus' statement operates on a higher plane than the disciples' understanding (cf. vv.10–11 with the woman). The emphatic ἐγώ contrasts Jesus' 'food' with theirs. βρῶσιν ('food, nourishment' — the act of eating or the thing eaten) is deliberately ambiguous: physical? spiritual? The ἣν ὑμεῖς οὐκ οἴδατε triggers another misunderstanding.
heNominativearticle (substantival pronoun)
δὲbutmild adversative particle
εἶπενsaidAor Act Indic 3 Sg · λέγωmain verb→ constative aorist
αὐτοῖςto themDativedative of indirect object
ἘγὼINominativesubject (emphatic)
βρῶσινfoodAccusativedirect object of ἔχωβρῶσις: 'food, eating, nourishment'; a slightly more abstract term than τροφή (v.8 — their physical provisions); can mean the act of eating or the thing eaten; its ambiguity is exploited here.
ἔχωI havePres Act Indic 1 Sg · ἔχωmain verb→ descriptive presentἔχω: 'have, possess'.
φαγεῖνto eatAor Act Inf · ἐσθίωepexegetical infinitive (defining βρῶσιν)→ aorist infinitiveἐσθίω: 'eat'; the infinitive specifies the food is for eating — a tautology that highlights the metaphorical register.
ἣνthat / whichAccusativerelative pronoun (object of οἴδατε)
ὑμεῖςyou (pl.)Nominativesubject (emphatic)
οὐκnotnegative particle
οἴδατεknowPerf Act Indic 2 Pl · οἶδαverb of relative clause→ intensive perfect (state of not knowing)οἶδα: 'know'; the disciples' ignorance mirrors the woman's — they are about to have the metaphor explained.
33

ἔλεγον οὖν οἱ μαθηταὶ πρὸς ἀλλήλους· Μή τις αὐτῷ ἤνεγκεν φαγεῖν;

So the disciples were saying to one another, 'Has anyone brought him something to eat?'

Misunderstanding (disciples think literally)οὖνThe disciples, like the woman, misread the metaphor. Their imperfect ἔλεγον pictures them puzzling aloud to each other. The μή expects a 'no' — 'Surely nobody brought him food, did they?' Their very confusion opens the space for Jesus' definition of his food in v.34.
ἔλεγονwere sayingImpf Act Indic 3 Pl · λέγωmain verb→ descriptive imperfect (repeated mutual discussion)λέγω: 'say'; the imperfect pictures ongoing puzzled conversation among the disciples.
οὖνso / thereforeinferential particle
οἱtheNominativearticle
μαθηταὶdisciplesNominativesubject
πρὸςtopreposition + accusative (addressee)
ἀλλήλουςone anotherAccusativeaccusative after πρός (reciprocal pronoun)ἀλλήλων: 'one another, each other'; their puzzlement is mutual — they discuss among themselves.
Μήsurely notnegative particle (rhetorical question expecting 'no')
τιςsomeoneNominativeindefinite pronoun (subject)
αὐτῷto him / for himDativedative of indirect object
ἤνεγκενbroughtAor Act Indic 3 Sg · φέρωmain verb of question→ constative aoristφέρω: 'bring, carry'; someone while they were away — the disciples wonder if a passerby gave Jesus food.
φαγεῖνto eatAor Act Inf · ἐσθίωinfinitive of purpose→ aorist infinitiveἐσθίω: 'eat'; they are still thinking entirely on the physical level.
34

λέγει αὐτοῖς ὁ Ἰησοῦς· Ἐμὸν βρῶμά ἐστιν ἵνα ποιήσω τὸ θέλημα τοῦ πέμψαντός με καὶ τελειώσω αὐτοῦ τὸ ἔργον.

Jesus says to them, 'My food is to do the will of the one who sent me and to complete his work.'

Definition (Jesus' true food revealed)asyndetonJesus resolves the misunderstanding: his food is not physical but volitional — the doing (ποιήσω) of the Father's will and the completing (τελειώσω) of his work. Both aorist subjunctives picture the decisive accomplishment of the Father's purpose. The phrase τελειώσω αὐτοῦ τὸ ἔργον anticipates the τετέλεσται of 19:30 ('It is finished') — the mission already begun at Jacob's well is continuous with the cross.
λέγειsaysPres Act Indic 3 Sg · λέγωmain verb (historic present)→ historical present
αὐτοῖςto themDativedative of indirect object
theNominativearticle
ἸησοῦςJesusNominativesubject
ἘμὸνmyNominativepossessive adjective (predicate emphatic)ἐμός: 'my, mine'; the emphatic possessive — Jesus' food is distinctive, not what they brought.
βρῶμάfoodNominativesubjectβρῶμα: 'food, nourishment' (the thing eaten, more concrete than βρῶσις of v.32); the two near-synonyms vary stylistically.
ἐστινisPres Act Indic 3 Sg · εἰμίcopulative verb→ descriptive present
ἵναthat / toἵνα clause functioning as subject complement (epexegetical)ἵνα: in John, ἵνα + subjunctive frequently introduces content clauses equivalent to an infinitive — 'my food is [defined as] doing…'
ποιήσωI do / I may doAor Act Subj 1 Sg · ποιέωsubjunctive in ἵνα clause→ aorist subjunctive (decisive accomplishment)ποιέω: 'do, make, accomplish'; the doing of the Father's will is Jesus' sustaining nourishment.
τὸtheAccusativearticle
θέλημαwillAccusativedirect object of ποιήσωθέλημα: 'will, desire, purpose'; the Father's will is the defining framework of Jesus' mission (cf. 5:30; 6:38–40; 17:4).
τοῦof the oneGenitivearticle (substantival)
πέμψαντόςwho sentAor Act Part Gen Sg Masc · πέμπωsubstantival participle (genitive of source/possession)→ constative aorist (the sending that defines Jesus' mission)πέμπω: 'send'; 'the one who sent me' is one of the characteristic designations for the Father in John (5:24,30,37; 6:38–40,44; 7:16,28,33; 8:16,18,26,29; 9:4; 12:44–45,49; 13:20; 14:24; 15:21; 16:5).
μεmeAccusativeaccusative object of πέμψαντος
καὶandcoordinating conjunction
τελειώσωI complete / I finishAor Act Subj 1 Sg · τελειόωcoordinated subjunctive (ἵνα clause continued)→ aorist subjunctive (decisive completion)τελειόω: 'bring to completion, finish, perfect'; the word anticipates τετέλεσται (19:30 — 'it is finished'); the Samaritan mission already participates in the completion of Jesus' saving work.
αὐτοῦhisGenitivegenitive of possession (proleptic, before the noun)
τὸtheAccusativearticle
ἔργονworkAccusativedirect object of τελειώσωἔργον: 'work, deed, task'; the mission the Father commissioned — including the harvest now begun among the Samaritans (cf. 5:36; 17:4).
35

οὐχ ὑμεῖς λέγετε ὅτι Ἔτι τετράμηνός ἐστιν καὶ ὁ θερισμὸς ἔρχεται; ἰδοὺ λέγω ὑμῖν, ἐπάρατε τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς ὑμῶν καὶ θεάσασθε τὰς χώρας ὅτι λευκαί εἰσιν πρὸς θερισμόν. ἤδη

Do you not say, 'There are yet four months, and the harvest comes'? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, that they are already white for harvest.

