4 ^1-2 When the Lord knew that the Pharisees had heard about the greater crowds coming to him than to John to be baptized and to become his disciples—(though Jesus himself didn’t baptize them, but his disciples did)— ³ he left Judea and returned to the province of Galilee.

⁴ He had to go through Samaria on the way, ^5-6 and around noon as he approached the village of Sychar, he came to Jacob’s Well, located on the parcel of ground Jacob gave to his son Joseph. Jesus was tired from the long walk in the hot sun and sat wearily beside the well.

³¹ Meanwhile, the disciples were urging Jesus to eat. ³² “No,” he said, “I have some food you don’t know about.”

³³ “Who brought it to him?” the disciples asked each other.

³⁴ Then Jesus explained: “My nourishment comes from doing the will of God who sent me, and from finishing his work. ³⁵ Do you think the work of harvesting will not begin until the summer ends four months from now? Look around you! Vast fields of human souls are ripening all around us, and are ready now for reaping. ³⁶ The reapers will be paid good wages and will be gathering eternal souls into the granaries of heaven! What joys await the sower and the reaper, both together! ³⁷ For it is true that one sows and someone else reaps. ³⁸ I sent you to reap where you didn’t sow; others did the work, and you received the harvest.”