John 4:23

World English Bible (2000)

But the hour comes, and now is, when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father seeks such to be his worshippers.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

Ἀλλʼ ἔρχεται ὥρα, καὶ νῦν ἐστιν, ὅτε οἱ ἀληθινοὶ προσκυνηταὶ προσκυνήσουσιν τῷ Πατρὶ ἐν πνεύματι καὶ ἀληθείᾳ: καὶ γὰρ ὁ Πατὴρ τοιούτους ζητεῖ τοὺς προσκυνοῦντας αὐτόν.

Transliteration

But erchetai hōra, and now estin, when the alēthinoi proskynētai proskynēsousin tō Patri en pneumati and alētheia: kai gar the Patēr toioutous zētei tous proskynountas auton.

Grammar Details

• *erchetai*: present middle indicative, 3rd singular - comes/is coming
• *hōra*: nominative feminine singular - hour/time
• *estin*: present active indicative, 3rd singular - is
• *alēthinoi*: adjective, nominative masculine plural - true/genuine
• *proskynētai*: nominative masculine plural - worshipers
• *proskynēsousin*: future active indicative, 3rd plural - they will worship
• *Patri*: dative masculine singular - Father
• *en*: preposition + dative - in
• *pneumati*: dative neuter singular - spirit
• *alētheia*: dative feminine singular - truth
• *kai*: adverbial conjunction - and/also/even
• *gar*: postpositive conjunction - for/because
• *Patēr*: nominative masculine singular - Father
• *toioutous*: demonstrative pronoun, accusative masculine plural - such
• *zētei*: present active indicative, 3rd singular - seeks/is seeking
• *proskynountas*: present active participle, accusative masculine plural - worshiping
• *auton*: accusative masculine singular - him

Word Meanings

• *alēthinoi*: true/genuine/real/authentic
• *proskynētai*: worshipers/those who prostrate themselves
• *pneumati*: spirit/breath/wind
• *alētheia*: truth/reality/genuineness
• *zētei*: seeks/searches for/desires

