John 4:23

NET Bible® (New English Translation)

But a time is coming– and now is here– when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father seeks such people to be his worshipers.

📖 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, the ones who worship by the Spirit of God, exult in Christ Jesus, and do not rely on human credentials
• Gal 4:6 : 6 And because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, who calls“Abba! Father!”
• John 5:25 : 25 I tell you the solemn truth, a time is coming– and is now here– when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live.
• John 12:23 : 23 Jesus replied,“The time has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.
• Matt 15:7-9 : 7 Hypocrites! Isaiah prophesied correctly about you when he said, 8 ‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me, 9 and they worship me in vain, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’”
• John 1:17 : 17 For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came about through Jesus Christ.
• Eph 6:18 : 18 With every prayer and petition, pray at all times in the Spirit, and to this end be alert, with all perseverance and petitions for all the saints.
• Rom 8:26 : 26 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness, for we do not know how we should pray, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with inexpressible groanings.
• 1 Pet 2:9 : 9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people of his own, so that you may proclaim the virtues of the one who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.
• Jude 1:20-21 : 20 But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith, by praying in the Holy Spirit, 21 maintain yourselves in the love of God, while anticipating the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that brings eternal life.
• John 4:21 : 21 Jesus said to her,“Believe me, woman, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem.
• Luke 18:11-13 : 11 The Pharisee stood and prayed about himself like this:‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people: extortionists, unrighteous people, adulterers– or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week; I give a tenth of everything I get.’ 13 The tax collector, however, stood far off and would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said,‘God, be merciful to me, sinner that I am!’
• John 16:32 : 32 Look, a time is coming– and has come– when you will be scattered, each one to his own home, and I will be left alone. Yet I am not alone, because my Father is with me.
• Rom 1:9 : 9 For God, whom I serve in my spirit by preaching the gospel of his Son, is my witness that I continually remember you
• Rom 8:15 : 15 For you did not receive the spirit of slavery leading again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry,“Abba, Father.”
• Josh 24:14 : 14 Now obey the LORD and worship him with integrity and loyalty. Put aside the gods your ancestors worshiped beyond the Euphrates and in Egypt and worship the LORD.
• 1 Sam 12:24 : 24 However, fear the LORD and serve him faithfully with all your heart. Just look at the great things he has done for you!
• 1 Chr 29:17 : 17 I know, my God, that you examine thoughts and are pleased with integrity. With pure motives I contribute all this; and now I look with joy as your people who have gathered here contribute to you.
• Ps 17:1 : 1 A prayer of David. LORD, consider my just cause! Pay attention to my cry for help! Listen to the prayer I sincerely offer!
• Ps 32:2 : 2 How blessed is the one whose wrongdoing the LORD does not punish, in whose spirit there is no deceit.
• Ps 51:6 : 6 Look, you desire integrity in the inner man; you want me to possess wisdom.
• Ps 147:11 : 11 The LORD takes delight in his faithful followers, and in those who wait for his loyal love.
• Prov 15:8 : 8 The LORD abhors the sacrifice of the wicked, but the prayer of the upright pleases him.
• Song 2:14 : 14 The Dove in the Clefts of En GediThe Lover to His Beloved: O my dove, in the clefts of the rock, in the hiding places of the mountain crags, 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 Listen to the LORD’s message, you leaders of Sodom! Pay attention to our God’s rebuke, people of Gomorrah! 11 “Of what importance to me are your many sacrifices?” says the LORD.“I have had my fill of burnt sacrifices of rams and the fat from steers. The blood of bulls, lambs, and goats I do not want. 12 When you enter my presence, do you actually think I want this– animals trampling on my courtyards? 13 Do not bring any more meaningless offerings; I consider your incense detestable! You observe new moon festivals, Sabbaths, and convocations, but I cannot tolerate sin-stained celebrations! 14 I hate your new moon festivals and assemblies; they are a burden that I am tired of carrying. 15 When you spread out your hands in prayer, I look the other way; when you offer your many prayers, I do not listen, because your hands are covered with blood.