Harvest metaphor (missiological urgency)asyndetonJesus cites what appears to be a seasonal proverb ('four months before harvest'), then overturns it: the harvest is now. The imperative ἐπάρατε ('lift up') directs their eyes to the advancing Samaritans (v.30 — ἤρχοντο, still on the way). 'Already white' (λευκαί εἰσιν ἤδη) applies a grain-harvest image to the mission field — the Samaritans streaming toward Jesus are the harvest. The ἤδη ('already') echoes the 'and now is' of v.23.
οὐχnotnegative particle (expecting 'yes')
ὑμεῖςyou (pl.)Nominativesubject (emphatic)
λέγετεsayPres Act Indic 2 Pl · λέγωmain verb→ descriptive present (habitual saying)λέγω: 'say'; citing a common saying.
ὅτιthatconjunction introducing quoted saying
Ἔτιstill / yetadverb of timeἔτι: 'still, yet'; the proverb anticipates the future harvest as still some months away.
τετράμηνόςfour monthsNominativesubject (predicate of time)τετράμηνος: 'of four months, four-month period'; NT hapax; whether this refers to a specific agricultural season (winter sowing to spring harvest, roughly December to April) or a general proverb about the gap between sowing and harvest is debated.
ἐστινis (remaining)Pres Act Indic 3 Sg · εἰμίexistential verb→ descriptive present
καὶandcoordinating conjunction
theNominativearticle
θερισμὸςharvestNominativesubjectθερισμός: 'harvest, reaping'; the key metaphor of vv.35–38 — now applied to the mission of gathering people.
ἔρχεταιcomesPres Mid Indic 3 Sg · ἔρχομαιmain verb (futuristic present within proverb)→ futuristic present
ἰδοὺbehold! / look!exclamation (attention-getter)ἰδού: 'behold, look'; an imperatival exclamation to direct attention; introduces the counter-statement.
λέγωI sayPres Act Indic 1 Sg · λέγωmain verb (authoritative declaration)→ descriptive presentλέγω: 'say'; λέγω ὑμῖν — the formula of authoritative declaration.
ὑμῖνto youDativedative of indirect object
ἐπάρατεlift up!Aor Act Impv 2 Pl · ἐπαίρωimperative (command)→ aorist imperative (single decisive act)ἐπαίρω: 'lift up, raise'; ἐπάρατε τοὺς ὀφθαλμούς — 'lift up your eyes'; a classic OT idiom for directed attention (Gen 13:14; 22:4; Isa 60:4).
τοὺςtheAccusativearticle
ὀφθαλμοὺςeyesAccusativedirect objectὀφθαλμός: 'eye'; the disciples need to see what is already visible — the Samaritans coming.
ὑμῶνyourGenitivegenitive of possession
καὶandcoordinating conjunction
θεάσασθεlook! / observe!Aor Mid Impv 2 Pl · θεάομαιimperative (parallel to ἐπάρατε)→ aorist imperativeθεάομαι: 'look at, observe, behold'; a verb of deliberate seeing; what they are to look at is defined by the ὅτι clause.
τὰςtheAccusativearticle
χώραςfieldsAccusativedirect object of θεάσασθεχώρα: 'region, land, field, countryside'; the surrounding fields visible from the well — and by metaphor, the mission field of the nations.
ὅτιthatconjunction introducing content of sight
λευκαίwhiteNominativepredicate adjectiveλευκός: 'white, bright'; grain ripe for harvest turns whitish-golden; the visible advance of the Samaritans (v.30) is the 'white fields.'
εἰσινarePres Act Indic 3 Pl · εἰμίcopulative verb→ descriptive present
πρὸςfor / towardpreposition + accusative (goal/readiness)
θερισμόνharvestAccusativeaccusative of goal (ready for harvest)θερισμός: 'harvest'; the fields are ready — the moment for gathering has arrived.
ἤδηalreadyadverb of time (modifying the whole clause)ἤδη: 'already'; the adverb of realized presence — the harvest is not future but present and in progress; the ἤδη echoes the νῦν ἐστιν of v.23.
36

ὁ θερίζων μισθὸν λαμβάνει καὶ συνάγει καρπὸν εἰς ζωὴν αἰώνιον, ἵνα ὁ σπείρων ὁμοῦ χαίρῃ καὶ ὁ θερίζων.

The one who reaps receives wages and gathers fruit for eternal life, so that the one who sows and the one who reaps may rejoice together.

Development (sower-reaper unity in the harvest)asyndetonThe harvest metaphor deepens: reaping brings wages and gathers fruit (καρπόν) toward eternal life. The purpose clause (ἵνα + χαίρῃ) reveals the goal: the joint joy of sower and reaper. In ordinary agriculture they work in sequence and rarely rejoice together; in the divine mission they labor in the same harvest simultaneously. The future eschatological fruit is gathered into eternal life — the mission participates in eternity's purposes.
the oneNominativearticle (substantival)
θερίζωνreapingPres Act Part Nom Sg Masc · θερίζωsubstantival participle (subject)θερίζω: 'reap, harvest'; the one who gathers in the harvest — the disciple in the mission field.
μισθὸνwages / rewardAccusativedirect object of λαμβάνειμισθός: 'pay, wages, reward'; the eschatological reward for the mission worker (cf. 1 Cor 3:8; Matt 20:8).
λαμβάνειreceivesPres Act Indic 3 Sg · λαμβάνωmain verb→ gnomic presentλαμβάνω: 'receive, take'; gnomic — this is the standing promise for the mission worker.
καὶandcoordinating conjunction
συνάγειgathersPres Act Indic 3 Sg · συνάγωcoordinated main verb→ gnomic presentσυνάγω: 'gather, assemble'; the gathering of converts — the mission as harvest.
καρπὸνfruitAccusativedirect objectκαρπός: 'fruit'; the fruit of the mission is people gathered for eternal life (cf. 15:16 — 'that your fruit may remain').
εἰςfor / untopreposition + accusative (goal)
ζωὴνlifeAccusativeaccusative of goalζωή: 'life'; the fruit is gathered εἰς ζωὴν αἰώνιον — the harvest goal is eternal life; the mission connects directly to the living-water gift of v.14.
αἰώνιονeternalAccusativeattributive adjectiveαἰώνιος: 'eternal'; cf. v.14 note.
ἵναso thatpurpose conjunction
the oneNominativearticle (substantival)
σπείρωνsowingPres Act Part Nom Sg Masc · σπείρωsubstantival participle (subject of χαίρῃ)σπείρω: 'sow'; in the missional allegory, those who sowed the word before — perhaps the OT prophets, John the Baptist, Jesus himself (the Samaritan woman was just 'sown' with the word).
ὁμοῦtogetheradverb of associationὁμοῦ: 'together, at the same time'; the surprising element — sower and reaper usually do not coexist; in the eschatological harvest they do.
χαίρῃmay rejoicePres Act Subj 3 Sg · χαίρωsubjunctive in purpose clause→ present subjunctive (ongoing joy)χαίρω: 'rejoice, be glad'; the eschatological joy of harvest shared equally by sower and reaper.
καὶandcoordinating conjunction
the oneNominativearticle (substantival)
θερίζωνreapingPres Act Part Nom Sg Masc · θερίζωsubstantival participle (coordinated subject)θερίζω: 'reap'; the reaper's joy equals the sower's — a reversal of the human agricultural economy.
37

ἐν γὰρ τούτῳ ὁ λόγος ἐστὶν ἀληθινὸς ὅτι Ἄλλος ἐστὶν ὁ σπείρων καὶ ἄλλος ὁ θερίζων.

For in this the saying is true, 'One person sows and another reaps.'

Grounding (the proverb is true in this instance)γάρJesus cites a well-known proverb (cf. Job 31:8; Mic 6:15) — others have sown, the disciples are now reaping. The proverb is ordinarily a lament (someone else benefits from your work), but Jesus inverts its valence: in the harvest of the kingdom, this is the joyful economy — each labors in their season and all share the reward.
ἐνinpreposition + dative (sphere/respect)
γὰρforexplanatory conjunction
τούτῳthisDativedative after ἐν (sphere of reference)
theNominativearticle
λόγοςsaying / wordNominativesubjectλόγος: 'word, saying'; here a proverbial saying — 'in this case the proverb holds true.'
ἐστὶνisPres Act Indic 3 Sg · εἰμίcopulative verb→ descriptive present
ἀληθινὸςtrue / genuineNominativepredicate adjectiveἀληθινός: 'true, real'; cf. v.23 — in this instance the familiar agricultural proverb has real application.
ὅτιthatconjunction introducing the proverb
Ἄλλοςone / anotherNominativesubject (first)ἄλλος: 'another (of the same kind)'; the first person in the agricultural division of labor.
ἐστὶνisPres Act Indic 3 Sg · εἰμίcopulative verb→ gnomic present (proverb)
the oneNominativearticle (substantival)
σπείρωνsowingPres Act Part Nom Sg Masc · σπείρωsubstantival participle (predicate)σπείρω: 'sow'; the sower.
καὶandcoordinating conjunction
ἄλλοςanotherNominativesubject (second)ἄλλος: 'another'; the second person — the reaper who benefits from the sower's labor.
the oneNominativearticle (substantival)
θερίζωνreapingPres Act Part Nom Sg Masc · θερίζωsubstantival participle (predicate)θερίζω: 'reap'.
38

ἐγὼ ἀπέστειλα ὑμᾶς θερίζειν ὃ οὐχ ὑμεῖς κεκοπιάκατε· ἄλλοι κεκοπιάκασιν καὶ ὑμεῖς εἰς τὸν κόπον αὐτῶν εἰσεληλύθατε.