Referenced Verses

• Phil 3:3 : 3 For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh;
• Gal 4:6 : 6 And because you are children, God sent out the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, "Abba, Father!"
• John 5:25 : 25 Most certainly, I tell you, the hour comes, and now is, when the dead will hear the Son of God's voice; and those who hear will live.
• John 12:23 : 23 Jesus answered them, "The time has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.
• Matt 15:7-9 : 7 You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, saying, 8 'These people draw near to me with their mouth, and honor me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. 9 And in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrine rules made by men.'"
• John 1:17 : 17 For the law was given through Moses. Grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ.
• Eph 6:18 : 18 with all prayer and requests, praying at all times in the Spirit, and being watchful to this end in all perseverance and requests for all the saints:
• Rom 8:26 : 26 In the same way, the Spirit also helps our weaknesses, for we don't know how to pray as we ought. But the Spirit himself makes intercession for us with groanings which can't be uttered.
• 1 Pet 2:9 : 9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession, that you may proclaim the excellence of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light:
• Jude 1:20-21 : 20 But you, beloved, keep building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit. 21 Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life.
• John 4:21 : 21 Jesus said to her, "Woman, believe me, the hour comes, when neither in this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, will you worship the Father.
• Luke 18:11-13 : 11 The Pharisee stood and prayed to himself like this: 'God, I thank you, that I am not like the rest of men, extortioners, unrighteous, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week. I give tithes of all that I get.' 13 But the tax collector, standing far away, wouldn't even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me, a sinner!'
• John 16:32 : 32 Behold, the time is coming, yes, and has now come, that you will be scattered, everyone to his own place, and you will leave me alone. Yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me.
• Rom 1:9 : 9 For God is my witness, whom I serve in my spirit in the Good News of his Son, how unceasingly I make mention of you always in my prayers,
• Rom 8:15 : 15 For you didn't receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry, "Abba! Father!"
• Josh 24:14 : 14 "Now therefore fear Yahweh, and serve him in sincerity and in truth. Put away the gods which your fathers served beyond the River, in Egypt; and serve Yahweh.
• 1 Sam 12:24 : 24 Only fear Yahweh, and serve him in truth with all your heart; for consider how great things he has done for you.
• 1 Chr 29:17 : 17 I know also, my God, that you try the heart, and have pleasure in uprightness. As for me, in the uprightness of my heart I have willingly offered all these things. Now have I seen with joy your people, that are present here, offer willingly to you.
• Ps 17:1 : 1 Hear, Yahweh, my righteous plea; Give ear to my prayer, that doesn't go out of deceitful lips.
• Ps 32:2 : 2 Blessed is the man to whom Yahweh doesn't impute iniquity, in whose spirit there is no deceit.
• Ps 51:6 : 6 Behold, you desire truth in the inward parts. You teach me wisdom in the inmost place.
• Ps 147:11 : 11 Yahweh takes pleasure in those who fear him, in those who hope in his loving kindness.
• Prov 15:8 : 8 The sacrifice made by the wicked is an abomination to Yahweh, but the prayer of the upright is his delight.
• Song 2:14 : 14 My dove in the clefts of the rock, In the hiding places of the mountainside, Let me see your face. Let me hear your voice; for your voice is sweet, and your face is lovely.
• Isa 1:10-15 : 10 Hear the word of Yahweh, you rulers of Sodom! Listen to the law of our God, you people of Gomorrah! 11 "What are the multitude of your sacrifices to me?," says Yahweh. "I have had enough of the burnt offerings of rams, and the fat of fed animals. I don't delight in the blood of bulls, or of lambs, or of male goats. 12 When you come to appear before me, who has required this at your hand, to trample my courts? 13 Bring no more vain offerings. Incense is an abomination to me; new moons, Sabbaths, and convocations: I can't bear with evil assemblies. 14 My soul hates your New Moons and your appointed feasts. They are a burden to me. I am weary of bearing them. 15 When you spread forth your hands, I will hide my eyes from you. Yes, when you make many prayers, I will not hear. Your hands are full of blood.
• Isa 10:20 : 20 It will come to pass in that day that the remnant of Israel, and those who have escaped from the house of Jacob will no more again lean on him who struck them, but shall lean on Yahweh, the Holy One of Israel, in truth.
• Isa 26:8-9 : 8 Yes, in the way of your judgments, Yahweh, have we waited for you. Your name and your renown are the desire of our soul. 9 With my soul have I desired you in the night. Yes, with my spirit within me will I seek you earnestly; for when your judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world learn righteousness.
• Isa 29:13 : 13 The Lord said, "Because this people draws near with their mouth and with their lips to honor me, but they have removed their heart far from me, and their fear of me is a commandment of men which has been taught;
• Isa 43:21 : 21 the people which I formed for myself, that they might set forth my praise.
• Isa 48:1-2 : 1 "Hear this, house of Jacob, you who are called by the name of Israel, and have come forth out of the waters of Judah; who swear by the name of Yahweh, and make mention of the God of Israel, but not in truth, nor in righteousness 2 (for they call themselves of the holy city, and stay themselves on the God of Israel; Yahweh of Armies is his name):
• Isa 58:2 : 2 Yet they seek me daily, and delight to know my ways: as a nation that did righteousness, and didn't forsake the ordinance of their God, they ask of me righteous judgments; they delight to draw near to God.
• Isa 58:8-9 : 8 Then your light shall break forth as the morning, and your healing shall spring forth speedily; and your righteousness shall go before you; the glory of Yahweh shall be your rear guard. 9 Then you shall call, and Yahweh will answer; you shall cry, and he will say, 'Here I am.' "If you take away from the midst of you the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking wickedly; 10 and if you draw out your soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul: then your light shall rise in darkness, and your obscurity be as the noonday; 11 and Yahweh will guide you continually, and satisfy your soul in dry places, and make strong your bones; and you shall be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters don't fail. 12 Those who shall be of you shall build the old waste places; you shall raise up the foundations of many generations; and you shall be called The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in. 13 "If you turn away your foot from the Sabbath, from doing your pleasure on my holy day; and call the Sabbath a delight, [and] the holy of Yahweh honorable; and shall honor it, not doing your own ways, nor finding your own pleasure, nor speaking [your own] words: 14 then you shall delight yourself in Yahweh; and I will make you to ride on the high places of the earth; and I will feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father:" for the mouth of Yahweh has spoken it.
• Isa 66:1-2 : 1 Thus says Yahweh, "Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: what kind of house will you build to me? and what place shall be my rest? 2 For all these things has my hand made, and [so] all these things came to be," says Yahweh: "but to this man will I look, even to him who is poor and of a contrite spirit, and who trembles at my word.
• Jer 3:10 : 10 Yet for all this her treacherous sister, Judah, has not returned to me with her whole heart, but only in pretense," says Yahweh.
• Jer 4:2 : 2 and you shall swear, 'As Yahweh lives,' in truth, in justice, and in righteousness. The nations shall bless themselves in him, and in him shall they glory."
• Jer 7:7-9 : 7 then will I cause you to dwell in this place, in the land that I gave to your fathers, from of old even forevermore. 8 Behold, you trust in lying words, that can't profit. 9 Will you steal, murder, and commit adultery, and swear falsely, and burn incense to Baal, and walk after other gods that you have not known, 10 and come and stand before me in this house, which is called by my name, and say, We are delivered; that you may do all these abominations? 11 Is this house, which is called by my name, become a den of robbers in your eyes? Behold, I, even I, have seen it, says Yahweh. 12 But go now to my place which was in Shiloh, where I caused my name to dwell at the first, and see what I did to it for the wickedness of my people Israel.
• Ezek 22:30 : 30 I sought for a man among them, who should build up the wall, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found none.