Jesus

36While they were talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them. He said, "Peace be with you."

And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.

Note"Peace be with you" was a normal greeting then, like saying hello.

37But they were startled and afraid. They thought they were seeing a ghost.

But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit.

38He said to them, "Why are you upset? Why do doubts come into your hearts?

And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts?

39Look at my hands and my feet. It is really me. Touch me and see. A ghost does not have flesh and bones, but you can see that I do."

Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.

NoteHis hands and his feet still had the marks from the nails.

40When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet.

And when he had thus spoken, he shewed them his hands and his feet.

41They were so full of joy and wonder that they still could not believe it. He asked them, "Do you have any food here?"

And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, he said unto them, Have ye here any meat?

NoteThe King James says "any meat." In those old words, meat meant any kind of food at all.

42They gave him a piece of cooked fish and some honeycomb, the waxy comb that bees fill with honey.

And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish, and of an honeycomb.

43He took it and ate it while they watched.

And he took it, and did eat before them.

44He said to them, "This is what I told you when I was still with you. Everything written about me must come true. It is written in the law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms."

And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.

NoteThe Jewish Bible had three parts: the law, the prophets, and the psalms. The psalms are songs and prayers to God.

45Then he helped their minds understand the Scriptures.

Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures,

46He said to them, "This is what was written. The Christ would suffer, and he would rise from the dead on the third day.

And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day:

47And in my name, people will tell all nations to turn from sin and be forgiven. This will start in Jerusalem.

And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.

NoteNations means all the different peoples of the world.

48You have seen all these things. You are the ones who will tell about them.

And ye are witnesses of these things.

49Listen, I am sending you what my Father promised. But stay in the city of Jerusalem until God gives you power from above."

And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.

NoteThe promise was God's Holy Spirit. The Spirit would come to help them and give them power.

50He led them out of the city as far as Bethany. He lifted up his hands and blessed them.

And he led them out as far as to Bethany, and he lifted up his hands, and blessed them.

NoteBethany was a small village about two miles from Jerusalem. To bless people is to ask God to be good to them.

51While he was blessing them, he left them. He was carried up into heaven.

And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven.

52They worshiped him. Then they went back to Jerusalem, filled with great joy.

And they worshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy:

NoteTo worship is to show great love and honor, the way people do to God.

53They were always in the temple, God's house, praising and thanking God. Amen.

And were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God. Amen.

NoteAmen is a word people said at the end. It means "yes, this is true."

29The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him. He said, "Look, the Lamb of God! He takes away the sin of the world.

The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

NoteA lamb is a baby sheep. People brought lambs to the temple as gifts to God when they had done wrong. "Sin" means doing what is wrong.

30This is the man I talked about. I said, 'A man is coming after me who is greater than me. That is because he was here before me.'

This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred before me: for he was before me.

31I did not know who he was. But I came baptizing with water so the people of Israel could see him."

And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water.

NoteIsrael is another name for the Jewish people. They came from a man named Jacob, whom God renamed Israel.

32Then John said, "I saw the Spirit come down from heaven like a dove. The Spirit stayed on him.

And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him.

NoteA dove is a soft gray bird, like a pigeon. The Spirit is God himself, come close.

33I did not know who he was. But God sent me to baptize with water. God told me, 'You will see the Spirit come down and stay on a man. He is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.'

And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost.

NoteThe King James says "Holy Ghost." That is an old way to say Holy Spirit. Ghost used to just mean spirit.

34I saw it happen. And I have told everyone that this is the Son of God."

And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God.

35The next day John was standing there again with two of his followers.

Again the next day after John stood, and two of his disciples;

NoteA disciple is a follower. He stays with a teacher and learns from him every day.

36He saw Jesus walking by. He said, "Look, the Lamb of God!"

And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God!

37The two followers heard him say it. So they went and followed Jesus.

And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus.

38Jesus turned around and saw them following him. He asked, "What are you looking for?" They said, "Rabbi, where are you staying?" Rabbi means teacher.

Then Jesus turned, and saw them following, and saith unto them, What seek ye? They said unto him, Rabbi, (which is to say, being interpreted, Master,) where dwellest thou?