I sent you to reap what you have not labored for; others have labored and you have entered into their labor.

Application (disciples as reapers of others' sowing)asyndetonThe application of the proverb to the disciples: Jesus sent them (ἀπέστειλα — aorist, his authoritative commission) to reap a harvest they did not sow. The perfect κεκοπιάκατε / κεκοπιάκασιν ('have labored') refers to the prior work of Jesus in this encounter, and perhaps to the OT prophets and John the Baptist who prepared the soil. The disciples enter into inherited grace — the Samaritan harvest is the fruit of another's labor.
ἐγὼINominativesubject (emphatic)
ἀπέστειλαI sentAor Act Indic 1 Sg · ἀποστέλλωmain verb→ constative aorist (the commission)ἀποστέλλω: 'send, commission'; the apostolic sending — the disciples are sent ones; Jesus' own role as the sent one (πέμψαντος, v.34) is now extended through them.
ὑμᾶςyouAccusativedirect object
θερίζεινto reapPres Act Inf · θερίζωinfinitive of purposeθερίζω: 'reap'; the purpose of the sending — to gather the harvest.
what / that whichAccusativerelative pronoun (object of κεκοπιάκατε)
οὐχnotnegative particle
ὑμεῖςyouNominativesubject (emphatic)
κεκοπιάκατεhave laboredPerf Act Indic 2 Pl · κοπιάωmain verb of relative clause (perfect)→ intensive perfect (you are not in a state of having labored for this)κοπιάω: 'labor, toil'; the same verb used of Jesus' weariness in v.6 (κεκοπιακώς) — Jesus labored at the well; the disciples have not yet spent themselves in this way.
ἄλλοιothersNominativesubjectἄλλος: 'others'; those who sowed — Jesus' own labor with the woman, the OT prophets, John the Baptist, all who prepared the way.
κεκοπιάκασινhave laboredPerf Act Indic 3 Pl · κοπιάωmain verb→ intensive perfect (their labor stands, it has paid off)κοπιάω: 'labor, toil'; the perfect expresses a completed labor whose effects persist.
καὶandcoordinating conjunction
ὑμεῖςyouNominativesubject (emphatic)
εἰςintopreposition + accusative (entry into)
τὸνtheAccusativearticle
κόπονlabor / toilAccusativeaccusative of goal (what they enter into)κόπος: 'labor, toil, hardship'; the noun corresponding to κοπιάω — the fruit of another's toil.
αὐτῶνtheirGenitivegenitive of possession
εἰσεληλύθατεyou have enteredPerf Act Indic 2 Pl · εἰσέρχομαιmain verb→ intensive perfect (the disciples are now standing in the place of harvest)εἰσέρχομαι: 'enter, come into'; the perfect pictures the disciples' current state — they have arrived into the harvest of others' labor.
39

Ἐκ δὲ τῆς πόλεως ἐκείνης πολλοὶ ἐπίστευσαν εἰς αὐτὸν τῶν Σαμαριτῶν διὰ τὸν λόγον τῆς γυναικὸς μαρτυρούσης ὅτι Εἶπέν μοι πάντα ἃ ἐποίησα.

Now from that city many of the Samaritans believed in him because of the word of the woman testifying that 'He told me everything I have done.'

Narrative result (first wave of Samaritan belief)δέThe first wave of Samaritan belief is grounded in the woman's testimony (διὰ τὸν λόγον τῆς γυναικὸς μαρτυρούσης). The participle μαρτυρούσης is significant — she functions as a witness (μάρτυς), the same role John the Baptist had (1:7–8). Her testimony is personal: 'He told me everything I have done.' Her witness to prophetic knowledge of her life is the effective evangelistic content.
Ἐκfrom / out ofpreposition + genitive (source)
δὲnowcontinuative particle
τῆςtheGenitivearticle
πόλεωςcityGenitivegenitive of sourceπόλις: Sychar.
ἐκείνηςthatGenitivedemonstrative adjective
πολλοὶmanyNominativesubjectπολλοί: 'many'; the quantifier of the first harvest — Samaritan faith is plural and communal.
ἐπίστευσανbelievedAor Act Indic 3 Pl · πιστεύωmain verb→ constative aorist (decisive act of faith)πιστεύω: 'believe, trust'; εἰς αὐτόν — the Johannine formula for personal faith directed toward Jesus as its object.
εἰςin / intopreposition + accusative (object of faith)
αὐτὸνhimAccusativeaccusative after εἰς (object of faith)
τῶνof theGenitivearticle (partitive)
ΣαμαριτῶνSamaritansGenitivepartitive genitive (many of the Samaritans)Σαμαρίτης: 'Samaritan'; the national-ethnic identifier — the believing community crosses the Jewish-Samaritan divide.
διὰbecause of / throughpreposition + accusative (cause/agency)
τὸνtheAccusativearticle
λόγονword / testimonyAccusativeaccusative of cause (after διά)λόγος: 'word'; here the woman's spoken testimony — the word of witness; the same λόγος that generates faith throughout John (cf. 17:20).
τῆςof theGenitivearticle
γυναικὸςwomanGenitivegenitive of source/authorγυνή: 'woman'; the Samaritan woman becomes the first effective evangelist in the Gospel.
μαρτυρούσηςtestifying / bearing witnessPres Act Part Gen Sg Fem · μαρτυρέωgenitive participle (agreeing with γυναικός; attending circumstance)→ present participle (ongoing witness)μαρτυρέω: 'testify, bear witness'; the key Johannine vocabulary of witness (μάρτυς, μαρτυρία, μαρτυρέω — used extensively in ch.1 of the Baptist); the woman's witness-function parallels John the Baptist's.
ὅτιthatconjunction introducing quoted testimony
Εἶπένhe toldAor Act Indic 3 Sg · λέγωverb of quoted speech→ constative aorist
μοιmeDativedative of indirect object
πάνταall things / everythingAccusativedirect objectπᾶς: 'all'; the same claim as v.29 — her testimony is consistent.
that / whichAccusativerelative pronoun (object of ἐποίησα)
ἐποίησαI have doneAor Act Indic 1 Sg · ποιέωverb of relative clause→ constative aoristποιέω: 'do'; her personal history — the foundation of her testimony.
40

ὡς οὖν ἦλθον πρὸς αὐτὸν οἱ Σαμαρῖται, ἠρώτων αὐτὸν μεῖναι παρ᾽ αὐτοῖς· καὶ ἔμεινεν ἐκεῖ δύο ἡμέρας.

So when the Samaritans came to him, they were asking him to stay with them; and he stayed there two days.

Narrative development (request and two-day stay)ὡς οὖνThe temporal ὡς οὖν introduces the Samaritans' arrival and their request that Jesus remain (ἠρώτων — imperfect, repeated requesting). The two-day stay (δύο ἡμέρας) is a Johannine timeline marker — cf. 11:6 (two more days before departing for Lazarus). The stay enables the deeper belief of v.41 (through his own word).
ὡςwhentemporal conjunction
οὖνtherefore / soinferential particle
ἦλθονcameAor Act Indic 3 Pl · ἔρχομαιverb of temporal clause→ constative aoristἔρχομαι: 'come'; the Samaritans' arrival completes the movement of v.30.
πρὸςtopreposition + accusative (goal/addressee)
αὐτὸνhimAccusativeaccusative after πρός
οἱtheNominativearticle
ΣαμαρῖταιSamaritansNominativesubject of temporal clauseΣαμαρίτης: 'Samaritan'.
ἠρώτωνwere askingImpf Act Indic 3 Pl · ἐρωτάωmain verb→ descriptive imperfect (persistent request)ἐρωτάω: 'ask, request'; the imperfect suggests repeated or sustained requesting — they urged him insistently to stay.
αὐτὸνhimAccusativedirect object (of ἠρώτων)
μεῖναιto stay / to remainAor Act Inf · μένωcomplementary infinitive (object of ἠρώτων)→ aorist infinitive (decisive extended staying)μένω: 'remain, stay, abide'; one of John's richest theological words — here the literal sense (staying in place) grounds the theological sense (abiding relationship).
παρ᾽with / amongpreposition + dative (association)
αὐτοῖςthemDativedative after παρά
καὶandcoordinating conjunction
ἔμεινενhe stayed / he remainedAor Act Indic 3 Sg · μένωmain verb→ constative aorist (decisive period of stay)μένω: 'remain, stay'; the Johannine verb of abiding — even at the human level, Jesus' staying is theologically charged.
ἐκεῖthereadverb of place
δύοtwocardinal number (adjectival)δύο: 'two'.
ἡμέραςdaysAccusativeaccusative of durationἡμέρα: 'day'; the two-day stay is the occasion for the deeper belief of v.41.
41

