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Wednesday, October 16th, 2024
the Week of Proper 23 / Ordinary 28
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Green's Literal Translation

John 4:34

Jesus said to them, My food is that I should do the will of Him who sent Me, and that I may finish His work.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Converts;   Duty;   Jesus, the Christ;   Jesus Continued;   Obedience;   Samaria;   Shechem;   Will;   Zeal, Religious;   Thompson Chain Reference - Activity;   Awakenings and Religious Reforms;   Awakenings, Religious;   Christ's;   Completion;   Earnestness-Indifference;   Fervour;   Life's Purpose;   Purpose;   Samaritans;   Service;   Surrendered Life, Characteristics of;   Task, Christ's;   Work, Religious;   Work-Workers, Religious;   Zeal;   The Topic Concordance - Jesus Christ;   Will of God;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Christ, Character of;   Devotedness to God;   Selfishness;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Shechem;   Wells and Springs;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Jesus christ;   Son of god;   Work;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Mission;   Will of God;   Woman;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Commentary;   Patience;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Samaritans;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Gospels;   Jesus Christ;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Hour;   Jesus, Life and Ministry of;   John, the Gospel of;   Marriage;   Woman;   Works;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Messiah;   Mss;   Woman;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Ambition;   Authority in Religion;   Call, Calling;   Character of Christ;   Complacency;   Consciousness;   Death of Christ;   Dependence;   Devotion;   Enthusiasm;   Eternal Life (2);   Example;   Father, Fatherhood;   Food;   Fulfilment;   Happiness;   Hopefulness ;   Incarnation (2);   John (the Apostle);   Lord's Prayer (Ii);   Love (2);   Mental Characteristics;   Merit;   Metaphors;   Names and Titles of Christ;   Necessity;   Obedience (2);   Old Testament (I. Christ as Fulfilment of);   Poet;   Reality;   Saying and Doing;   Self-Control;   Service;   Simple, Simplicity ;   Sinlessness;   Union with God;   Uniqueness;   Worldliness (2);   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Samaritans;   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Mount samaria;   Samaria;   Samaritans;   Wilson's Dictionary of Bible Types - Meat;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Finish;   Obedience of Christ;   Self-Surrender;   Spiritual Meat;  

Devotionals:

- Daily Light on the Daily Path - Devotion for November 24;  

Parallel Translations

Easy-to-Read Version
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.
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
Iesus sayde vnto them: my meate is to doo the will of him that sent me. And to fynnysshe his worke.
Hebrew Names Version
Yeshua said to them, "My food is to do the will of him who sent me, and to accomplish his work.
International Standard Version
Jesus told them, "My food is doing the will of the one who sent me and completing his work.Job 1:23:12; John 6:38; 17:4; 19:30;">[xr]
New American Standard Bible
Jesus said to them, "My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to accomplish His work.
New Century Version
Jesus said, "My food is to do what the One who sent me wants me to do and to finish his work.
Update Bible Version
Jesus says to them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to accomplish his work.
Webster's Bible Translation
Jesus saith to them, My food is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.
English Standard Version
Jesus said to them, "My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work.
World English Bible
Jesus said to them, "My food is to do the will of him who sent me, and to accomplish his work.
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
My meat is, to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.
Weymouth's New Testament
"My food," said Jesus, "is to be obedient to Him who sent me, and fully to accomplish His work.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Jhesus seith to hem, My mete is, that Y do the wille of hym that sente me, that Y perfourme the werk of hym.
English Revised Version
Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to accomplish his work.
Berean Standard Bible
Jesus explained, "My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to finish His work.
Contemporary English Version
Jesus said: My food is to do what God wants! He is the one who sent me, and I must finish the work that he gave me to do.
Amplified Bible
Jesus said to them, "My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to completely finish His work.
American Standard Version
Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to accomplish his work.
Bible in Basic English
Jesus said, My food is to do the pleasure of him who sent me and to make his work complete.
Complete Jewish Bible
Yeshua said to them, "My food is to do what the one who sent me wants and to bring his work to completion.
Darby Translation
Jesus says to them, My food is that I should do the will of him that has sent me, and that I should finish his work.
Etheridge Translation
Jeshu saith to them, My meat is to do the will of Him who sent me, and to accomplish his work.
Murdock Translation
Jesus said to them: My food is to do the pleasure of him that sent me, and to accomplish his work.
King James Version (1611)
Iesus saith vnto them, My meat is, to doe the will of him that sent mee, and to finish his worke.
New Living Translation
Then Jesus explained: "My nourishment comes from doing the will of God, who sent me, and from finishing his work.
New Life Bible
Jesus said, "My food is to do what God wants Me to do and to finish His work.
New Revised Standard
Jesus said to them, "My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to complete his work.
Geneva Bible (1587)
Iesus saide vnto them, My meate is that I may doe the will of him that sent me, and finish his worke.
George Lamsa Translation
Jesus said to them, My food is to do the will of him who sent me, and to finish his work.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Jesus saith unto them - My food, is, that I should do the will of him that sent me, and complete, his work.
Douay-Rheims Bible
Jesus saith to them: My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, that I may perfect his work.
Revised Standard Version
Jesus said to them, "My food is to do the will of him who sent me, and to accomplish his work.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Iesus sayth vnto them: my meate is to do the wyll of hym that sent me, and to finishe his worke.
Good News Translation
"My food," Jesus said to them, "is to obey the will of the one who sent me and to finish the work he gave me to do.
Christian Standard Bible®
“My food is to do the will of him
King James Version
Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.
Lexham English Bible
Jesus said to them, "My food is that I do the will of the one who sent me and complete his work.
Young's Literal Translation
Jesus saith to them, `My food is, that I may do the will of Him who sent me, and may finish His work;
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Iesus sayde vnto the: My meate is this, that I do the wyll of him that sent me, and to fynish his worke.
Mace New Testament (1729)
Jesus said to them, my meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.
THE MESSAGE
Jesus said, "The food that keeps me going is that I do the will of the One who sent me, finishing the work he started. As you look around right now, wouldn't you say that in about four months it will be time to harvest? Well, I'm telling you to open your eyes and take a good look at what's right in front of you. These Samaritan fields are ripe. It's harvest time!
New English Translation
Jesus said to them, "My food is to do the will of the one who sent me and to complete his work.
New King James Version
Jesus said to them, "My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work.
Simplified Cowboy Version
Jesus sighed and said, "My strength comes not from the food that goes in your mouth, but by doing what my Father tells me to do. My nourishment is finishing what he has sent me to do.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Jesus said to them, "My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to accomplish His work.
Legacy Standard Bible
Jesus *said to them, "My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to finish His work.

