^4:32But he said to them, “I have food to eat that you know nothing about.” ^4:33So the disciples began to say⁷⁶ to one another, “No one brought him anything⁷⁷ to eat, did they?”⁷⁸^4:34Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of the one who sent me⁷⁹ and to complete⁸⁰ his work.⁸¹

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John 4:34: Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work.”

Footnotes

76 An ingressive imperfect conveys the idea that Jesus’ reply provoked the disciples’ response.
77 The direct object of ἤνεγκεν (ēnenken) in Greek is understood; “anything” is supplied in English.
78 Questions prefaced with μή (mē) in Greek anticipate a negative answer. This can sometimes be indicated by using a “tag” at the end in English (here it is “did they?”).
79 The one who sent me refers to the Father.
80 Or “to accomplish.”
81 The substantival ἵνα (hina) clause has been translated as an English infinitive clause. No one brought him anything to eat, did they? In the discussion with the disciples which took place while the woman had gone into the city, note again the misunderstanding: The disciples thought Jesus referred to physical food, while he was really speaking figuratively and spiritually again. Thus Jesus was forced to explain what he meant, and the explanation that his food was his mission, to do the will of God and accomplish his work, leads naturally into the metaphor of the harvest. The fruit of his mission was represented by the Samaritans who were coming to him.

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

But he said to them, “I have food to eat that you do not know about.” So the disciples said to one another, “Has anyone brought him something to eat?” Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work.

NIVNew International Version (2011)

But he said to them, “I have food to eat that you know nothing about.”

Then his disciples said to each other, “Could someone have brought him food?”

“My food,” said Jesus, “is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

But he said, “I have food to eat that you don’t know about.”

The disciples said to one another, “Could someone have brought him something to eat?”

“My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work,” Jesus told them.

NLTNew Living Translation

But Jesus replied, “I have a kind of food you know nothing about.”

“Did someone bring him food while we were gone?” the disciples asked each other.

Then Jesus explained: “My nourishment comes from doing the will of God, who sent me, and from finishing his work.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

But he said to them, “I have food to eat that you do not know about.” So the disciples began to say to one another, “No one brought him anything to eat, did they?” Jesus said to them, “My food is that I do the will of the one who sent me and complete his work.

KJV 1900King James Version

But he said unto them, I have meat to eat that ye know not of. Therefore said the disciples one to another, Hath any man brought him ought to eat? Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.

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