John 4 · Verse 19

John 4:19

The woman saith unto him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet.
John 4:19, King James Version

John 4:19 in other translations

BSB“Sir,” the woman said, “I see that You are a prophet.
WEBThe woman said to him, “Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet.
ASVThe woman saith unto him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet.
YLTThe woman saith to him, ‘Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet;
DARBYThe woman says to him, Sir, I see that thou art a prophet.
BBEThe woman said to him, Sir, I see that you are a prophet.
WebsterThe woman saith to him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet.

What does John 4:19 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on John 4:19-20
19-20. Sir, I perceive, &c.--Seeing herself all revealed, does she now break down and ask what hopes there might be for one so guilty? Nay, her convictions have not reached that point yet. She ingeniously shifts the subject from a personal to a public question. It is not, "Alas, what a wicked life am I leading!" but "Lo, what a wonderful prophet I got into conversation with! He will be able to settle that interminable dispute between us and the Jews. Sir, you must know all about such matters--our fathers hold to this mountain here," pointing to Gerizim in Samaria, "as the divinely consecrated place of worship, but ye Jews say that Jerusalem is the proper place--which of us is right?" How slowly does the human heart submit to thorough humiliation! (Compare the prodigal; see on Lu 15:15). Doubtless our Lord saw through the fetch; but does He say, "That question is not the point just now, but have you been living in the way described, yea or nay? Till this is disposed of I cannot be drawn into theological controversies." The Prince of preachers takes another method: He humors the poor woman, letting her take her own way, allowing her to lead while He follows--but thus only the more effectually gaining His object. He answers her question, pours light into her mind on the spirituality of all true worship, as of its glorious Object, and so brings her insensibly to the point at which He could disclose to her wondering mind whom she was all the while speaking to.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes
Verse 19. A prophet. One sent from God, and who understood her life. The word here does not denote one who foretells future events, but one who knew her heart and life, and who must therefore have come from God. She did not yet suppose him to be the Messiah, Jn 4:25. Believing him now to be a man sent from God, she proposed to him a question respecting the proper place of worship. This point had been long a matter of dispute between the Samaritans and the Jews. She submitted it to him because she thought he could settle the question, and perhaps because she wished to divert the conversation from the unpleasant topic respecting her husbands. The conversation about her manner of life was a very unpleasant topic to her--as it is always unpleasant to sinners to talk about their lives and the necessity of religion--and she was glad to turn the conversation to something else. Nothing is more common than for sinners to change the conversation when it begins to bear too hard upon their consciences; and no way of doing it is more common than to direct it to some speculative inquiry having some sort of connection with religion, as if to show that they are willing to talk about religion, and do not wish to appear to be opposed to it. Sinners do not love direct religious conversation, but many are too well-bred to refuse altogether to talk to consider her own state and sinfulness--a delicate and yet pungent way of making her see that she was a sinner. By showing her, also, that he knew her life, though a stranger to her, he convinced her that he was qualified to teach her the way to heaven, and thus prepared her to admit that he was the Messiah, Jn 4:29.

(k) "perceive" Jn 1:48,49

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 19 I perceive that thou art a prophet - And therefore thought him well qualified to decide the grand question in dispute between the Jews and the Samaritans: but she did not perceive him to be the Messiah.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on John 4:4-26

There was great hatred between the Samaritans and the Jews. Christ's road from Judea to Galilee lay through Samaria. We should not go into places of temptation but when we needs must; and then must not dwell in them, but hasten through them. We have here our Lord Jesus under the common fatigue of travellers. Thus we see that he was truly a man. Toil came in with sin; therefore Christ, having made himself a curse for…

Read the full comment on John 4:4-26 →

John 4:19 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

ΛέγειLegeiSaysG3004
αὐτῷautōto HimG846
ἡhētheG3588
γυνή·gunēwoman;G1135
κύριε,kurieSir,G2962
θεωρῶtheōrōI understandG2334
ὅτιhotithatG3754
προφήτηςprophētēsa prophetG4396
εἶeiareG1510
σύ.suYou yourself.G4771

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for John 4:19

  • John 6:14

    Then those men, when they had seen the miracle that Jesus did, said, This is of a truth that prophet that should come into the world.

  • Luke 7:39

    Now when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw it, he spake within himself, saying, This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him: for she is a sinner.

  • John 9:17

    They say unto the blind man again, What sayest thou of him, that he hath opened thine eyes? He said, He is a prophet.

  • Luke 7:16

    And there came a fear on all: and they glorified God, saying, That a great prophet is risen up among us; and, That God hath visited his people.

  • John 7:40

    Many of the people therefore, when they heard this saying, said, Of a truth this is the Prophet.

  • Matthew 21:11

    And the multitude said, This is Jesus the prophet of Nazareth of Galilee.

  • 1 Corinthians 14:24-25

    But if all prophesy, and there come in one that believeth not, or one unlearned, he is convinced of all, he is judged of all: And thus are the secrets of his heart made manifest; and so falling down on his face he will worship God, and report that God is in you of a truth.

  • Luke 24:19

    And he said unto them, What things? And they said unto him, Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people:

  • 2 Kings 5:26

    And he said unto him, Went not mine heart with thee, when the man turned again from his chariot to meet thee? Is it a time to receive money, and to receive garments, and oliveyards, and vineyards, and sheep, and oxen, and menservants, and maidservants?

  • 2 Kings 6:12

    And one of his servants said, None, my lord, O king: but Elisha, the prophet that is in Israel, telleth the king of Israel the words that thou speakest in thy bedchamber.

  • John 4:29

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

  • John 1:48-49

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

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
I perceive.
29; 1:48,49; 2Ki 5:26; 6:12; Lu 7:39; 1Co 14:24,25
a prophet.
6:14; 7:40; 9:17; Lu 7:16; 24:19

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • John 4:18

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

  • John 4:19

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

  • John 4:20

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

Read all of John 4

John 4:19 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Dícele la mujer: Señor, paréceme que tú eres profeta.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		La femme lui dit: Seigneur, je vois que tu es un prophète.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Das Weib spricht zu ihm: Herr, ich sehe, daß du ein Prophet bist.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Dicit ei mulier: Domine, video quia propheta es tu.