καὶ πολλῷ πλείους ἐπίστευσαν διὰ τὸν λόγον αὐτοῦ,

and many more believed because of his word,

Escalation of belief (deeper faith through direct encounter)καίThe quantitative escalation (πολλῷ πλείους — 'many more') and the change of basis (from the woman's testimony to Jesus' own word) mark a deepening of faith. The two-day stay converts initial secondhand belief into direct personal faith.
καὶandcoordinating conjunction
πολλῷfar / muchDativedative of degree (with comparative)πολύς: 'much'; πολλῷ with a comparative — 'by much more.'
πλείουςmoreNominativesubject (comparative)πλείων: comparative of πολύς; 'more (people)'; many more than v.39.
ἐπίστευσανbelievedAor Act Indic 3 Pl · πιστεύωmain verb→ constative aoristπιστεύω: 'believe'; the second, deeper wave of Samaritan faith.
διὰbecause ofpreposition + accusative (cause)
τὸνtheAccusativearticle
λόγονwordAccusativeaccusative of cause (after διά)λόγος: 'word'; Jesus' own word, heard directly during the two-day stay — cf. 17:20 where belief through the disciples' word is the chain of faith.
αὐτοῦhisGenitivegenitive of source/author
42

τῇ τε γυναικὶ ἔλεγον ὅτι Οὐκέτι διὰ τὴν σὴν λαλιὰν πιστεύομεν· αὐτοὶ γὰρ ἀκηκόαμεν καὶ οἴδαμεν ὅτι οὗτός ἐστιν ἀληθῶς ὁ σωτὴρ τοῦ κόσμου.

and they were saying to the woman, 'We no longer believe because of your word; for we ourselves have heard and we know that this one is truly the Savior of the world.'

Climax (Samaritans' direct confession — Savior of the world)τεThe climax of the Samaritan pericope: the community's confession that Jesus is ὁ σωτὴρ τοῦ κόσμου — 'the Savior of the world.' This is the most universal christological title in the chapter, transcending both Jewish and Samaritan particularism. The transition from secondhand belief (through the woman's word) to firsthand knowledge (ἀκηκόαμεν / οἴδαμεν) parallels the Gospel's movement from report to direct encounter. Σωτήρ τοῦ κόσμου is found only here and 1 John 4:14 in the Johannine corpus.
τῇtheDativearticle
τεand / bothconnective particle (with καί above)τε: additive particle, slightly more formal than καί; τε…καί can mark closely related clauses.
γυναικὶwomanDativedative of indirect objectγυνή: 'woman'; the community addresses the woman who first brought them — acknowledging her role while superseding it.
ἔλεγονwere sayingImpf Act Indic 3 Pl · λέγωmain verb→ descriptive imperfectλέγω: 'say'; the imperfect pictures the ongoing community declaration.
ὅτιthatconjunction introducing direct speech
Οὐκέτιno longernegative adverb of timeοὐκέτι: 'no longer, no more'; the temporal negation marks the transition from vicarious to direct faith.
διὰbecause ofpreposition + accusative (cause)
τὴνtheAccusativearticle
σὴνyourAccusativepossessive adjectiveσός: 'your (singular)'; the woman's word was the starting point — not the final ground.
λαλιὰνword / talkAccusativeaccusative of cause (after διά)λαλιά: 'speech, talk, utterance'; a more colloquial term than λόγος — 'your talk'; the word that initiated their coming.
πιστεύομενwe believePres Act Indic 1 Pl · πιστεύωmain verb→ descriptive present (current state of faith)πιστεύω: 'believe'; the present tense marks their current faith as genuine and direct — not secondhand.
αὐτοὶourselvesNominativeintensive pronoun (emphatic subject)αὐτοί: 'themselves'; emphatic — 'we ourselves, firsthand,' contrasting with belief mediated through the woman.
γὰρforexplanatory conjunction
ἀκηκόαμενwe have heardPerf Act Indic 1 Pl · ἀκούωmain verb (perfect)→ intensive perfect (the hearing stands and its effect remains)ἀκούω: 'hear'; the perfect expresses the abiding effect of their hearing during the two-day stay.
καὶandcoordinating conjunction
οἴδαμενwe knowPerf Act Indic 1 Pl · οἶδαmain verb (perfect)→ intensive perfect (state of knowing)οἶδα: 'know'; paired perfect — hearing has produced knowing; the epistemological movement of the Gospel: hearing → seeing → knowing → believing.
ὅτιthatconjunction introducing content of knowledge
οὗτόςthis oneNominativesubject (demonstrative)
ἐστινisPres Act Indic 3 Sg · εἰμίcopulative verb→ descriptive present
ἀληθῶςtrulyadverb of manner / affirmationἀληθῶς: 'truly, really'; the adverb of emphatic affirmation — this is their genuinely held conviction.
theNominativearticle
σωτὴρSaviorNominativepredicate nominativeσωτήρ: 'savior, deliverer'; a title from Hellenistic and OT backgrounds (LXX of Judg 3:9; Isa 45:15,21; for the God of Israel as σωτήρ); applied to rulers in the Hellenistic world; here the fullest christological claim of the chapter, uttered by Samaritans — the universalism is pointed.
τοῦof theGenitivearticle
κόσμουworldGenitivegenitive (objective/appositional)κόσμος: 'world'; John's universal term — not the Jewish world, not the Samaritan world, but the whole κόσμος (cf. 3:16 — 'God so loved the world'). The Samaritans, excluded from both Jewish and Gentile privilege, are the fitting voices for this universal title.
43

Μετὰ δὲ τὰς δύο ἡμέρας ἐξῆλθεν ἐκεῖθεν εἰς τὴν Γαλιλαίαν·

After the two days he departed from there into Galilee.

Narrative transition (departure to Galilee)δέThe temporal marker Μετὰ τὰς δύο ἡμέρας closes the Samaritan episode and resumes the journey to Galilee (cf. v.3). The aorist ἐξῆλθεν is the departure that parallels the departure from Judea in v.3.
Μετὰafterpreposition + accusative (time after)
δὲnowcontinuative particle
τὰςtheAccusativearticle
δύοtwocardinal numeral
ἡμέραςdaysAccusativeaccusative of time (after μετά)ἡμέρα: 'day'; refers back to the two-day stay of v.40.
ἐξῆλθενdeparted / went outAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ἐξέρχομαιmain verb→ constative aoristἐξέρχομαι: 'go out, depart'; the mirror of ἦλθεν in vv.5,40 — arrival and departure mark the Samaritan episode.
ἐκεῖθενfrom thereadverb of place (origin)ἐκεῖθεν: 'from there'; from Samaria.
εἰςintopreposition + accusative (goal)
τὴνtheAccusativearticle
ΓαλιλαίανGalileeAccusativeaccusative of goalΓαλιλαία: the northern region; the destination first stated in v.3.
44

αὐτὸς γὰρ Ἰησοῦς ἐμαρτύρησεν ὅτι προφήτης ἐν τῇ ἰδίᾳ πατρίδι τιμὴν οὐκ ἔχει.

For Jesus himself testified that a prophet has no honor in his own homeland.

