John 4:40 · Bible study
John 4:40 Commentary: Two Days in Samaria
Greek · 9 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Why Jesus stayed only two days among the Samaritans and what this reveals about faith, mission, and the inclusion of outsiders.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Jesus accepted the invitation of believing Samaritans and stayed two days, resulting in many more believers.
- Key words: παρ᾽ (with), μεῖναι (to abide), δύο ἡμέρας (two days), the verb menō implies a settled stay.
- Main debate: Whether the two days indicate strategic brevity or simply a transitional detail; all agree Jesus gave them real, focused time.
- Theological theme: Inclusion of outsiders in the gospel; faith based on Jesus' word rather than signs.
- Best use: As an example of cross-cultural evangelism and the power of personal encounter with Christ.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
So when the Samaritans came to Him, they asked Him to stay with them, and He stayed two days.
WEB World English Bible 2000
So when the Samaritans came to him, they begged him to stay with them. He stayed there two days.
KJV King James Version 1769
So when the Samaritans were come unto him, they besought him that he would tarry with them: and he abode there two days.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
So when the Samaritans came unto him, they besought him to abide with them: and he abode there two days.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
When, then, the Samaritans came unto him, they were asking him to remain with them, and he remained there two days;
Darby Darby Bible 1890
When therefore the Samaritans came to him they asked him to abide with them, and he abode there two days.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
So when the Samaritans were come to him, they desired that he would tarry there. And he abode there two days.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Viniendo pues los Samaritanos á él, rogáronle|strong="G2065, G0846" que se quedase allí: y se quedó allí dos días.
Vindo pois os samaritanos a ele, suplicaram-lhe que ficasse com eles; e ele ficou ali dois dias.
Aussi, quand les Samaritains vinrent le trouver, ils le prièrent de rester auprès d’ eux. Et il resta là deux jours.
Als nun die Samariter zu ihm kamen, baten sie ihn, daß er bei ihnen bliebe; und er blieb zwei Tage da.
Als dan de Samaritanen tot Hem gekomen waren, baden zij Hem, dat Hij bij hen bleef; en Hij bleef aldaar twee dagen.
Quando dunque i Samaritani furono venuti a lui, lo pregarono di trattenersi da loro; ed egli si trattenne quivi due giorni.
Gdy tedy przyszli do niego Samarytanie, prosili go, aby u nich został; i został tam przez dwa dni.
И потому, когда пришли к Нему Самаряне, то просили Его побыть у них; и Он пробыл там два дня.
於是 撒馬利亞人 來見 耶穌，求 他 在他們 那裡住下， 他便在那裡 住了 兩 天。
So when the people came to him they made request to him to be among them for a time, and he was there two days.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Koine Greek)
New Testament · Koine Greek · John 4:40
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that the Samaritans' faith was genuine and based on Jesus' own word, not on miracles. Adam Clarke notes that no miracles were recorded among them because they believed on 'the evidence of his own eternal truth'. Gill observes that unlike the Gergesenes who begged Jesus to leave, these Samaritans 'besought him' to stay. Jamieson-Fausset-Brown calls the two days 'two precious days', a foretaste of the inbringing of the whole Gentile world. Barnes highlights the remarkable success: many believed because of the woman's testimony, then more because they heard Jesus themselves. Vincent's Word Studies notes the verb meinai ('to abide') implies a settled stay, not a brief stop. The commentators see this as a strategic, gracious pause: Jesus accepted their invitation, nurtured their fledgling faith, then moved on to fulfill his broader mission in Galilee.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: Jesus accepted the Samaritans' request and stayed two days, demonstrating his willingness to minister to those outside the Jewish fold.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Reason for the two-day stay | Jesus stayed to nurture the Samaritans' faith without overstaying or causing unnecessary offense to Jewish sensibilities. | Some see it as purely strategic (Gill: to give 'no umbrage to the Jews'); others emphasize the genuine love and pastoral care shown in the brief visit (JFB: 'two precious days'). |
