Jesus Ministry from His Baptism
To the Samaritan Woman at the Well

John the Baptist Sent to Prepare the Way for God's Anointed

John the Baptist Prepares the Way

The beginning of the gospel of Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God (Consider Romans 10:16 with Isaiah 53) (K 1:12:4)

2 In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar (who probably reigned from 14 to 37 AD.), at around the end of 28 AD,1 while Pontius Pilate was commander over Judea, Herod (the son of Herod the Great) governor of Galilee, his brother Philip governor of Ituraea and the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias the governor of Abilene, While Annas and Caiaphas were high priests of Israel, the word of God came to John, the son of Zacharias, while he was out in the desolate areas (1:71L 3:1-2).

3 Now John wore clothes made of camel's hair with a leather belt around his waist, and what he ate was locusts and wild honey. And so it was, in those days, he went into the whole area around the Jordan River, in the wilderness of Judea, proclaiming immersion into water and repentance for the forgiveness of sin, saying, "Change the direction your hearts are taking you,2 for the kingdom of heaven is at hand" (1:63M 3:1-22:4 & 2:442:5, 2:4K 1:42:5 & 2:562:6, L 3:32:4).

4 This is the one of whom it is spoken about, as it is written in the books of the prophets Isaiah and Malachi, when they wrote the words,

6 Then the people of Jerusalem, all Judea, and the whole area around the Jordan river went out to him and were immersed into the river, verbally acknowledging their sin.4 And the people were expecting the Anointed One, so they all reasoned in their hearts about John, whether he was the One or not (2:2M 3:5-62:20, 2:3K 1:5).

7 But this is the testimony of John when he answered everyone. He said, "I do immerse you into water for changing your frame of mind,5 but there is One coming, more powerful than I am, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry, or even to bend down and untie. He will immerse you by the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor. He will gather the wheat into His barn. But He will burn the chaff with fire, a fire that cannot be put out" (2:20M 3:11-12, K 1:7-8, 2:6L 3:15-17).

8 And with much other encouragement, John brought this good news to the people6 (L 3:183:1).

Jesus is Baptized

9 In those days, when all the people were coming to be immersed by John, it came to pass that Jesus also came to be immersed. He came from Nazareth of Galilee to John, at the Jordan River, to be baptized by him. But John tried to stop Him, saying, "I need to be baptized by You, and You are coming to me?" (M 3:13-14, K 1:9, 3:1L 3:21a).

10 Jesus said, "Allow this to happen now, for in this way I will be seen in what we are doing to have done all that is right."7 So then John allowed Him (M 3:15).

11 Once He had been dipped, Jesus came up immediately from the water and, behold, as He was praying, the heavens split apart. John saw the Set-apart and Holy Spirit of God as it came down upon Jesus like a dove, in the form of a body. Then, behold, at that very moment, a voice from heaven said, "This is My beloved Son - You in whom I am well pleased"8 (M 3:16-17, K 1:10-11, L 3:21b-222:19).

The Temptation of Jesus

12 Filled with the Holy Spirit, Jesus stepped out of the Jordan river9 and was immediately led by the Spirit into the wilderness, dwelling with the wild beasts, and being tested for forty days by the Enemy (who is also called the Slanderer)10 In those days, He also did not eat anything, and so, after they had ended, He was hungry (M 4:1-2, K 1:12-13a2:18, 2:19L 4:1-2).

13 When the tempter came, he, the Slanderer, said to Him, "Since You are the Son of God,11 command this stone to become bread!" (M 4:3, L 4:3).

14 Jesus answered, "It is written,

(M 4:42:16, L 4:4)

15 Then the Accuser, taking Him up on a very high mountain, showed Him, in a moment of time, all the kingdoms of the world, with their glory. And the Accuser said, "All this authority, with its glory, has been handed to me, and I give it to anyone I wish.13 So now, if you fall down before me and worship me, I will give these things to you, and they will be yours" (2:17M 4:8-9, L 4:5-7).

16 Jesus said, "Go away, Satan! For it is written,

(M 4:10, L 4:8)

17 Then the Enemy14 brought Him to Jerusalem, the city that is holy and set-apart, and stood Him on a wing of the Temple15 and said, "Since You are the Son of God,16 throw Yourself down from here. For it is written, 'His angels will be given a command concerning You, to carefully guard You. They will lift you up with their hands, even if you are only about to strike your foot against a stone'" (Psalm 91:11-12, Proverbs 28:25). (2:13M 4:5-62:20, L 4:9-11)

18 Jesus answered, "Again, it has been said,

(M 4:7,2:14 L 4:12)

19 Once the Enemy17 had finished tempting Him with all these things, the Accuser18 departed from Him until another time.19 Then, behold, angels came and ministered to Jesus (2:15M 4:113:2, 2:11K 1:13b3:2, L 4:133:2).

