What Does John 4:35 Mean in the King James?
Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
What you call “not yet” may already be standing ripe before your eyes.
THE MEANING
The calendar in your mind says to wait, but the field before you is already ready. The turning point is seeing what is here instead of trusting an assumed timeline. The verse speaks to the reader now: readiness can precede expectation.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
It undoes the belief that a meaningful harvest must wait until the date you expected.
THE ROOT
θερισμός
therismós
GROWS FROM
θερίζω
to reap, gathering a crop
“Harvest” carries the action of reaping inside it: this is not merely a season expected later, but a gathering already possible. Its related words name both the act of reaping and the one who reaps, making the ripe field a present opportunity for gathering.
ALSO GROWS
reap: to gather a crop by cutting it
θερίζω
The related verb names the action contained in “harvest”: what is ripe can be gathered.
reaper: one who reaps
θεριστής
The related noun names the person who gathers, showing that a harvest is already oriented toward those ready to enter it.
ἐπάρατε
epárate
GROWS FROM
αἴρω
to lift, take up, or remove
The command’s word for “lift up” is built on a verb that can also mean “take up” or “remove.” Here the compound means to raise: seeing is an active shift of attention from projected timing to the field already in front of the reader.
ALSO GROWS
take up: to lift or carry something
αἴρω
In John 5:8, the same verb tells a person to take up a bed; here it tells the reader to raise their eyes.
takes away: to remove or take away
αἴρω
In John 1:29, the same verb describes taking away; its wider range holds lifting and removal together, though this verse uses the sense of raising.
THE PATTERN
Readiness becomes visible when attention meets what is already ripe, and the harvest can overturn an expected timetable.
Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few;Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that the plowman shall overtake the reaper, and the treader of grapes him that soweth seed; and the mountains shall drop sweet wine, and all the hills shall melt.And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe.THE THREAD
I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labour: other men laboured, and ye are entered into their labours.“Reap” here is from θερίζω (therízō), the same Greek word family behind “harvest” in this verse. The connection opens the field further: gathering can begin with fruit already made ready by work the reader did not do.
Read the SDV Bible.
Every verse has a Deep Dive in the app.
The iPhone Bible app with the Selah Decoded Version.
Does something in this reading look wrong? Tell us