| Role of miracles in this episode | No miracles are recorded among the Samaritans in John 4. | Clarke argues miracles were unnecessary because the Samaritans believed on the truth itself; other traditions note that Jesus did perform signs elsewhere and that faith can arise without visible wonders. |
| Historical vs. allegorical reading | The narrative describes a real encounter at a well near Sychar. | The Cambridge Bible firmly rejects allegorizing the woman's five husbands as Samaritan religions, calling it 'pure fiction'; most modern scholars read the passage as a literal, historically plausible account. |
| Nature of the Samaritans' faith | They genuinely believed Jesus to be the Messiah, the Savior of the world. | Some commentators (e.g., Matthew Henry) see this as saving faith; others question how complete their understanding was after only two days, but all affirm the sincerity of their confession. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Jews and Samaritans shared a bitter history. Samaritans were descendants of northern Israelites who had intermarried with foreign colonists after the Assyrian conquest (722 BC). They accepted only the Pentateuch, worshiped on Mount Gerizim, and were considered heretics by mainstream Judaism. John's readers knew the hostility: 'Jews have no dealings with Samaritans' (4:9).
Yet the Samaritans of Sychar (modern Shechem) were expecting a Messiah-like figure, the Taheb, a restorer promised in their traditions. The woman's testimony, 'He told me everything I ever did', sparked a revival. Many came out to meet Jesus at Jacob's well, a site already rich with patriarchal history.
The Cambridge Bible notes that some critics doubted this narrative, claiming Samaritans had no Messianic hope, but archaeology and Samaritan sources confirm they did. Others suggested the story was an allegory, but the details (topography, psychological realism) argue for a literal event.
Jesus crossed deep cultural lines to speak with the woman and later to stay in the town. Gill comments that this stay 'gave no umbrage to the Jews', it was intentional but brief. In a few words, John records a quiet revolution: outsiders who were once enemies became believers, and Jesus welcomed them fully before continuing his journey.
Textual Notes
No significant textual variants are recorded for this verse in the supplied sources. The verse appears consistently across major manuscripts.
Reception History
Throughout church history, John 4:40 has been read as a model of cross-cultural evangelism. Early church fathers noted that Christ welcomed Samaritans, a people despised by the Jews, showing the gospel's universal reach. Reformation-era commentators like Matthew Henry drew practical lessons about personal testimony and the spread of faith through ordinary conversations. In modern mission theology, the passage is used to illustrate how short-term presence and patient teaching can lead to lasting conversion. The two days remain a reminder that even a brief, authentic encounter with Jesus can change everything.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- They came and begged. The Samaritans initiated contact; they came to Jesus and pleaded with him to stay. Faith begins with a desire for his presence.
- He stayed two days. Jesus accepted their invitation. He invested personal time in people who were social and religious outsiders. The two days were enough to deepen faith.
- Many believed because of his word. The two days produced enduring fruit. The Samaritans moved from second-hand testimony ('because of the woman') to firsthand conviction ('we have heard for ourselves').
Five-point outline
- Initiation: The Samaritans came to Jesus, drawn by the woman's witness.
- Invitation: They begged him to stay, a request born of hunger and hope.
- Incarnation: Jesus stayed. He did not rush past them; he shared their space and time.
- Instruction: During the two days, Jesus presumably taught them. They heard his word.
- Impact: Many more believed. Faith rooted in firsthand encounter lasts.
Illustration hooks
- A guest who visits for a weekend but leaves a lasting impact, sometimes a short, focused presence changes everything.
- An outsider who is welcomed into a group and eventually becomes part of the family, the Samaritans were outsiders who became insiders.
- A skeptic who hears a friend's testimony but only believes after meeting Jesus for themselves, the pattern of John 4.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Why did Jesus stay only two days? Could he have done more in a longer visit?