NoteRabbi is a Hebrew word. Students walked with their rabbi and learned by watching him.

39Jesus said, "Come and see." So they went and saw where he was staying. They spent the rest of the day with him. It was about the tenth hour.

He saith unto them, Come and see. They came and saw where he dwelt, and abode with him that day: for it was about the tenth hour.

NoteThey counted hours from when the sun came up. The tenth hour was about four in the afternoon.

40One of the two men who heard John and followed Jesus was Andrew. He was Simon Peter's brother.

One of the two which heard John speak, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother.

41The first thing Andrew did was find his brother Simon. He said, "We have found the Messiah!" Messiah means the Christ, the king God promised.

He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ.

NoteMessiah is the Hebrew word and Christ is the Greek word. Both mean the same thing: the one God chose.

42Andrew brought Simon to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, "You are Simon, the son of Jona. You will be called Cephas." Cephas means a stone.

And he brought him to Jesus. And when Jesus beheld him, he said, Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation, A stone.

NoteCephas means rock in the language Jesus spoke. In Greek that word is Peter. So Simon got a new name from Jesus.

43The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, "Follow me."

The day following Jesus would go forth into Galilee, and findeth Philip, and saith unto him, Follow me.

NoteGalilee is the part of the country in the north. Jesus grew up there.

44Philip came from a town called Bethsaida. Andrew and Peter came from that same town.

Now Philip was of Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter.

NoteBethsaida was a small fishing town beside a big lake.

45Philip found Nathanael. He said, "We have found the one Moses wrote about in the law. The prophets wrote about him too. He is Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph."

Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.

Note"The law" means the first books of their Bible, written by Moses. "The prophets" means the books of the men who spoke for God.

46Nathanael said, "Can anything good come from Nazareth?" Philip said to him, "Come and see."

And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see.

NoteNazareth was a small, plain town. Nobody expected anyone important to come from there.

47Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him. He said about him, "Here is a true Israelite. He does not trick anyone."

Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and saith of him, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!

NoteAn Israelite is one of God's people, Israel. The King James says he has "no guile." Guile means tricking people or being sneaky.

48Nathanael asked, "How do you know me?" Jesus answered, "I saw you under the fig tree before Philip called you."

Nathanael saith unto him, Whence knowest thou me? Jesus answered and said unto him, Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee.

NoteA fig tree grows sweet fruit and has wide leaves. People sat in its shade to be quiet and pray.

49Nathanael said, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!"

Nathanael answered and saith unto him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel.

NoteThe Jewish people were waiting for a king God would send them. Nathanael is saying Jesus is that king.

50Jesus said, "You believe because I told you I saw you under the fig tree. You will see much greater things than that."

Jesus answered and said unto him, Because I said unto thee, I saw thee under the fig tree, believest thou? thou shalt see greater things than these.

51Then he said, "I tell you the truth. You will all see heaven open. You will see God's angels going up and coming down on the Son of Man."

And he saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man.

NoteThe King James says "Verily, verily." That means "this is really true," a way of saying listen carefully. Angels are God's messengers. Long ago Jacob dreamed of angels going up and down a stairway to heaven. "Son of man" is a name Jesus used for himself.

1On the third day there was a wedding party in a town called Cana, in the area called Galilee. Jesus' mother was there.

And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there:

NoteA wedding party then could last a whole week. Family and friends ate and drank together that whole time.

2Jesus and his followers were invited to the wedding too.

And both Jesus was called, and his disciples, to the marriage.

NoteJesus' followers were like students. They walked with him and learned from him every day.

3The wine ran out. Jesus' mother said to him, "They have no more wine."

And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, They have no wine.

NoteRunning out of wine would shame the family. Guests would talk about it for a long time.

4Jesus said to her, "Woman, why is this our concern? It is not yet my time."

Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come.

NoteCalling a woman "Woman" was polite back then. It was not rude, a little like saying "ma'am." "My time" means the right moment to show who he was.

5His mother said to the helpers, "Do whatever he tells you to do."

His mother saith unto the servants, Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it.

6Six big stone jars stood nearby. The Jewish people used them for washing, as their rules said. Each jar held about twenty or thirty gallons.

