The Samaritan woman at the well

Jesus's longest recorded conversation — longer than any he has with any of the Twelve — is with a twice-outsider: a Samaritan, a woman. She runs back and preaches. Many Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman's testimony.

John 4:4–42 narrates Jesus's conversation with an unnamed Samaritan woman at Jacob's well. It is the longest recorded dialogue Jesus has with anyone in the Gospels. She raises theological questions about worship on the mountain versus Jerusalem; Jesus answers her with some of the most important teaching about the Spirit in John's gospel. The disciples return and are scandalized that he is speaking to a woman at all. She runs to town, testifies, and many Samaritans believe "because of the woman's testimony." The Greek word for testimony is martyria — the root of "martyr," used throughout John of legitimate witness.