John 4:12 kjv — Art thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his children, and his ca…

King James Version

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

— John 4:12, King James Version

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John 4:12 in Other Translations

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John 4 — Context

9

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.

10

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.

11

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?

12

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

13

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

14

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.

15

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

John 4:12 — Frequently Asked Questions

7 questions
What does John 4:12 say?
John 4:12 in the King James Version reads: “Art thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his children, and his cattle?”
Where is John 4:12 in the Bible?
John 4:12 is found in the New Testament, in the book of John, chapter 4, verse 12.
Who wrote John?
John is traditionally attributed to John the Apostle, son of Zebedee. It was written c. AD 85–95.
What is the book of John about?
John's Gospel opens not in Bethlehem but "in the beginning," declaring Jesus to be the eternal Word made flesh. Through seven sign-miracles and seven "I AM" sayings, it presents Jesus as the bread, the light, the way, and the resurrection — that we might believe and have life in his name.
What are the major themes of John?
John explores themes including Word Made Flesh, Belief, Eternal Life, I AM, Love. These themes shape the meaning and context of John 4:12.
What translation should I read John 4:12 in?
John 4:12 is available on GodsGoodBook in the King James Version (KJV), American Standard Version (ASV), World English Bible (WEB), NET Bible, Young's Literal Translation, Darby Bible, Douay-Rheims Bible, and the Bible in Basic English. Each translation reflects different translation philosophies — use the translation picker on this page to compare them, or browse our full translations directory.
How can I memorize John 4:12?
John 4:12 reads (KJV): “Art thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his children, and his cattle?” Read it aloud, break it into short phrases, repeat each phrase three times before adding the next, then put the phrases together. Reading it in multiple translations (above) often helps the meaning settle.
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