And there were set there six waterpots of stone, after the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three firkins apiece.

NoteJewish people washed their hands and cups before meals. This was part of worshiping God, not just getting clean. Twenty gallons would fill about four big buckets.

7Jesus said to the helpers, "Fill the jars with water." So they filled them right to the top.

Jesus saith unto them, Fill the waterpots with water. And they filled them up to the brim.

8Then he said, "Now pour some out. Take it to the man in charge of the party." So they took it to him.

And he saith unto them, Draw out now, and bear unto the governor of the feast. And they bare it.

NoteThe man in charge made sure the food and drink were good. He was like the host of the party.

9The man in charge tasted the water. It had turned into wine. He did not know where it came from, but the helpers who poured it knew. So he called the groom over.

When the ruler of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and knew not whence it was: (but the servants which drew the water knew;) the governor of the feast called the bridegroom,

NoteThe groom is the man getting married. In those days his family paid for the party.

10He said to him, "Everyone serves the good wine first. They serve the cheap wine later, after people have had plenty. But you saved the good wine until now!"

And saith unto him, Every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine; and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse: but thou hast kept the good wine until now.

11This was the first miracle Jesus did. He did it in Cana, in Galilee. He showed how great he is, and his followers believed in him.

This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him.

NoteA miracle is something wonderful that only God can do.

13It was almost time for Passover, a Jewish holiday. So Jesus went up to the city of Jerusalem.

And the Jews’ passover was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem,

NotePassover is a Jewish holiday every spring. Families remember how God brought their people out of Egypt long ago. Jerusalem sits high on hills, so people said "went up."

14In the temple yard he found men selling cattle, sheep, and doves. Money changers were sitting at their tables.

And found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting:

NoteThe temple was God's special house in Jerusalem. People brought animals there as gifts to God. Travelers bought the animals nearby instead of bringing them far. Money changers traded people's coins for the coins the temple took.

15So he made a whip out of cords. He drove them all out of the temple yard, along with the sheep and the cattle. He dumped out the money changers' coins and turned over their tables.

And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers’ money, and overthrew the tables;

16He said to the men selling doves, "Take these things out of here! Do not turn my Father's house into a market!"

And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father’s house an house of merchandise.

Note"My Father's house" means the temple. Jesus is saying the temple belongs to God.

17His followers remembered these words from the Bible: "My love for your house burns inside me."

And his disciples remembered that it was written, The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up.

NoteThese words come from Psalms, a book of old songs. "Burns inside me" means he cared about it very much.

18So the Jewish people asked him, "What sign can you show us to prove you may do this?"

Then answered the Jews and said unto him, What sign shewest thou unto us, seeing that thou doest these things?

NoteA sign was something amazing. It showed people that God had really sent someone.

19Jesus answered, "Tear down this temple. In three days I will build it up again."

Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.

20They said, "It took forty-six years to build this temple. Will you build it up in three days?"

Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days?

NoteWorkers had been making the temple bigger for forty-six years. They were still not finished.

21But Jesus was talking about his own body, not the building.

But he spake of the temple of his body.

22Later Jesus died and came back to life. Then his followers remembered what he had said. They believed the Bible and the words Jesus had spoken.

When therefore he was risen from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this unto them; and they believed the scripture, and the word which Jesus had said.

Note"The Bible" here means the old writings Jewish people read. They were written long before Jesus was born.

1There was a man named Nicodemus. He was a Pharisee. He was a leader of the Jews.

There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:

NotePharisees were Jews who tried very hard to keep every rule God gave. Nicodemus was also a leader. He helped make decisions for the Jewish people.

2He came to Jesus at night. He said, "Rabbi, that means teacher, we know you are a teacher who came from God. No one could do the wonderful things you do unless God was with him."

The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.

NoteRabbi was what people called a teacher. It was a word of respect. He came at night, when it was quiet and no crowd was watching.

3Jesus answered him, "I tell you the truth. No one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again."

Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

Note"Verily, verily" is an old way of saying "this is really true." The kingdom of God means everywhere God is king. The words for "born again" can also mean "born from above," born from God.