Explanatory parenthesis (the proverb of the prophet's honor)γάρA difficult verse: why does the narrator cite the no-honor-in-homeland proverb (a saying found in all four Gospels — Matt 13:57; Mark 6:4; Luke 4:24) immediately before noting the Galileans' welcome? The tension has generated much discussion. The most natural reading is that Jesus went to Galilee precisely because his 'homeland' (where he would find least honor) was Judea/Jerusalem — or that the proverb anticipates the shallow sign-faith the Galileans will show (cf. v.48). The proverb is cited by the narrator as background to the Galilean reception.
αὐτὸςhimselfNominativeintensive pronoun (emphatic subject)αὐτός: 'himself'; Jesus himself was the one who stated the proverb — the authority is his own testimony.
γὰρforexplanatory conjunction
ἸησοῦςJesusNominativesubject (in apposition to αὐτός)
ἐμαρτύρησενtestified / bore witnessAor Act Indic 3 Sg · μαρτυρέωmain verb→ constative aorist (the testimony he gave)μαρτυρέω: 'testify, bear witness'; the same vocabulary used of the Samaritan woman (v.39) and John the Baptist — Jesus' own self-witness.
ὅτιthatconjunction introducing content of testimony
προφήτηςa prophetNominativesubject (anarthrous)προφήτης: 'prophet'; anarthrous — generalizing; this is a proverbial statement about any prophet.
ἐνinpreposition + dative (place)
τῇtheDativearticle
ἰδίᾳhis ownDativepossessive adjectiveἴδιος: 'one's own, proper'; the intensified possessive — one's very own homeland.
πατρίδιhomeland / hometownDativedative of placeπατρίς: 'homeland, fatherland, native region'; from πατήρ (father); the land of one's fathers; in the synoptic parallels this refers to Nazareth; in John the application is broader.
τιμὴνhonorAccusativedirect objectτιμή: 'honor, respect, esteem'; the honor a prophet deserves is precisely what his own people fail to give (cf. John 1:11 — 'he came to his own and his own received him not').
οὐκnotnegative particle
ἔχειhasPres Act Indic 3 Sg · ἔχωmain verb (gnomic)→ gnomic present (universal truth)ἔχω: 'have'; gnomic present — a standing truth of prophetic experience.
45

ὅτε οὖν ἦλθεν εἰς τὴν Γαλιλαίαν, ἐδέξαντο αὐτὸν οἱ Γαλιλαῖοι, πάντα ἑωρακότες ὅσα ἐποίησεν ἐν Ἱεροσολύμοις ἐν τῇ ἑορτῇ· καὶ αὐτοὶ γὰρ ἦλθον εἰς τὴν ἑορτήν.

So when he came into Galilee, the Galileans welcomed him, having seen all that he had done in Jerusalem during the feast; for they too had come to the feast.

Narrative arrival (Galilean welcome explained)ὅτε οὖνThe Galilean welcome (ἐδέξαντο) is noted but immediately qualified: it is grounded in sign-observation (ἑωρακότες — perfect participle, they had seen and the memory remains). They had been at Jerusalem for the feast (Passover, 2:13–3:21) and saw the signs. This ground of faith based on signs is precisely what v.48 will critique. The welcome appears positive but the reader is primed by the proverb of v.44 to suspect its depth.
ὅτεwhentemporal conjunction
οὖνtherefore / soinferential particle
ἦλθενhe cameAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ἔρχομαιverb of temporal clause→ constative aorist
εἰςintopreposition + accusative (goal)
τὴνtheAccusativearticle
ΓαλιλαίανGalileeAccusativeaccusative of goal
ἐδέξαντοwelcomed / receivedAor Mid Indic 3 Pl · δέχομαιmain verb→ constative aoristδέχομαι: 'receive, welcome'; a verb of hospitality and reception; cf. 1:11-12 — those who received (παρέλαβον) him vs. those who did not.
αὐτὸνhimAccusativedirect object
οἱtheNominativearticle
ΓαλιλαῖοιGalileansNominativesubjectΓαλιλαῖος: 'Galilean'; the inhabitants of Galilee, contrasted with the Jerusalem-Judean establishment and, implicitly, with the Samaritans.
πάνταall / everythingAccusativedirect object of ἑωρακότες
ἑωρακότεςhaving seenPerf Act Part Nom Pl Masc · ὁράωcausal participle (modifying οἱ Γαλιλαῖοι)→ intensive perfect (the seeing and its abiding impression)ὁράω: 'see'; the perfect participle — they had seen and the memory remained; their welcome is sign-based faith (cf. 2:23-25 where Jesus did not trust those who believed because of signs in Jerusalem).
ὅσαas many as / all thatAccusativerelative pronoun (quantitative)
ἐποίησενhe didAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ποιέωverb of relative clause→ constative aoristποιέω: 'do'; the signs performed at Jerusalem's Passover (2:23; cf. 2:11 — the first sign at Cana).
ἐνinpreposition + dative (place)
ἹεροσολύμοιςJerusalemDativedative of placeἹεροσόλυμα: Jerusalem, where the signs had been performed.
ἐνat / duringpreposition + dative (time)
τῇtheDativearticle
ἑορτῇfeastDativedative of time (at the feast)ἑορτή: 'feast, festival'; the Passover of 2:13.
καὶforcoordinating conjunction (introducing explanation)
αὐτοὶthey themselvesNominativesubject (emphatic)αὐτοί: emphatic — they too had been there personally.
γὰρforexplanatory conjunction
ἦλθονhad come / cameAor Act Indic 3 Pl · ἔρχομαιmain verb→ constative aorist
εἰςtopreposition + accusative (goal)
τὴνtheAccusativearticle
ἑορτήνfeastAccusativeaccusative of goalἑορτή: the Passover; the Galileans had made the pilgrimage and witnessed the signs there — hence their welcome.
46

Ἦλθεν οὖν πάλιν εἰς τὴν Κανὰ τῆς Γαλιλαίας, ὅπου ἐποίησεν τὸ ὕδωρ οἶνον. καὶ ἦν τις βασιλικὸς οὗ ὁ υἱὸς ἠσθένει ἐν Καφαρναούμ.

He came therefore again to Cana of Galilee, where he had made the water wine. And there was a certain royal official whose son was ill in Capernaum.

Scene setting (return to Cana; introduction of the official)οὖνThe explicit link to Cana (ὅπου ἐποίησεν τὸ ὕδωρ οἶνον — 'where he made the water wine,' 2:1–11) creates an inclusio: the second sign will be counted at v.54. The βασιλικός ('royal official,' lit. 'royal one, one belonging to the king') was likely a courtier of Herod Antipas, whose court was at Capernaum-Tiberias. The son's illness at Capernaum creates the distance that will make the miracle more dramatic.
Ἦλθενhe cameAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ἔρχομαιmain verb→ constative aoristἔρχομαι: 'come'; returns Jesus to the site of the first sign.
οὖνtherefore / soinferential particle
πάλινagainadverb of repetitionπάλιν: 'again'; links this visit to the first sign of ch.2.
εἰςto / intopreposition + accusative (goal)
τὴνtheAccusativearticle
ΚανὰCanaAccusativeaccusative of goalΚανά: Cana of Galilee; cf. 2:1,11; the site of the first sign and now the location from which the second sign is performed.
τῆςof theGenitivearticle
ΓαλιλαίαςGalileeGenitivegenitive of location/belonging
ὅπουwhererelative adverb of place
ἐποίησενhe had madeAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ποιέωverb of relative clause (referring back to 2:9)→ constative aoristποιέω: 'make, do'; the explicit retrospective link to the first sign.
τὸtheAccusativearticle
ὕδωρwaterAccusativedirect objectὕδωρ: 'water'; the water-into-wine miracle, the first sign.
οἶνονwineAccusativepredicate accusative (double accusative of result)οἶνος: 'wine'; the transformation — water became wine.
καὶandcoordinating conjunction
ἦνthere wasImpf Act Indic 3 Sg · εἰμίexistential verb (introducing new character)→ descriptive imperfect
τιςa certainNominativeindefinite pronoun (subject)
βασιλικὸςroyal officialNominativepredicate nominative / apposition to τιςβασιλικός: 'royal, belonging to a king'; as a substantive = 'royal official, courtier'; one attached to the court of Herod Antipas (tetrarch of Galilee and Perea); possibly the same event as Matt 8:5–13 / Luke 7:1–10 (centurion at Capernaum) but with significant differences.
οὗwhoseGenitiverelative pronoun (genitive of possession)
theNominativearticle
υἱὸςsonNominativesubject of relative clauseυἱός: 'son'; the specific family member in need — the father's love for his son drives the urgency of vv.47,49.
ἠσθένειwas ill / was weakImpf Act Indic 3 Sg · ἀσθενέωverb of relative clause→ descriptive imperfect (ongoing serious illness)ἀσθενέω: 'be ill, be weak, be sick'; the durative imperfect pictures a sustained illness — his condition is grave (v.47 adds 'about to die').
ἐνinpreposition + dative (place)
ΚαφαρναούμCapernaumDativedative of placeΚαφαρναούμ: Capernaum on the north shore of the Sea of Galilee, ~25km from Cana; the distance makes the long-distance healing more dramatic.
47

οὗτος ἀκούσας ὅτι Ἰησοῦς ἥκει ἐκ τῆς Ἰουδαίας εἰς τὴν Γαλιλαίαν, ἀπῆλθεν πρὸς αὐτὸν καὶ ἠρώτα αὐτὸν ἵνα καταβῇ καὶ ἰάσηται αὐτοῦ τὸν υἱόν· ἤμελλεν γὰρ ἀποθνῄσκειν.