The Second Genealogy

20 Now Jesus Himself began His ministry when He was about thirty years old.20 He was considered to be the son of Joseph, Joseph the son of Eli,21 Eli, the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, the son of Melchi, the son of Janna, the son of Joseph, the son of Mattathiah, the son of Amos, the son of Nahum, the son of Esli, the son of Naggai, the son of Maath, the son of Mattathiah, the son of Semei, the son of Joseph, the son of Judah, the son of Joannas, the son of Rhesa, the son of Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, the son of Neri, the son of Melchi, the son of Addi, the son of Cosam, the son of Elmadam, the son of Er, the son of Jose, the son of Eliezer, the son of Jorim, the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, the son of Simeon, the son of Judah, the son of Joseph, the son of Jonan, the son of Eliakim, the son of Melea, the son of Menan, the son of Mattathah, the son of Nathan, the son of David, the son of Jesse, the son of Obed, the son of Boaz, the son of Salmon, the son of Nahshon, the son of Amminadab, the son of Ram, the son of Hezron, the son of Perez, the son of Judah, the son of Jacob, the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham, the son of Terah, the son of Nahor, the son of Serug, the son of Reu, the son of Peleg, the son of Eber, the son of Shelah, the son of Cainan,22 the son of Arphaxad, the son of Shem, the son of Noah, the son of Lamech, the son of Methuselah, the son of Enoch, the son of Jared, the son of Mahalalel, the son of Cainan, the son of Enos, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God23 (2:10L 3:23-382:11).

John Sets the Record Straight

John the Baptist Preaches Repentance

21 Sometime shortly after the forty days in the wilderness, John, seeing many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to him as he was baptizing the people into the river,24 began to tell the crowds that came out to be immersed by him: "You children of poisonous snakes (See Isaiah 59:5), who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? If this is so, bring forth fruits with the value25 according to that knowledge26 And do not begin to say within yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our fore father;' for, I tell you, God has the power to raise up children from out of these stones for Abraham. The ax is already lying at the base of the trees. Therefore, every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire" (2:5M 3:7-102:6, 2:3-4L 3:7-9).

22 "What shall we do," the people asked?27 (L 3:10).

23 He answered, "Whoever has two coats,28 share with someone who does not have one. And whoever has food, let him do the same" (L 3:11).

24 As well, tax collectors had also come out to be immersed by John, and they asked him, "Teacher, what should we do?" (L 3:12).

25 He said, "Do not collect any more besides that which is already arranged for you" (L 3:13).

26 The soldiers also asked, and said, "What should we do?" (L 3:14a).

27 He told them, "Do not intimidate or falsely accuse anyone. And be content with your wages" (L 3:14b2:6).

28 These are the things John did and said during his ministry. However, this is the testimony of John when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, "Who are you?" (J 1:19).

29 He acknowledged and did not deny it, but he told them plainly, "I am not the Messiah"29 (J 1:20).

30 So then they asked him, "Who are you then? Are you Elijah?" (See Malachi 4:5).

31 "No, I am not!" He said.

32 "Then are you the Prophet?" (See Deuteronomy 18:15).

33 "No!" he answered (J 1:21).

34 "Who are you then," they asked? "Tell us, so that we can give an answer to those who sent us? What do you say concerning yourself?" (J 1:22).

35 He declared, "I am

Just as the prophet Isaiah had foretold" (J 1:23).

36 And so it was, those who were sent were from the Pharisees, and they asked John, "Then why do you perform immersions if you are not the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?" (J 1:24-25).

37 "I baptize you into water," John answered, "but there is One standing in your midst that you are not aware of. He is the One coming after me whose sandal straps I am not worthy to undo" (J 1:26-27).

38 All these things had happened in the area of Bethabara, on the other side of the Jordan, where John was immersing the people into water (J 1:28).

First Disciples Behold the "Lamb of God"

John the Baptist Points Out Jesus to His Disciples

39 The next day, John looked at Jesus coming toward him and said, "Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! This is the One I was talking about when I said, 'After me comes a Man who happens ahead of me, because He existed before me.' I did not know He was the Messiah.31 But so that it would be made clear to Israel, this is the reason I came immersing people into water"32 (J 1:29-31).

40 Therefore, John testified, saying, "I watched as the Spirit came down from heaven like a dove33 and remained upon Him. I did not know He was the Messiah, but the one who sent me to do immersions, said to me, 'The One whom you see the Spirit come down and remain upon, this is the One who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.' And now I, John, have seen and testify that this is the Son of God"34 (J 1:32-34).