4Nicodemus said, "How can a man be born when he is old? Can he go back inside his mother and be born a second time?"

Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?

NoteThe womb is the safe place inside a mother where a baby grows.

5Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth. No one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and of the Spirit.

Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

NoteThe Spirit means God's own Spirit. Water made the first listeners think of washing clean.

6What is born from the flesh is flesh. What is born from the Spirit is spirit.

That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

NoteFlesh means our body, the part of us we can touch.

7Do not be surprised that I said to you, 'You must be born again.'

Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.

Note"Marvel not" is old English for "do not be surprised."

8The wind blows wherever it wants to go. You hear the sound of it. But you cannot tell where it comes from or where it goes. That is how it is with everyone born of the Spirit."

The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.

Note"Where it listeth" means "where it wants to go." In the language Jesus spoke, the word for wind was also the word for Spirit.

9Nicodemus answered him, "How can these things be?"

Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be?

10Jesus answered him, "Are you the teacher of Israel, and you do not know these things?"

Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?

Note"Master of Israel" means a teacher of Israel. Israel was the name for God's people, the Jews.

11I tell you the truth. We speak about what we know. We tell what we have seen. But you do not accept what we say.

Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness.

NoteTo testify means to tell what you really saw. A witness is a person who saw it happen.

12I have told you about things on earth, and you do not believe. So how will you believe if I tell you about things in heaven?

If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?

13No one has gone up into heaven. Only the one who came down from heaven has, the Son of Man, who is in heaven.

And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.

Note"Son of man" was a name Jesus used for himself. "Ascended" means went up.

14Moses lifted up the snake in the desert. In the same way, the Son of Man must be lifted up.

And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:

NoteLong ago God's people walked through the desert. Snakes bit them and they got very sick. God told Moses to make a snake out of metal. Moses put it up high on a pole. Anyone who looked at it got well again.

15Then everyone who believes in him will not perish. They will have life that never ends.

That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

NoteTo perish means to be lost and to die.

16God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son. Then everyone who believes in him will not perish. They will have life that never ends.

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Note"Only begotten" means his one and only Son, his very own. "The world" means all the people in it.

17God did not send his Son into the world to say the world is guilty. He sent him so the world could be saved through him.

For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

NoteTo condemn someone means to say he is guilty and must be punished.

18Whoever believes in him is not found guilty. Whoever does not believe is found guilty already. That is because he has not believed in the name of God's only Son.

He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

NoteA person's name here means the person himself. Believing in his name means trusting him.

19Here is why they are found guilty. Light has come into the world. But people loved the dark more than the light, because the things they did were bad.

And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

NoteLight and dark here are word pictures. Light means what is good and true. Dark means hiding what is wrong.

20Everyone who does bad things hates the light. He will not come to the light, or his deeds would be shown to be wrong.

For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.

Note"Reproved" means shown to be wrong.

21But the one who does what is true comes to the light. Then his deeds can be seen plainly. They were done in God.

But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.

Note"Made manifest" means shown clearly, where everyone can see. "Wrought" means done.

1The Pharisees heard that more people were following Jesus than John. More people were being baptized by Jesus too. Jesus knew they had heard this.

When therefore the LORD knew how the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John,

NoteJohn was a teacher who told people to get ready for God. Crowds walked out to the river to hear him. The Pharisees were teachers who cared very much about God's rules.

2Really, Jesus himself did not baptize anyone. His followers did the baptizing.

(Though Jesus himself baptized not, but his disciples,)

NoteBaptizing means dipping a person under water for a moment. It showed the person was sorry and wanted to follow God.

3So Jesus left the land of Judea. He went back to the land of Galilee.

He left Judaea, and departed again into Galilee.

NoteJudea and Galilee were two parts of one country. Judea was in the south. Galilee was in the north.

4On the way he had to go through a place called Samaria.

And he must needs go through Samaria.

NoteSamaria was the land in between Judea and Galilee. Many Jews walked the long way around it instead.

5He came to a town in Samaria called Sychar. It was near the piece of land Jacob once gave his son Joseph.

Then cometh he to a city of Samaria, which is called Sychar, near to the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph.

