John 4:39
“And many of the Samaritans of that city believed on him for the saying of the woman, which testified, He told me all that ever I did.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →The Samaritans embrace faith in Jesus based on the woman's testimony about his supernatural knowledge of her life.
Context
The Samaritans of the city come to believe in Jesus on the basis of the woman's testimony.
What Does John 4:39 Mean?
The harvest is here. Many from the city believe. Not because of a miracle they witnessed, not because of a sign Jesus spoke to them directly, but because of the woman's saying. She told them: he knows me completely. She testified: he laid bare my hidden life without condemnation, only truth. And they believed. This is the power of ordinary witness, the contagion of authentic encounter.
There is something remarkable about the word many. The woman's credibility was such, or her transformation was such, that when she said Come see, they came seeing. This tells us something about her standing in the community. Perhaps her openness about her past mistakes was itself a sermon.
In the Original Language
Pisteuo - to believe, to trust, to entrust oneself to; here it is the decisive step of faith.
Application
We underestimate the power of our converted life. Often, all that is needed is honest testimony: This person saw me, knew me, and did not turn away.