Peter, Andrew, Philip, and Nathanael Only Meet Jesus and Philip is Called to Follow Him

41 The second day after John had first said, "Look, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world," John was standing with two of his disciples when he saw Jesus walking by. And he said it again, "Look, the Lamb of God!" (J 1:35-36).

42 When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus. Jesus, however, turned to look at them following and said, "What are you seeking?" (J 1:37-38a).

43 They said, "Rabbi (which is a Hebrew word that means, "my teacher"), where are You staying?" (J 1:38b).

44 "Come and you will see" He said. So then they came and saw where He was staying, and they stayed there with Him the remainder of that day. It was around 10 AM35 (J 1:39).

45 One of the two who had followed Him after they had heard John say, "Look, the Lamb of God!" was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. But he first went and found his brother Simon and said, "We have found the Anointed One"36 ("Anointed One" being the Hebrew word "Messiah" and is translated into Greek as"Christ"), and then he brought him to Jesus (J 1:40-42a).

46 Jesus looked at him and said, "You are Simon, the son of John. But you will be called Cephas" (Cephas is an Aramaic word translated into Greek as Peter, meaning "Rock" )37 (J 1:42b).

47 The next day (now three days after John had first pointed Jesus out as the Messiah),38 Jesus wished to leave there and go into the area of Galilee, and so He found Philip and said, "Follow Me." (Philip was from Bethsaida, the same city Peter and Andrew were from.) But Philip first went out and found Nathanael and said to him, "We have found Him, the One Moses wrote about in the law, and of whom also the prophets wrote! It is Jesus of Nazareth, Joseph's son" (J 1:43-45).

48 Nathanael39 said, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" (J 1:46a).

49 "Come and you will see!" Philip told him (J 1:46b).

50 When Jesus saw Nathanael coming to Him, He said this of him, "Look, a true Israelite, indeed. One in whom there is no deceit" (J 1:47).

51 "How do You know me?" Nathanael said40 (J 1:48a).

52 Jesus answered, "Before Philip called you, while you were still under the fig tree, I saw you" (J 1:48b).

53 So Nathanael said, "Rabbi, You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!" (J 1:49).

54 "Do you believe this because I told you 'I saw you under the fig tree?'" Jesus answered, "Well, you will see even greater things than these. For I tell you, and you can count on this,41 you will certainly see heaven open up and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man" (See Genesis 28:10-13) (J 1:50-51).

His First Sign Performed in Galilee at Cana

He Turns the Water into Wine

55 Then on the third day, there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and Jesus' mother was there. Jesus and His disciples had also been invited to the wedding. And while they were there, once the wine was gone, Jesus' mother said to Him, "They are all out of wine" (J 2:1-3).

56 Jesus said, "Woman, why do you involve me? This is not my hour" (J 2:4).

57 His mother said to the servants, "Do whatever it is He tells you to do" (J 2:5).

58 Now there were six stone water-pots there that had been placed there for the ceremonial cleansing of the Jews. Each one of them measured from twenty to thirty gallons apiece. Jesus told the servants, "Fill these water-pots with water" (J 2:6-7).

59 After they did that, He said, "Now, draw some out and bring it to the master of the feast" (J 2:8a).

60 They did (J 2:8b).

61 When the master of the feast tasted the water that had become wine - but since he did not know where it had come from (for only the servants who drew the water knew) - he called for the bridegroom and said, "Everyone else brings out the good wine to begin with. Then, once the guests have become drunk, he brings out the cheep wine. But you have saved the good wine until now!" (J 2:9-10).

62 And so it was, there, in Cana of Galilee, that Jesus began to do His signs, making His glory visible. And His disciples believed in Him42 (J 2:11).

63 After this, He went down to Capernaum - He, His mother, His brothers, and His disciples. But they only stayed there for a few days43 (J 2:12).

Jesus Reveals Himself in Jerusalem (The First Passover)

Jesus Overturns the Moneychangers for the First Time

64 During those few days, the Passover of the Jews was approaching, and so Jesus went up to Jerusalem. While He was there, He found on the grounds of Yhvh 's House44 merchants crying out selling their cattle, sheep, and doves, with the moneychangers seated nearby. He put together some cords to use as a whip and, with it, drove out from that area of Yhvh's House all the sheep and their merchants. He also poured out the coins of the moneychangers and overturned their tables. To those selling the doves, He said, "Take these out of here. Do not make My Father's house a house of merchandise" (J 2:13-16).