NoteJacob lived hundreds of years before Jesus. He was a grandfather of the whole Jewish family. Joseph was one of his sons.

6Jacob's well was there. Jesus was tired from walking, so he sat down by the well. It was about noon.

Now Jacob’s well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well: and it was about the sixth hour.

NoteA well is a deep hole dug down to water underground. People let a bucket down on a long rope. Back then people counted hours from sunrise. So the sixth hour was the middle of the day.

7A woman from Samaria came to get water. Jesus said to her, "Please give me a drink."

There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink.

NoteThere were no faucets in houses then. Women walked to the well and carried water home. The full jars were heavy.

8His followers had gone into the town to buy food.

(For his disciples were gone away unto the city to buy meat.)

NoteIn old English, the word "meat" meant food of any kind. It did not only mean meat from an animal.

9The woman said, "You are a Jew, and I am a Samaritan woman. Why would you ask me for a drink?" Jews and Samaritans did not share things with each other.

Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him, How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans.

NoteJews and Samaritans came from the same family long ago. Then they argued for hundreds of years. They worshiped in different places and kept apart.

10Jesus said, "You do not know what God wants to give you. You do not know who is asking you for a drink. If you did, you would ask me. And I would give you living water."

Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.

Note"Living water" meant fresh water that moves, like a stream. Well water sits still. The woman thought he meant stream water.

11The woman said, "Sir, you have no bucket, and the well is deep. Where will you get this living water?"

The woman saith unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from whence then hast thou that living water?

NoteNobody could reach the water without a bucket and rope. The well was far too deep to reach by hand.

12"Our father Jacob gave us this well. He drank from it, and so did his children and his animals. Are you greater than he was?"

Art thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his children, and his cattle?

NoteCalling Jacob "our father" means he came first in their family. It is like saying a great-great-grandfather.

13Jesus answered, "Everyone who drinks this water will get thirsty again."

Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again:

14"But whoever drinks the water I give will never be thirsty again. My water becomes a spring inside that person. It bubbles up and gives life that never ends."

But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.

NoteA spring is water that comes up out of the ground by itself. It keeps coming and does not run dry.

15The woman said, "Sir, give me that water. Then I will not be thirsty. I will not have to keep coming here."

The woman saith unto him, Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw.

16Jesus said to her, "Go and call your husband. Then come back here."

Jesus saith unto her, Go, call thy husband, and come hither.

17The woman said, "I have no husband." Jesus said, "You are right to say that."

The woman answered and said, I have no husband. Jesus said unto her, Thou hast well said, I have no husband:

18"You have had five husbands. And the man you live with now is not your husband. You told me the truth."

For thou hast had five husbands; and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband: in that saidst thou truly.

19The woman said, "Sir, I can see you are a prophet."

The woman saith unto him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet.

NotePeople believed a prophet could know things nobody had told him. That is why she said this. A prophet is someone who tells people what God says.

20"Our fathers worshiped God on this mountain. But you Jews say people must worship in Jerusalem."

Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship.

NoteThis mountain was called Mount Gerizim. Samaritans worshiped God on it. Jews worshiped at the temple in Jerusalem, God's special house.

21Jesus said, "Believe me, woman. A time is coming when you will not worship the Father on this mountain or in Jerusalem."

Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father.

NoteThe Father means God.

22"You worship what you do not know. We worship what we do know. God's saving help comes through the Jews."

Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.

NoteSaving help means being rescued from trouble and from doing wrong. The Jewish people were the family God promised to send that help through.

23"A time is coming, and it is already here. True worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. Those are the worshipers the Father is looking for."

But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.

Note"In spirit and in truth" means worship that comes from inside you. It is honest, and it is not tied to one building.

24"God is Spirit. So people who worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth."

God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

NoteSaying God is Spirit means God has no body. He is not stuck in one place like we are.

25The woman said, "I know the Messiah is coming. Messiah is also called Christ. When he comes, he will tell us everything."

The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things.

NoteMessiah is a Hebrew word. Christ is the Greek word for the very same thing. Both mean the special king God promised to send.

26Jesus said to her, "I am he. I am the one talking with you right now."

Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he.

27Just then his followers came back. They were surprised he was talking with a woman. But no one asked what he wanted or why he was talking with her.