- What does this passage say about sharing faith with people who are culturally or religiously different from us?
- How can we move from believing because of someone else's testimony to believing because of our own encounter with Christ?
Leading a Discussion
A small group of Samaritans met Jesus at a well. Within two days, many more believed. This passage invites us to consider how faith begins, sometimes through a stranger's story, but always deepened by personal encounter. The two days were not wasted. Jesus gave his full attention to people others avoided.
Discussion questions
- Read John 4:39-42. Why do you think the Samaritans begged Jesus to stay?
- What does the fact that Jesus stayed two days tell you about his character and mission?
- How does the faith of the Samaritans differ from the faith of the woman who first met Jesus?
- Why do you think John includes the detail about no miracles among the Samaritans (see Adam Clarke's comment)?
- What barriers did Jesus cross to stay with the Samaritans? What barriers might we need to cross today?
- How can a short, intentional investment in someone's life bear lasting fruit?
- In what ways have you moved from 'believing because of someone's report' to 'believing because you have heard for yourself'?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Genesis 32:26 | The man said, “Let me go, for the day breaks.” Jacob said, “I won’t let you go unless you bless me.” |
| Proverbs 4:13 | Take firm hold of instruction. Don’t let her go. Keep her, for she is your life. |
| Song of Solomon 3:4 | I had scarcely passed from them, when I found him whom my soul loves. I held him, and would not let him go, until I had brought him into my mother’s house, into the room of her who conceived me. |
| Jeremiah 14:8 | You hope of Israel, its Savior in the time of trouble, why should you be as a foreigner in the land, and as a wayfaring man who turns aside to stay for a night? |
| Luke 8:38 | But the man from whom the demons had gone out begged him that he might go with him, but Jesus sent him away, saying, |
| Luke 10:39 | She had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus’ feet and heard his word. |
| Luke 19:5 | When Jesus came to the place, he looked up and saw him, and said to him, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for today I must stay at your house.” |
| Luke 19:10 | For the Son of Man came to seek and to save that which was lost.” |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
9 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke observes that Jesus performed no miracles among the Samaritans because they already believed on the evidence of his own truth. Miracles were needed only to establish Christianity where it was first preached; once the doctrine is credited, they become unnecessary.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes marvels that one conversation with an unlikely person in an unlikely place produced so many conversions. He draws the lesson that Christians should never give up hope in unpromising situations and should seize every chance to speak with sinners about their souls.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The commentary defends the story's historical truth against three objections: Samaritans did expect a Messiah from the Pentateuch; Christ's two-day visit did not complete all the work; and the allegorical reading of the five husbands as pagan religions is forced and implausible. The narrative's realistic details and psychology confirm it as a faithful record.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
Then when the Samaritans were come vnto him, they besought him, that he woulde tarie with them: and he abode there two dayes.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill contrasts the Samaritans with the Gergesenes: these people welcomed Jesus and begged him to stay, so he agreed but only for two days, lest a longer visit give the Jews grounds to later call him a Samaritan. The earlier instruction to disciples was a temporary rule that did not bind Jesus himself.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB highlights the striking contrast: Jesus came to His own people and was rejected, yet these Samaritans, who were outsiders, welcomed Him. The two days He spent there offered comfort to His wounded spirit and provided a foretaste of the vast Gentile harvest that would one day enter the Church.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange sees the Samaritan woman not as merely frivolous or dull, but as a quick-witted, energetic soul with a hidden depth of spiritual longing beneath her sinful life. The living water Christ offers is no external supply but a self-renewing fountain within, gushing into eternal life.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry emphasizes the contrast between the disciples' focus on physical food and Jesus' absorption in his spiritual mission. The disciples marvel that Jesus spoke with a Samaritan woman, yet they dare not question him, while Jesus redirects their attention to the ripe spiritual harvest already before them.
Vincent's Word Studies Evangelical 1887
To tarry [ μειναι] . Better, as Rev., to abide.