65 Then His disciples remembered that it is written,

(J 2:17)

67 The Jews responded, "What sign will you do to show us You have the authority to do these things?" (J 2:18).

68 He answered, "Tear this House down and in three days I will raise it up again" (J 2:19).

69 The Jews said, "It has taken forty six years to build this temple, and You are going to raise it up in three days?" (J 2:20).

70 However, He was talking about the house that is His body. Therefore, when He was raised from the dead, His disciples remembered that He had said this. Then they believed the Scriptures and the words Jesus spoke (J 2:21-22).

71 Also, while He was in Jerusalem during this Passover celebration, many believed in the authority of His name because they saw the signs He had done. Jesus, however, did not put His trust in that. For He knows all,46 and He does not need the testimony of men. He knew what is in man (J 2:23-25).

Nicodemus is Told, "You Must Be Born from Above"

72 Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews, and he came to Jesus at night and said, "Rabbi, we know You are a teacher that has come from God. For no one can do the signs you do if God is not with him" (J 3:1-2).

73 Jesus said to him, "I tell you the absolute truth, if a man is not born from above, he is not able to behold the kingdom of God" (J 3:3).

74 In reply, Nicodemus said, "How can a man be born when he is already a grown man? It is impossible for him to go back into his mothers womb and be born a second time?" (J 3:4).

75 Jesus said, "I tell you the absolute truth, if one is not born from out of the water of his mother's womb47 and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. For that which is born from the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit." (J 3:5-6).

76 "Do not be confused because I told you that you have to be born a second time.48 The wind blows where it wishes, and you can hear that even though you do not know where it comes from and where it is going. Well, this is how it is also for everyone who is born of the Spirit" (J 3:7-8).

77 To this, Nicodemus replied, "How is that possible?"49 (J 3:9).

78 "You are a teacher of Israel and you do not know this?" Jesus said. "I tell you the truth, we certainly talk about things we understand and tell you things we have witnessed, but you do not receive our testimony." (J 3:10-11).

79 "Therefore, if you do not believe when I tell you things using examples from the earth, how will you believe when I tell you things about heaven? No one can go up into heaven if the Son of Man did not, first, come down out of heaven. And just as Moses lifted the snake up in the desert (Numbers 21:9), so also must the Son of Man be lifted up so that everyone who believes in Him will have everlasting life" (J 3:12-15).

80 "For it is in this way that God has unconditionally loved the world - by giving His only-born Son,50 so that everyone who believes in Him will not be destroyed but have everlasting life." (J 3:16).

81 "For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world but, rather, to save the world through Him. Those who believe in Him are not judged. But those who do not believe are already judged.51 They are judged because they do not trust in the name and authority of the only One born the Son of God"52 (J 3:17-18).

82 "This is the judgment: Light has come into the world. But because the things men do are evil, they love the darkness more than the light." (J 3:19).

83 "For everyone who practices worthless living hates the light and does not come into the light, so that he will not be convicted of his deeds, having his deeds exposed.53 But those who do the truth come into the light so that their deeds will be seen to have been done in God" (J 3:20-21).

John the Baptist and Jesus Baptize Side by Side

John the Baptist and Jesus Baptize Side by Side

84 After this, Jesus, with His disciples, left Jerusalem and came into another region of the land of Judea. He spent time with them there immersing people into water. John the Baptist, however, was also in that area (which was Aenon, near Salim) since there was plenty of water there. And people were also coming to John and being immersed by him, for he had not yet been thrown into prison (J 3:22-24).

85 Seeing this, the Jews then began to question John's disciples about ceremonial cleansing54 (J 3:25).

86 Finally, they came to John and said, "Rabbi, the one who was with you on the other side of the Jordan River - the One whom you told us about - look, He is immersing also, and everyone is going to him!" (J 3:26).

87 John said, "A man cannot receive anything unless it has been given to him from heaven. Like you have just said, bringing it to my attention, how I told you before that I am not the Messiah. I was sent to go before the One who is. It is the bridegroom who has a bride. The friend of the bridegroom only waits and listens for him, and then rejoices when he hears his voice." (J 3:27-29a).

88 "Well, this is the joy I now have. For it is necessary that He will become greater, and I will become less. For that which comes from above is above all" (J 3:29b-31a).

89 "In other words, that which is of the earth is of the earth and speaks of the earth, but the One that comes out of heaven is above them all. He tells us of the things He has seen and heard. Yet no one receives His testimony" (J 3:31b-32).

