19. The woman said, “Sir, I can see that you are a prophet.
20. Our fathers worshiped on this mountain. But you Jews say that Jerusalem is the place where people must worship.”
21. Jesus said, “Believe me, woman. The time is coming when you will not have to be in Jerusalem or on this mountain to worship the Father.
22. You Samaritans worship what you don’t understand. We Jews understand what we worship. Salvation comes from the Jews.
23. The time is coming when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth. That time is now here. And these are the kinds of worshipers the Father wants.
24. God is spirit. Those who worship God must worship in spirit and truth.”
25. The woman said, “I know that the Messiah is coming.” (Messiah is the One called Christ.) “When the Messiah comes, he will explain everything to us.”
26. Then Jesus said, “He is talking to you now. I am he.”
27. Just then his followers came back from town. They were surprised because they saw Jesus talking with a woman. But none of them asked, “What do you want?” or “Why are you talking with her?”
28. Then the woman left her water jar and went back to town. She said to the people,
29. “A man told me everything I have ever done. Come see him. Maybe he is the Christ!”
30. So the people left the town and went to see Jesus.
31. While the woman was away, the followers were begging him, “Teacher, eat something!”
32. But Jesus answered, “I have food to eat that you know nothing about.”
33. So the followers asked themselves, “Did somebody already bring Jesus some food?”
34. Jesus said, “My food is to do what the One who sent me wants me to do. My food is to finish the work that he gave me to do.
35. You say, ‘Four more months to wait before we gather the grain.’ But I tell you, open your eyes. Look at the fields that are ready for harvesting now.
36. Even now, the one who harvests the crop is being paid. He is gathering crops for eternal life. So now the one who plants can be happy along with the one who harvests.
37. It is true when we say, ‘One person plants, but another harvests the crop.’
38. I sent you to harvest a crop that you did not work for. Others did the work, and you get the profit from their work.”