And upon this came his disciples, and marvelled that he talked with the woman: yet no man said, What seekest thou? or, Why talkest thou with her?

NoteIn those days a teacher did not chat with a strange woman in public. That is why his followers were surprised.

28The woman left her water jar there. She went back into the town and said to the people,

The woman then left her waterpot, and went her way into the city, and saith to the men,

NoteHer water jar was big and heavy and made of clay. Women carried them on the shoulder or head.

29"Come and see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could he be the Christ?"

Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ?

30So the people left the town and started out to see Jesus.

Then they went out of the city, and came unto him.

1Some time later there was a Jewish feast day. Jesus went up to the city of Jerusalem.

After this there was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.

NoteA feast was a special holiday for Jewish families. Many of them traveled to Jerusalem for it. Jerusalem was the city where God's temple stood.

2In Jerusalem there is a pool near the Sheep Gate. Its Hebrew name is Bethesda. It has five covered porches.

Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep market a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches.

NoteThe Sheep Gate was a door in the city wall. Sheep were led through it into the city. The porches were roofs held up by posts. Sick people could lie there out of the sun and rain. Hebrew was the language the Jewish people used.

3Many sick people lay on those porches. Some were blind. Some could not walk. Some could not move their bodies. They were waiting for the water to move.

In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water.

NoteThe King James calls them "impotent folk". Back then "impotent" meant weak, with no strength.

4An angel came down at times and stirred the water. The first person to step in after that was healed of whatever sickness he had.

For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water: whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had.

NoteAn angel is a messenger sent from God. This verse is not in the oldest copies of this book. It tells us what people at the pool believed about the water.

5One man there had been sick for thirty-eight years.

And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years.

NoteThirty-eight years is a very long time. Many grown-ups are not even that old.

6Jesus saw him lying there. He knew the man had been sick a long time. Jesus asked him, "Do you want to get well?"

When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole?

NoteThe King James asks, "Wilt thou be made whole?" "Wilt thou" is an old way of saying "do you want to". "Made whole" means made well again.

7The sick man said, "Sir, I have no one to put me in the pool when the water moves. While I am on my way, someone else always steps in first."

The impotent man answered him, Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me.

8Jesus said to him, "Get up. Pick up your mat. Walk."

Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk.

NoteThe King James says "bed". It was really a thin sleeping mat. One person could roll it up and carry it.

9Right away the man was well. He picked up his mat and walked. That day was the Sabbath, the Jewish day of rest.

And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the sabbath.

NoteThe Sabbath lasted from Friday evening to Saturday evening. Nobody was supposed to do work on that day.

10So the Jewish leaders said to the healed man, "This is the Sabbath. Our law says you may not carry your mat."

The Jews therefore said unto him that was cured, It is the sabbath day: it is not lawful for thee to carry thy bed.

NoteTeachers had made a list of things that counted as work. Carrying something from one place to another was on the list.

11He answered them, "The man who made me well told me to pick up my mat and walk."

He answered them, He that made me whole, the same said unto me, Take up thy bed, and walk.

12They asked him, "Who is the man who told you to pick it up and walk?"

Then asked they him, What man is that which said unto thee, Take up thy bed, and walk?

13But the healed man did not know who it was. A crowd was there, and Jesus had quietly slipped away.

And he that was healed wist not who it was: for Jesus had conveyed himself away, a multitude being in that place.

NoteThe King James says the man "wist not" who it was. "Wist" is an old word for knew.

14Later Jesus found him at the temple, God's house in Jerusalem. Jesus said, "Look, you are well now. Stop sinning, or something worse may happen to you."

Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee.

NoteTo sin is to do what God says is wrong.

15The man went away and told the Jewish leaders that it was Jesus who had made him well.

The man departed, and told the Jews that it was Jesus, which had made him whole.

16Because Jesus did these things on the Sabbath, the Jewish leaders began to give him trouble and wanted to kill him.

And therefore did the Jews persecute Jesus, and sought to slay him, because he had done these things on the sabbath day.

NoteThe King James says they began to "persecute" Jesus. That means to keep hurting someone on purpose.