• Isa 10:20 : 20 At that time those left in Israel, those who remain of the family of Jacob, will no longer rely on a foreign leader that abuses them. Instead they will truly rely on the LORD, the Holy One of Israel.
• Isa 26:8-9 : 8 Yes, as your judgments unfold, O LORD, we wait for you. We desire your fame and reputation to grow. 9 I look for you during the night, my spirit within me seeks you at dawn, for when your judgments come upon the earth, those who live in the world learn about justice.
• Isa 29:13 : 13 The Lord says,“These people say they are loyal to me; they say wonderful things about me, but they are not really loyal to me. Their worship consists of nothing but man-made ritual.
• Isa 43:21 : 21 the people whom I formed for myself, so they might praise me.”
• Isa 48:1-2 : 1 The Lord Appeals to the Exiles Listen to this, O family of Jacob, you who are called by the name‘Israel,’ and are descended from Judah, who take oaths in the name of the LORD, and invoke the God of Israel– but not in an honest and just manner. 2 Indeed, they live in the holy city; they trust in the God of Israel, whose name is the LORD of Heaven’s Armies.
• Isa 58:2 : 2 They seek me day after day; they want to know my requirements, like a nation that does what is right and does not reject the law of their God. They ask me for just decrees; they want to be near God.
• Isa 58:8-9 : 8 Then your light will shine like the sunrise; your restoration will quickly arrive; your godly behavior will go before you, and the LORD’s splendor will be your rear guard. 9 Then you will call out, and the LORD will respond; you will cry out, and he will reply,‘Here I am.’ You must remove the burdensome yoke from among you and stop pointing fingers and speaking sinfully. 10 You must actively help the hungry and feed the oppressed. Then your light will dispel the darkness, and your darkness will be transformed into noonday. 11 The LORD will continually lead you; he will feed you even in parched regions. He will give you renewed strength, and you will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring that continually produces water. 12 Your perpetual ruins will be rebuilt; you will reestablish the ancient foundations. You will be called,‘The one who repairs broken walls, the one who makes the streets inhabitable again.’ 13 You must observe the Sabbath rather than doing anything you please on my holy day. You must look forward to the Sabbath and treat the LORD’s holy day with respect. You must treat it with respect by refraining from your normal activities, and by refraining from your selfish pursuits and from making business deals. 14 Then you will find joy in your relationship to the LORD, and I will give you great prosperity, and cause crops to grow on the land I gave to your ancestor Jacob.” Know for certain that the LORD has spoken.
• Isa 66:1-2 : 1 This is what the LORD says:“The heavens are my throne and the earth is my footstool. Where then is the house you will build for me? Where is the place where I will rest? 2 My hand made them; that is how they came to be,” says the LORD. I show special favor to the humble and contrite, who respect what I have to say.
• Jer 3:10 : 10 In spite of all this, Israel’s sister, unfaithful Judah, has not turned back to me with any sincerity; she has only pretended to do so,” says the LORD.
• Jer 4:2 : 2 You must be truthful, honest and upright when you take an oath saying,‘As surely as the LORD lives!’ If you do, the nations will pray to be as blessed by him as you are and will make him the object of their boasting.”
• Jer 7:7-9 : 7 If you stop doing these things, I will allow you to continue to live in this land which I gave to your ancestors as a lasting possession. 8 “‘But just look at you! You are putting your confidence in a false belief that will not deliver you. 9 You steal. You murder. You commit adultery. You lie when you swear on oath. You sacrifice to the god Baal. You pay allegiance to other gods whom you have not previously known. 10 Then you come and stand in my presence in this temple I have claimed as my own and say,“We are safe!” You think you are so safe that you go on doing all those hateful sins! 11 Do you think this temple I have claimed as my own is to be a hideout for robbers? You had better take note! I have seen for myself what you have done! says the LORD. 12 So, go to the place in Shiloh where I allowed myself to be worshiped in the early days. See what I did to it because of the wicked things my people Israel did.
• Ezek 22:30 : 30 “I looked for a man from among them who would repair the wall and stand in the gap before me on behalf of the land, so that I would not destroy it, but I found no one.