Contextual Overview

27 And on this, His disciples came and marveled that He was speaking with a woman. However, no one said, What do You seek? Or, Why do You speak with her? 28 Then the woman left her waterpot and went away into the city and said to the men, 29 Come, see a Man who told me all things, whatever I did. Is this One not the Christ? 30 Therefore, they went out of the city and came to Him. 31 But in the meantime the disciples asked Him, saying, Rabbi, eat? 32 But He said to them, I have food to eat which you do not know. 33 Then the disciples said to one another, No one brought Him food to eat? 34 Jesus said to them, My food is that I should do the will of Him who sent Me, and that I may finish His work. 35 Do you not say, It is yet four months and the harvest comes? Behold, I say to you, Lift up your eyes and behold the fields, for they are already white to harvest. 36 And the one reaping receives reward, and gathers fruit to everlasting life, so that both the one sowing and the one reaping may rejoice together.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

My meat: John 4:32, John 6:33, John 6:38, Job 23:12, Psalms 40:8, Isaiah 61:1-3, Luke 15:4-6, Luke 15:10, Luke 19:10, Acts 20:35

and: John 5:36, John 17:4, John 19:30, Hebrews 12:2

Reciprocal: Exodus 40:33 - So Moses Leviticus 10:14 - General Judges 19:5 - Comfort 1 Kings 13:14 - sitting Psalms 119:47 - I will delight Psalms 119:143 - yet thy Proverbs 8:31 - and my Proverbs 21:15 - joy Ecclesiastes 9:10 - thy hand Song of Solomon 6:2 - feed Matthew 3:15 - for Matthew 6:10 - Thy will Matthew 9:19 - General Matthew 18:13 - he rejoiceth Mark 1:35 - General Mark 14:36 - nevertheless Luke 2:49 - my Luke 4:42 - when Luke 9:11 - and he Luke 12:50 - and Luke 13:33 - I must Luke 15:5 - when Luke 22:15 - With desire I have desired Luke 22:42 - not John 5:30 - because John 8:2 - early John 8:29 - for John 9:4 - must John 9:31 - and doeth John 14:31 - that the John 15:10 - even Acts 8:30 - ran thither Acts 13:25 - fulfilled Acts 28:23 - from Romans 1:15 - I Romans 7:22 - I delight Romans 15:3 - Christ Philippians 2:8 - and became 1 Thessalonians 4:3 - this 2 Timothy 4:7 - I have finished Hebrews 5:8 - yet Hebrews 10:7 - Lo