When this man heard that Jesus had come from Judea into Galilee, he went to him and was asking him to come down and heal his son, for he was about to die.

The official's urgent requestasyndetonThe perfect ἥκει ('he has come, he is here') captures the report of Jesus' arrival. The man went to Cana from Capernaum — a full day's journey — in desperation. The imperfect ἠρώτα ('was asking') suggests repeated, urgent pleading. The purpose clause (ἵνα καταβῇ — 'that he come down') reveals his assumption: physical presence is required for healing. Jesus will correct this assumption radically.
οὗτοςthis manNominativesubject (demonstrative)
ἀκούσαςhaving heardAor Act Part Nom Sg Masc · ἀκούωtemporal/causal participle (modifying οὗτος)→ constative aorist (the moment of hearing)ἀκούω: 'hear'; the hearing triggers the journey — faith begins with hearing.
ὅτιthatconjunction introducing content of hearing
ἸησοῦςJesusNominativesubject of ἥκει
ἥκειhas come / is herePres Act Indic 3 Sg · ἥκωverb of content clause (present with perfect force)→ perfect-force present (arrival and continuing presence)ἥκω: 'have come, be here'; the verb has a perfect-like force — 'has arrived and is now present'; the news of Jesus' arrival travels to Capernaum.
ἐκfrompreposition + genitive (source)
τῆςtheGenitivearticle
ἸουδαίαςJudeaGenitivegenitive of source
εἰςintopreposition + accusative (goal)
τὴνtheAccusativearticle
ΓαλιλαίανGalileeAccusativeaccusative of goal
ἀπῆλθενhe went away / he set outAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ἀπέρχομαιmain verb→ constative aorist (decisive journey)ἀπέρχομαι: 'go away'; the journey from Capernaum to Cana — perhaps 25km on foot.
πρὸςtopreposition + accusative (goal)
αὐτὸνhimAccusativeaccusative after πρός
καὶandcoordinating conjunction
ἠρώταwas askingImpf Act Indic 3 Sg · ἐρωτάωmain verb→ descriptive imperfect (repeated, urgent asking)ἐρωτάω: 'ask, request'; the imperfect — he kept pleading, his urgency sustained.
αὐτὸνhimAccusativedirect object
ἵναthat / topurpose/content conjunction
καταβῇhe come downAor Act Subj 3 Sg · καταβαίνωsubjunctive in ἵνα clause→ aorist subjunctive (decisive act of going down)καταβαίνω: 'come down, go down'; from Cana (highland) to Capernaum (lakeside) — the verb of physical descent that Jesus will transcend by healing at a distance.
καὶandcoordinating conjunction
ἰάσηταιhe healAor Mid Subj 3 Sg · ἰάομαιcoordinated subjunctive (ἵνα clause continued)→ aorist subjunctiveἰάομαι: 'heal, cure'; a medical healing verb (cf. Luke's preference for it); the desired result of Jesus' coming down.
αὐτοῦhisGenitivegenitive of possession (proleptic)
τὸνtheAccusativearticle
υἱόνsonAccusativedirect object of ἰάσηταιυἱός: 'son'; the direct object of both the request and the miracle.
ἤμελλενwas about toImpf Act Indic 3 Sg · μέλλωmain verb (of explanatory clause)→ descriptive imperfect (impending death)μέλλω: 'be about to, be on the point of'; the imperfect — the son was in the process of dying; the urgency is acute.
γὰρforexplanatory conjunction
ἀποθνῄσκεινto diePres Act Inf · ἀποθνῄσκωcomplementary infinitive (with μέλλω)→ present infinitive (ongoing dying process)ἀποθνῄσκω: 'die, be dying'; the present infinitive with μέλλω captures the ongoing mortal process — he was dying, not yet dead.
48

εἶπεν οὖν ὁ Ἰησοῦς πρὸς αὐτόν· Ἐὰν μὴ σημεῖα καὶ τέρατα ἴδητε, οὐ μὴ πιστεύσητε.

So Jesus said to him, 'Unless you see signs and wonders, you will certainly not believe.'

Rebuke / challenge (sign-dependent faith critiqued)οὖνJesus' abrupt rebuke addresses not just the official but the Galilean crowd (the second-person plurals are significant — ἴδητε and πιστεύσητε). The pairing σημεῖα καὶ τέρατα ('signs and wonders') is a solemn Deuteronomic formula (Deut 4:34; 6:22; 26:8; 34:11) — always together in the OT for the Exodus miracles; it appears only here in John and marks the inadequacy of wonder-based faith. The emphatic double negative οὐ μὴ + subjunctive is the strongest negation.
εἶπενsaidAor Act Indic 3 Sg · λέγωmain verb→ constative aorist
οὖνthereforeinferential particle
theNominativearticle
ἸησοῦςJesusNominativesubject
πρὸςtopreposition + accusative (addressee)
αὐτόνhimAccusativeaccusative after πρός
Ἐὰνunless / ifconditional conjunction (with μή = 'unless')ἐάν: 'if'; with μή = 'unless.'
μὴnotnegative particle (with ἐάν = unless)
σημεῖαsignsAccusativedirect object of ἴδητεσημεῖον: 'sign'; John's preferred word for miracles (not τέρας alone) — a sign points beyond itself to a deeper reality; but seeking signs for the spectacle itself is inadequate faith.
καὶandcoordinating conjunction
τέραταwondersAccusativedirect object (coordinated)τέρας: 'wonder, portent'; the extraordinary event viewed as an astonishing spectacle; always paired with σημεῖα in the Deuteronomic formula; this pairing only here in John.
ἴδητεyou seeAor Act Subj 2 Pl · ὁράωsubjunctive in conditional clause (ἐάν μή + subj.)→ aorist subjunctiveὁράω: 'see'; the second-person plural — Jesus addresses the Galilean community, not just the official.
οὐnotnegative particle (double negation)
μὴnotnegative particle (double negation)
πιστεύσητεyou will believeAor Act Subj 2 Pl · πιστεύωsubjunctive in apodosis (οὐ μή + subj. = emphatic future negation)→ emphatic negation of future beliefπιστεύω: 'believe'; the emphatic double negative — without signs, this crowd will absolutely not believe; the challenge is to a deeper, word-based faith.
49

λέγει πρὸς αὐτὸν ὁ βασιλικός· Κύριε, κατάβηθι πρὶν ἀποθανεῖν τὸ παιδίον μου.

The royal official says to him, 'Lord, come down before my child dies.'