90 "When someone does receive His testimony, it is a seal to the fact that God is true. And He whom God has sent speaks the words of God because God gives the Spirit without limitation (Ezekiel 2:2-4, for example). And so it is, the Father loves the Son and has given everything into His hand. He does this so that those who trust in the Son will have everlasting life. But those who do not obey the Son will not see life. God's righteous anger55 remains on them" (J 3:33-36).

Jesus Reveals Himself to the Woman at the Well and the People of Samaria

The Samaritan Woman at the Well

91 When Jesus knew that the Pharisee's had heard how He was making and immersing more disciples than John (although Jesus, Himself, was not doing the immersing, but His disciples were doing this in His place ), He left Judea and went back into Galilee (J 4:1-4).

92 To get there it was necessary for Him to go through Samaria. And, as He did, he came into a city called Sychar.56 It was a place close to the piece of property Jacob gave to his son Joseph (Genesis 48:21-22). And Jacob's well was there. Then, at around 6 PM57 Jesus became weary from the journey and sat down on the well (J 4:5-6).

93 While He was there, a woman from Samaria came to draw water, and Jesus said to her, "Give me a drink" (J 4:7).

94 (His disciples had gone into the city to buy food at the market) (J 4:8).

95 The Samaritan woman said, "Why is it that you, being a Jew, ask me, a Samaritan woman, for a drink, when Jews do not associate with Samaritans?" (J 4:9).

96 Jesus said to her, "If you knew the gift of God and who it is saying to you, 'Give me a drink,' He would have given you living water" (J 4:10).

97 "Sir, you do not have anything to draw with, and the well is deep. Where is it that you have this living water? You are not greater than our father, Jacob, who gave us this well, and who also drank from it himself, with his sons and livestock, are you?" (J 4:11-12).

98 "Everyone who drinks from this water," Jesus said, "will thirst again. But whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst - even into eternity. For the water I give him will become in him a spring of water gushing forth into everlasting life" (J 4:13-14).

99 "Sir, give me this water so that I will not thirst, and so that I do not have to come all the way here all the time to get water," she said (J 4:15).

100 He said, "Go call your husband, and have him come back here with you" (J 4:16).

101 "I do not have a husband," she answered (J 4:17a).

102 Jesus said, "It is good that you had said you do not have a husband, because you are telling the truth. For you have had five husbands, and the one you are now with is not even your husband" (J 4:17b-18).

103 "Sir, I see that You are a prophet . . . . So let me ask you: Our fathers worship in this mountain, and you Jews say it is necessary to worship in Jerusalem. Who is right?" (J 4:19-20).

104 Jesus said, "Woman, believe me, an hour will come when you will neither worship the Father in Jerusalem nor in this mountain. Even still, you worship what you do not know, and we worship what we do know because salvation is from the Jews" (J 4:21-22).

105 "An hour is coming, and is even now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in Spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for those who worship in this way. God is Spirit, and so those who worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth" (J 4:23-24).

106 To this, the woman said, "I know the Messiah is coming, the One called Christ. When he comes, he will explain everything . . ."58 (J 4:25).

107 Jesus said to her, "I am Him, the one talking with you now" (J 4:26).

108 Just then, his disciples came back and were surprised to see Him speaking with a woman. Yet, no one asked Him, "What are you looking for from her" or "Why are you talking to her?" (J 4:27).

109 The woman, however, left her water-pot, went into the city, and told the men there, "Come and see a man who told me everything I've done. Could he be the Messiah?"To which they then left the city and went to see him (J 4:28-30).

110 Meanwhile, the disciples asked Jesus, "Rabbi, are you not going to eat?" (J 4:31).

111 He said, "I have food to eat that you do not know about" (J 4:32).

112 Then, because He had said this, the disciples began to ask among themselves, "No one brought Him anything to eat, did they?" (J 4:33).

113 Jesus then said to them, "My food is to do the will of the One who sent me and to complete His work. Do you not say, 'In four months it will be time to harvest?' Well listen to what I say, and lift up your eyes to see, the land is already white for harvest. And he who reaps receives his wages and gathers fruit into everlasting life, so that the one who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together. For in this the saying is true: 'One sows and another reaps.' Likewise, I send you out to sow in that which you have not labored. Others have labored and, now, you join them in their labor" (J 4:34-38).

114 And so it was, many of the Samaritans from that city believed in Him through what the woman had told them, when she said, "He told me everything I've done." Therefore, when the Samaritans came to see Him, they asked Him to stay with them. He stayed there for two days, and, from that stay, many more believed in Him through what He said (J 4:39-41).

115 Then they told the woman, "We no longer believe only from the things you have told us. For we have heard it for ourselves, and we have seen that He truly is the Savior of the world" (J 4:423:2).