John 4:31-54

Then the disciples began to insist that Jesus eat some of the food they brought back with them, saying, “Teacher, you must eat something.” But Jesus told them, “I have eaten a meal you don’t know about.” Puzzled by this, the disciples began to discuss it among themselves, “Did someone already bring him food?” To clarify, Jesus spoke up and said, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and bring it to completion.” As the crowds emerged from the village, Jesus said to his disciples, “Why would you say, ‘The harvest is another four months away’? Look at all the people coming—now is harvest time! Their hearts are like vast fields of ripened grain—ready for a harvest. Everyone who reaps these souls for eternal life will receive a reward. Both those who plant spiritual seeds and those who reap the spiritual harvest will celebrate together with great joy! And this confirms the saying, ‘One sows the seed and another reaps the harvest.’ I have sent you out to harvest a field that you haven’t planted, where many others have labored long and hard before you. And now you are privileged to profit from their labors and reap the harvest.” Many from the Samaritan village became believers in Jesus because of the woman’s testimony: “He told me everything I ever did!” Then they begged Jesus to stay with them, so he stayed there for two days, resulting in many more coming to faith in him because of his message. The Samaritans said to the woman, “Now we’ve heard him ourselves. We no longer believe just because of what you told us, but we’re convinced that he really is the true Savior of the world!” On the third day Jesus left there and continued his journey to Galilee, where he had been raised. Now Jesus knew that prophets are honored everywhere except in their own hometown. Even so, as Jesus arrived in the province of Galilee, the people welcomed him with open arms. Many of them had been in Jerusalem during the Passover Festival and had witnessed firsthand the miracles he had performed. Jesus entered the village of Cana of Galilee where he had transformed water into wine. He met there a governmental official from Capernaum whose son was very sick and dying. When he heard that Jesus had left Judea and was staying in Cana of Galilee, he decided to make the journey to Cana. When he found Jesus, he begged him, “You must come with me to Capernaum and heal my son!” So Jesus said to him, “You never believe unless you see signs and wonders.” But the man continued to plead, “Come with me to Capernaum before my little boy dies!” Jesus looked him in the eyes and said, “Go back home now. I promise you, your son will live.” The man believed in his heart the words of Jesus and set off for home. When he was still a distance from Capernaum, his servants met him on the road and told him the good news, “Your son is healed! He’s alive!” Overjoyed, the father asked his servants, “When did my son begin to recover?” “Yesterday,” they said, “at one in the afternoon. All at once his fever broke—and now he’s well!” Then the father immediately realized that it was at that very same hour that Jesus spoke the words to him, “Your son will live.” From that day forward, the man, his servants, and all his family believed. Healing the official’s son was Jesus’ second extraordinary miracle in Galilee after returning from Judea.