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John 4:12
ESV Are you greater than our father Jacob? He gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did his sons and his livestock."
NIV Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did also his sons and his livestock?"
NASB You are not greater than our father Jacob, are You, who gave us the well and drank of it himself, and his sons and his cattle?'
CSB You aren’t greater than our father Jacob, are you? He gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did his sons and livestock."
NLT And besides, do you think you’re greater than our ancestor Jacob, who gave us this well? How can you offer better water than he and his sons and his animals enjoyed?'
KJV Art thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his children, and his cattle?
NKJV Are You greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well, and drank from it himself, as well as his sons and his livestock?”

What does John 4:12 mean?

The back-and-forth conversation between Jesus and the Samaritan woman (John 4:7–9) shows her to be an interesting character. Her responses demonstrate more than a little courage and wittiness. Just as Nicodemus realized that Jesus wasn't speaking literally in John 3:3–4, the Samaritan woman seems to recognize Jesus' prior comment (John 4:10) has a double meaning. At the same time, she seems focused on the physical interpretation (John 4:15). And her continued answer in this verse shows she's more focused on dismissing Jesus than really hearing Him out at this point.

The question here is almost certainly sarcastic. Not only is Jacob a revered figure, but just creating a well was a difficult task. In that region, wells had to be dug quite deeply to reach water. This location, as described in Genesis 33:18–20 and Genesis 48:21–22, is one of the deepest wells in the entire region. Rather than simply asking Jesus, "what does that mean?" she responds to his odd remark with banter of her own, including sarcastic dismissal.
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Context Summary
John 4:5–26 describes one of the most famous moments in Jesus' earthly ministry. Here, He converses with a Samaritan woman. She is not only an ''unclean'' Samaritan, but also an outcast among her own people. At first, she attempts to avoid Jesus' teachings. Her answers suggest a clever mind, but they are also flippant and sarcastic. Despite that, and despite knowing all about her sin, Jesus encourages her with the love of God. This breaks through her hard heart; as a result, many others are brought to meet Christ. The disciples are also taught a valuable lesson about the purpose of their mission.
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Chapter Summary
Jesus speaks to a Samaritan woman who is drawing water from a well. He confronts her about sin, yet He also comforts her with the truth of the gospel. Even though He knows her sins, He still seeks after her, and those like her. The woman returns to town, eventually bringing many people to meet Jesus. The disciples, meanwhile, are reminded of the purpose of their mission. Jesus also heals the son of a government official in a way that demonstrates the importance of trusting faith, rather than reliance on spectacle.
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What is the Gospel?
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