And many of the Samaritans of that city believed on him for the saying of the woman, which testified, He told me all that ever I did.
many.
John 10:41,42 And many resorted unto him, and said, John did no miracle: but all things that John spake of this man were true…
John 11:45 Then many of the Jews which came to Mary, and had seen the things which Jesus did, believed on him.
for.
John 4:29,42 Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ? …
because of the woman’s testimony
The woman's testimony is a powerful example of personal evangelism. Her encounter with Jesus transformed her, and her testimony led others to believe. This underscores the importance of personal witness in spreading the Gospel. Her testimony is significant because it comes from a woman, which in the cultural context of the time, was unusual, as women were not typically regarded as credible witnesses.
“He told me everything I ever did.”
This statement reveals Jesus' omniscience and His ability to know the hearts and lives of individuals. It echoes the prophetic insight seen in the Old Testament, where God is described as knowing the innermost thoughts and actions of people (Psalm 139:1-4). The woman's acknowledgment of Jesus' knowledge of her life serves as a type of confession, leading to her transformation and the subsequent belief of many Samaritans. This also points to Jesus as the Messiah, who has the divine attribute of knowing all things.
• “Many” shows a widespread response, not a handful (cf. Acts 8:6–8, where more Samaritans later receive the gospel).
• God often gathers an unexpected harvest (Matthew 9:37–38).
• Their ethnic and historical tensions with Jews (John 4:9) highlight how grace breaks barriers (Ephesians 2:14).
• The focus is Sychar (John 4:5). Revival begins right where people live, showing Christ’s heart for local communities (Mark 5:19; Acts 1:8 “Jerusalem … Samaria …”).
• Scripture records whole households, cities, and regions coming to faith (Acts 16:34; Titus 1:5), confirming God’s desire to redeem communities, not just individuals.
• Saving faith centers on the person of Jesus, not mere ideas (John 6:29).
• “Believed” is the same word used throughout John for genuine trust (John 3:16; 20:31).
• Their belief fulfills Jesus’ mission statement in John 3:17—He came to save, not condemn.
• God uses ordinary voices. A woman of questionable reputation (John 4:17–18) becomes the first evangelist to Samaria.
• Personal testimony carries power (Revelation 12:11; Acts 4:20).
• Her story illustrates 2 Corinthians 4:7—treasure in jars of clay—so that glory clearly belongs to God.
• Jesus’ pattern: transform a life, then send that life to reach others (Mark 5:19; John 15:27).
• Christ’s omniscience exposed her past without crushing her (John 2:24–25; Hebrews 4:13).
• When Jesus reveals sin, it is to redeem, not to shame (Psalm 32:5; John 8:11).
• The woman points to His knowledge as proof of His identity, much like Nathanael’s response in John 1:48–49.
• Confession becomes proclamation: what once brought guilt now magnifies grace (1 Timothy 1:15–16).
John 4:39 shows that a single transformed life can spark a movement. Jesus reaches across cultural divides, reveals hearts, and turns personal testimony into a catalyst for communal faith. The Samaritans’ belief rests on the credibility of a changed woman and the authority of the One who knows all things. God still works the same way today, saving individuals, redeeming their stories, and drawing many to believe in Jesus.
(39) Many of the Samaritans of that city believed.--The willingness to receive the truth on the part of the Samaritans, is contrasted with the rejection of it on the part of the Jews. They refused the witness of a great prophet; these accept the witness of a woman. Their minds were prepared by the general expectation of the Messiah; and this woman witnesses that Jesus had revealed to her the whole past of her life. There is here a sign they do not question.Verses 39-42. -(4) The harvest of the Lord's sowing, and the Saviour of the world. Verse 39. - This harvest is described in vers. 39-42. As this sublime discourse was proceeding, the impression produced by the word of the woman was becoming deeper. The breath of God was moving them mightily. They were prepared by a thousand untraceable influences for faith in the great Deliverer and Teacher. Many of the Samaritans from that city, in the first instance, had been summarily convinced of the presence among them of the long looked-for Prophet, and believed on him by reason of the word (or, discourse) of the woman, who testified, He told me all things that I ever did. Not merely is this one saying referred to, but the whole report of the words of Jesus of which that saying was the crowning or most startling expression. They are the first specimens of men who believe by the testimony of those who know. "Blessed are they who have not seen, but yet believe."
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