Persistent request (urgent love overrides the rebuke)asyndetonThe official does not debate the critique — he simply presses his urgent need: Κύριε, κατάβηθι ('Lord, come down'). The upgrade from Κύριε as mere 'Sir' to something approaching genuine petition is not certain, but his persistence is noted. He now calls the son παιδίον ('my child' — a more tender diminutive), conveying paternal desperation. He still assumes physical presence is necessary.
λέγειsaysPres Act Indic 3 Sg · λέγωmain verb (historic present)→ historical present
πρὸςtopreposition + accusative (addressee)
αὐτὸνhimAccusativeaccusative after πρός
theNominativearticle
βασιλικόςroyal officialNominativesubjectβασιλικός: 'royal official'; the same term as v.46; Herod's courtier.
ΚύριεLord / SirVocativevocative of addressκύριος: 'Lord'; whether the man has moved from polite 'Sir' to genuine 'Lord' is debated; his persistence and belief in v.50 suggest growing faith.
κατάβηθιcome down!Aor Act Impv 2 Sg · καταβαίνωimperative (urgent petition)→ aorist imperative (single decisive act)καταβαίνω: 'come down'; from Cana to Capernaum — the physical journey he expects is unnecessary; Jesus will heal by word alone.
πρὶνbeforetemporal conjunction (before + infinitive)πρίν: 'before'; with an infinitive marks the time limit on the request — before it is too late.
ἀποθανεῖνto dieAor Act Inf · ἀποθνῄσκωinfinitive of πρίν (temporal)→ aorist infinitive (single event of death)ἀποθνῄσκω: 'die'; the feared outcome — death before healing.
τὸtheNominativearticle
παιδίονchildNominativesubject of ἀποθανεῖνπαιδίον: 'child, little child'; a diminutive of παῖς; tenderer than υἱός (son, v.46,47,50,53) — the emotional register rises: this is 'my little child.'
μουmyGenitivegenitive of possession
50

λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ Ἰησοῦς· Πορεύου, ὁ υἱός σου ζῇ. ἐπίστευσεν ὁ ἄνθρωπος τῷ λόγῳ ὃν εἶπεν αὐτῷ ὁ Ἰησοῦς καὶ ἐπορεύετο.

Jesus says to him, 'Go; your son lives.' The man believed the word that Jesus said to him and went on his way.

The decisive word and the act of faithasyndetonThe climax: Jesus speaks a bare declarative (ὁ υἱός σου ζῇ — 'your son lives') without any accompanying gesture, touch, or journey. The man's response is the hinge of the miracle story: ἐπίστευσεν ὁ ἄνθρωπος τῷ λόγῳ — 'the man believed the word.' He believed before any confirming evidence. This is the faith Jesus was calling for in v.48 — not sign-dependent, but word-dependent. He then went (ἐπορεύετο — imperfect, the journey that would be interrupted by good news).
λέγειsaysPres Act Indic 3 Sg · λέγωmain verb (historic present)→ historical present
αὐτῷto himDativedative of indirect object
theNominativearticle
ἸησοῦςJesusNominativesubject
Πορεύουgo!Pres Mid Impv 2 Sg · πορεύομαιimperative (dismissal / commission)→ present imperative (go — be on your way)πορεύομαι: 'go, travel'; the dismissal that presupposes the miracle is complete — Jesus sends him home as though the healing is already accomplished.
theNominativearticle
υἱόςsonNominativesubjectυἱός: 'son'; Jesus returns to the formal term υἱός (not the tender παιδίον of the father's plea) — the declarative is firm and final.
σουyourGenitivegenitive of possession
ζῇlivesPres Act Indic 3 Sg · ζάωpredicate (declarative)→ gnomic/declarative present (the life is a present reality)ζάω: 'live'; the bare declarative in the present tense — not 'he will live' but 'he lives'; Jesus speaks the life into existence by his word.
ἐπίστευσενbelievedAor Act Indic 3 Sg · πιστεύωmain verb→ constative aorist (decisive act of faith)πιστεύω: 'believe'; this is the faith the Gospel calls for — prior to and independent of visible confirmation; word-faith rather than sign-faith.
theNominativearticle
ἄνθρωποςmanNominativesubjectἄνθρωπος: 'man'; the narrator now calls him simply 'the man' — his identity as a royal official recedes; he is simply a human being who believed.
τῷtheDativearticle
λόγῳwordDativedative of object (belief directed at the word)λόγος: 'word'; the faith is in Jesus' word — πιστεύω + dative here means to trust, give credence to; cf. 5:24 ('believes the one who sent me').
ὃνthat / whichAccusativerelative pronoun (object of εἶπεν)
εἶπενsaidAor Act Indic 3 Sg · λέγωverb of relative clause→ constative aorist
αὐτῷto himDativedative of indirect object
theNominativearticle
ἸησοῦςJesusNominativesubject of εἶπεν
καὶandcoordinating conjunction
ἐπορεύετοwas going / went on his wayImpf Mid Indic 3 Sg · πορεύομαιmain verb→ descriptive imperfect (ongoing journey of obedient faith)πορεύομαι: 'go, travel'; the imperfect pictures the journey of obedient faith — he is on his way home when the servants will meet him with news.
51

ἤδη δὲ αὐτοῦ καταβαίνοντος οἱ δοῦλοι αὐτοῦ ὑπήντησαν αὐτῷ λέγοντες ὅτι ὁ παῖς αὐτοῦ ζῇ.

But while he was still going down, his servants met him saying that his child was alive.

Confirmation (servants bring news; the miracle verified in transit)δέThe genitive absolute αὐτοῦ καταβαίνοντος ('while he was going down') creates the narrative overlap — he is in the act of traveling when the servants meet him. The servants' message echoes Jesus' words (ζῇ — 'lives/is alive'); the word of Jesus and the news of the servants are identical. The son is now called παῖς ('boy, child') — another tender term (= παιδίον of v.49), confirming the narrator's attention to the emotional texture.
ἤδηalreadyadverb of timeἤδη: 'already'; the adverb of immediacy — while he was still on the road, already the good news was coming.
δὲbut / nowcontinuative particle
αὐτοῦwhile heGenitivegenitive absolute (subject)
καταβαίνοντοςwas going downPres Act Part Gen Sg Masc · καταβαίνωgenitive absolute participle→ present participle (action in progress — the journey)καταβαίνω: 'go down, come down'; the ongoing journey toward Capernaum — while in progress, the servants meet him.
οἱtheNominativearticle
δοῦλοιservantsNominativesubjectδοῦλος: 'slave, servant'; household servants of the royal official sent presumably from Capernaum with news.
αὐτοῦhisGenitivegenitive of possession
ὑπήντησανmetAor Act Indic 3 Pl · ὑπαντάωmain verb→ constative aoristὑπαντάω: 'meet, encounter'; a verb of coming face-to-face with someone on the road.
αὐτῷhimDativedative of indirect object (after ὑπαντάω)
λέγοντεςsayingPres Act Part Nom Pl Masc · λέγωsupplementary participle (manner)λέγω: 'say'; introduces the content of the news.
ὅτιthatconjunction introducing direct/indirect speech
theNominativearticle
παῖςchild / boyNominativesubjectπαῖς: 'child, boy, servant'; here 'his child' — the servants use the more intimate term, mirroring the father's παιδίον of v.49; alternating with υἱός (son) across the pericope.
αὐτοῦhisGenitivegenitive of possession
ζῇlives / is alivePres Act Indic 3 Sg · ζάωpredicate (echoing Jesus' declaration)→ declarative presentζάω: 'live'; the exact word Jesus spoke (v.50) — the servants' news and Jesus' word are verbally identical.
52

ἐπύθετο οὖν τὴν ὥραν παρ᾽ αὐτῶν ἐν ᾗ κομψότερον ἔσχεν· εἶπαν οὖν αὐτῷ ὅτι Ἐχθὲς ὥραν ἑβδόμην ἀφῆκεν αὐτὸν ὁ πυρετός.

So he asked them the hour at which he had begun to recover; and they said to him, 'Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him.'