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Jesus saith unto them,.... His disciples:

my meat is to do the will of him that sent me. The Ethiopic version reads, "of my Father that sent me", and who is undoubtedly intended. Now as food is pleasant, and delightful, and refreshing to the body of man, so doing the will of God was as delightful and refreshing to the soul of Christ: he took as much pleasure in it, as an hungry man does in eating and drinking. One part of the will of God was to assume human nature; this he had done, and with delight and pleasure: another part of it was to fulfil the law; and this was in his heart, and was his delight, and he was now doing it: and another branch of it was to suffer and die, in the room and stead of his people; and as disagreeable as this was in itself to the human nature, yet he cheerfully agreed to it; and was sometimes, as it were, impatient till it was accomplished; and he voluntarily became obedient to it: no man could, with greater eagerness, fall to eating, when hungry, than Christ went about his Father's will and work, even that which was most ungrateful to him, as man.

And to finish his work; one part of which was to preach the Gospel, and for, which he was anointed and sent; and which he did with great assiduity and constancy: and another part of it was the conversion of sinners by it, whom he was sent to call, and with whom he delighted to be; and was the work he was now about, and took the pleasure in, the text expresses: and beside these miracles were works his Father gave him to finish; such as healing diseases, and dispossessing of devils, and which he went about doing continually, with great delight: but the chief, work of all is, that of redemption and salvation of his chosen ones: this was a work his Father called him to, and sent him into this world to perform, which he gave unto him, and Christ accepted of, and agreed to do; and though it was a very toilsome and laborious one, there being a righteous law to be fulfilled, justice to be satisfied, the sins of all his people to bear, as well as the wrath of God, and the curse of the law, and numerous enemies to grapple with, and an accursed death to undergo; yet with pleasure he performed this: for the joy of his Father's will, accomplishing his counsels and covenant, and his own engagements, and procuring the salvation of his people, he endured the cross patiently, and despised the shame of it. The whole of the and work of God was done by him, just as the Lord commanded it; exactly, according to the pattern given him, with all faithfulness and integrity; with the most consummate wisdom and prudence; with all application, diligence, and constancy, and so as to finish it, and that without the help of any other; and in such a manner that nothing can be added to it to make it more perfect, or that it can be undone again by men or devils: and that the doing and finishing of this were his meat, or as delightful and refreshing to him as meat is to the body, appears from his ready and cheerful engaging in it in eternity; from his early and industrious entrance on it in time; from his constancy in it, when he had begun, insomuch that nothing could deter him from it; nor did he sink and fail under it, nor left it till he had finished it.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

My meat ... - Jesus here explains what he said in John 4:32. His great object - the great design of his life - was to do the will of God. He came to that place weary and thirsty, and at the usual time of meals, probably hungry; yet an opportunity of doing good presented itself, and he forgot his fatigue and hunger, and found comfort and joy in doing good - in seeking to save a soul. This one great object absorbed all his powers, and made him forget his weariness and the wants of nature. The mind may be so absorbed in doing the will of God as to forget all other things. Intent on this, we may rise above fatigue, and hardship, and want, and bear all with pleasure in seeing the work of God advance. See Job 23:12; “I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necesary food.” We may learn, also, that the main business of life is not to avoid fatigue or to seek the supply of our temporal wants, but to do the will of God. The mere supply of our temporal necessities, though most people make it an object of their chief solicitude, is a small consideration in the sight of him who has just views of the great design of human life.

The will of him that sent me - The will of God in regard to the salvation of men. See John 6:38.

To finish his work - To “complete” or fully to do the work which he has commanded in regard to the salvation of men. It is his work to provide salvation, and his to redeem, and his to apply the salvation to the heart. Jesus came to do it by teaching, by his example, and by his death as an expiation for sin. And he shows us that “we” should be diligent. If he was so diligent for our welfare, if he bore fatigue and want to benefit us, then we should be diligent, also, in regard to our own salvation, and also in seeking the salvation of others.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 34. My meat is to do the will of him that sent me — In these words, our blessed Lord teaches a lesson of zeal and earnestness to his apostles, and to all their successors in the Christian ministry. Let the salvation of souls lie nearer your heart than life itself. Let eating and drinking, labour and rest, reading, thinking, study, prayer, and all things, be directed to the accomplishment of this great work. Ministers of Jesus! imitate your Lord! Souls are perishing for lack of knowledge - God has given you the key of the kingdom, the knowledge of his word-O open unto them the gate of life! They are dropping by thousands into hell! O pluck the brands out of the burning!


 
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