John 4:12 - An Understandable Version (2005 edition) Are you greater than our forefather Jacob, who gave us this well? He himself and his sons and cattle [all] drank from it.” More versionsKing James Version (Oxford) 1769 Art thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his children, and his cattle? Amplified Bible - Classic Edition Are You greater than and superior to our ancestor Jacob, who gave us this well and who used to drink from it himself, and his sons and his cattle also? American Standard Version (1901) Art thou greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his sons, and his cattle? Common English Bible You aren’t greater than our father Jacob, are you? He gave this well to us, and he drank from it himself, as did his sons and his livestock.” Catholic Public Domain Version Surely, you are not greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and who drank from it, with his sons and his cattle?" Douay-Rheims version of The Bible - 1752 version Art thou greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his children, and his cattle? |
The queen of the South [Note: This queen was from Sheba, I Kings 10:1, which was probably in Arabia] will stand up on the judgment day along with the people of this generation and will condemn them because she came from a great distance to hear [and see] Solomon’s wisdom [I Kings 10:1ff] and [now] Someone greater than Solomon is here [i.e., Jesus].
Jesus answered her, “Everyone who drinks this water will get thirsty again,
Our forefathers worshiped on this mountain [i.e., Mt. Gerizim, which was visible from where they were sitting]; but you say that Jerusalem is the place where people should worship [God].”
So, He arrived at the Samaritan town called Sychar, which was near the piece of property that Jacob had given to his son Joseph.
Jacob’s [spring-fed] well was there so Jesus, tired from His [long] journey, sat down beside the well just as He was [i.e., before doing anything else]. It was about six o’clock in the morning [Note: This would have been 12 o’clock noon if Jewish time were meant].
Are you greater [i.e., more important] than our forefather Abraham and the prophets, who [all] died? Who do you think you are?”
For Jesus has been considered deserving of greater honor than Moses, just as the builder of a house deserves greater honor than the house itself.