Verification (the hour confirmed)οὖνThe father's inquiry (ἐπύθετο — aorist middle of πυνθάνομαι, 'inquire, ask') confirms the sign: he asks specifically about the hour of recovery. The servants' answer gives the exact time: ἐχθὲς ὥραν ἑβδόμην — 'yesterday at the seventh hour.' The seventh hour = 1 PM on a Roman reckoning (cf. the sixth hour = noon in v.6). The fever (ὁ πυρετός — article implying a specific illness) 'left him' (ἀφῆκεν — the same verb used in v.3 of Jesus leaving Judea, and in v.28 of the woman leaving her water jar) at the exact moment of Jesus' word.
ἐπύθετοhe inquired / he askedAor Mid Indic 3 Sg · πυνθάνομαιmain verb→ constative aoristπυνθάνομαι: 'inquire, ask, find out'; a verb of deliberate investigation — he wanted to verify.
οὖνthereforeinferential particle
τὴνtheAccusativearticle
ὥρανhourdirect object of ἐπύθετοὥρα: 'hour'; the specific hour of the recovery is the key datum; cf. vv.6,52,53.
παρ᾽frompreposition + genitive (source/from)
αὐτῶνthemGenitivegenitive of source (from the servants)
ἐνin / atpreposition + dative (temporal)
whichDativerelative pronoun (dative after ἐν)
κομψότερονbetter / improvedadverb (comparative)κομψότερον: 'better, more finely'; an adverb of improvement (literally 'more elegantly, more neatly'); NT hapax; euphemistic for the onset of recovery — 'at which hour he began to get better.'
ἔσχενhe hadAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ἔχωverb of relative clause→ constative aorist (onset of recovery)ἔχω: 'have'; κομψότερον ἔσχεν = 'he began to have it better' = 'he improved'; the aorist captures the moment of improvement.
εἶπανthey saidAor Act Indic 3 Pl · λέγωmain verb→ constative aorist
οὖνso / thereforeinferential particle
αὐτῷto himDativedative of indirect object
ὅτιthatconjunction introducing speech
Ἐχθὲςyesterdayadverb of timeἐχθές: 'yesterday'; the journey took overnight — Jesus spoke at the seventh hour (v.52) and the father arrives home the next day, confirming the timing.
ὥρανhourAccusativeaccusative of time (at the ___ hour)ὥρα: 'hour'; the time of the fever's departure.
ἑβδόμηνseventhAccusativeordinal adjective (attributive)ἕβδομος: 'seventh'; the seventh hour = 1 PM (Roman reckoning); the same hour Jesus said 'your son lives' (v.50).
ἀφῆκενleft / departed fromAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ἀφίημιmain verb→ constative aorist (the moment the fever broke)ἀφίημι: 'let go, leave, release'; the fever 'released' the boy at the exact moment of Jesus' word; the same verb used of Jesus leaving Judea (v.3) and the woman leaving her water jar (v.28) — the word-echoes are deliberate.
αὐτὸνhimAccusativedirect object
theNominativearticle
πυρετόςfeverNominativesubjectπυρετός: 'fever'; from πῦρ (fire); a specific, known illness — the article implies it was an identified fever condition.
53

ἔγνω οὖν ὁ πατὴρ ὅτι ἐκείνῃ τῇ ὥρᾳ ἐν ᾗ εἶπεν αὐτῷ ὁ Ἰησοῦς· ὁ υἱός σου ζῇ· καὶ ἐπίστευσεν αὐτὸς καὶ ἡ οἰκία αὐτοῦ ὅλη.

So the father knew that it was at that hour in which Jesus had said to him, 'Your son lives'; and he himself believed, and his whole household.

Recognition and household faith (sign leads to full belief)οὖνThe father's knowledge (ἔγνω — constative aorist of γινώσκω, 'he knew, he recognized') connects the servants' report to Jesus' word: the hour is identical. The climax is a triple extension of faith: (1) he already believed Jesus' word in v.50; (2) now he recognizes the sign; (3) ἐπίστευσεν αὐτὸς καὶ ἡ οἰκία αὐτοῦ ὅλη — 'he himself believed, and his whole household.' This household faith pattern (cf. Acts 10:2; 16:15,31–34; 18:8) represents the expansion of saving faith from individual to community.
ἔγνωhe knew / he recognizedAor Act Indic 3 Sg · γινώσκωmain verb→ constative aorist (moment of recognition)γινώσκω: 'know, recognize, perceive'; the constative aorist — the moment of dawning recognition; the same verb used of Jesus perceiving the Pharisees' awareness in v.1.
οὖνthereforeinferential particle
theNominativearticle
πατὴρfatherNominativesubjectπατήρ: 'father'; he is now named by his relational identity — the father; throughout the pericope he has been 'royal official,' 'man,' 'him,' now 'father.'
ὅτιthatconjunction introducing content of knowledge
ἐκείνῃthatDativedemonstrative adjective
τῇtheDativearticle
ὥρᾳhourDativedative of time (at that hour)ὥρα: 'hour'; the key datum — the hour of Jesus' word (v.50) = the hour of the fever's departure (v.52) = the seventh hour.
ἐνin / atpreposition + dative (temporal)
whichDativerelative pronoun (dative after ἐν)
εἶπενsaidAor Act Indic 3 Sg · λέγωverb of relative clause→ constative aorist
αὐτῷto himDativedative of indirect object
theNominativearticle
ἸησοῦςJesusNominativesubject of εἶπεν
theNominativearticle
υἱόςsonNominativesubject of ζῇ
σουyourGenitivegenitive of possession
ζῇlivesPres Act Indic 3 Sg · ζάωpredicate (quoted — Jesus' word)→ declarative presentζάω: 'live'; the third occurrence of this word in vv.50–53, binding together Jesus' word, the servants' report, and the father's recognition.
καὶandcoordinating conjunction
ἐπίστευσενbelievedAor Act Indic 3 Sg · πιστεύωmain verb→ constative aorist (decisive household faith)πιστεύω: 'believe'; the second occurrence of this verb in the pericope — the first was word-faith (v.50), now sign-confirmed faith; but the narrative does not demote it — recognition of the sign deepens rather than replaces the earlier faith.
αὐτὸςhimselfNominativeintensive pronoun (emphatic)αὐτός: 'himself'; he himself — the father personally, not just in response to others.
καὶandcoordinating conjunction
theNominativearticle
οἰκίαhouseholdNominativesubject (coordinated)οἰκία: 'house, household'; the entire household — family, servants, dependents; the pattern of household conversion recurs in Acts (10:2; 16:15,31–34; 18:8); the community of faith starts at home.
αὐτοῦhisGenitivegenitive of possession
ὅληwhole / entireNominativeadjective (predicate/attributive)ὅλος: 'whole, all'; the universality of the household faith — no exceptions noted; a comprehensive response.
54

Τοῦτο δὲ πάλιν δεύτερον σημεῖον ἐποίησεν ὁ Ἰησοῦς ἐλθὼν ἐκ τῆς Ἰουδαίας εἰς τὴν Γαλιλαίαν.

This was now the second sign that Jesus did when he came from Judea into Galilee.

Narrator's closing note (second sign counted; inclusio with ch. 2)δέThe narrator explicitly counts this as the second sign (δεύτερον σημεῖον) and specifies the geographical arc: from Judea to Galilee (cf. vv.3,43,46). The counting (πρῶτον in 2:11, δεύτερον here) creates a numbered sequence and brackets the Galilean ministry of chapters 2–4 as a unified section. The sign-numbering suggests a 'Book of Signs' structure in John's Gospel (chs. 2–12). The chapter ends as it began — with Jesus moving between Judea and Galilee, but now the circle is larger: a Samaritan city has believed, a royal official's household has been converted, and the second sign has been performed at a distance by word alone.
ΤοῦτοthisNominativesubject (demonstrative)
δὲnowcontinuative particle
πάλινagain / nowadverb of recurrenceπάλιν: 'again'; used with a sequential sense — 'now again (for a second time)'; links back to the first sign at Cana.
δεύτερονsecondNominativeordinal adjective (predicate)δεύτερος: 'second'; explicitly numbered — cf. πρῶτον in 2:11; the sign-numbering may be a feature of the Sign-Source hypothesis (Bultmann) but functions narratively regardless of source criticism.
σημεῖονsignNominativepredicate nominativeσημεῖον: 'sign, miracle'; John's characteristic vocabulary for the mighty works of Jesus — pointing beyond themselves to the glory of the Son and the power of the Father.
ἐποίησενhe did / he performedAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ποιέωmain verb→ constative aoristποιέω: 'do, perform'; the narrator's standard word for Jesus performing signs (cf. 2:11,23; 20:30).
theNominativearticle
ἸησοῦςJesusNominativesubject
ἐλθὼνhaving comeAor Act Part Nom Sg Masc · ἔρχομαιtemporal/circumstantial participle (modifying ὁ Ἰησοῦς)→ constative aorist (the completed journey)ἔρχομαι: 'come'; the participle recalls the geographic frame of the chapter (from Judea to Galilee, vv.3,43).
ἐκfrompreposition + genitive (source)
τῆςtheGenitivearticle
ἸουδαίαςJudeaGenitivegenitive of sourceἸουδαία: Judea — the starting point of the journey, the zone of Pharisaic scrutiny (cf. v.1).
εἰςintopreposition + accusative (goal)
τὴνtheAccusativearticle
ΓαλιλαίανGalileeAccusativeaccusative of goalΓαλιλαία: Galilee — the destination and the arena of the signs; the geographic inclusio closes the Cana-to-Cana arc of chapters 2–4.