The Wedding at Cana: Water Turned into Wine

And on the third day, there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. And both Jesus and his disciples were invited to the wedding. And when the[a] wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine!” And Jesus said to her, “What does your concern have to do with me,[b] woman? My hour has not yet come.” His mother said to the servants, “Whatever he says to you, do it!”[c]

Now six stone water jars were set there, in accordance with the ceremonial cleansing of the Jews, each holding two or three measures.[d] Jesus said to them, “Fill the water jars with water.” And they filled them to the brim. And he said to them, “Now draw some[e] out and take it[f] to the head steward. So they took it.[g] Now when the head steward tasted the water which had become wine and did not know where it was from—but the servants who had drawn the water knew—the head steward summoned the bridegroom 10 and said to him, “Everyone[h] serves the good wine first, and whenever they are drunk, the inferior. You have kept the good wine until now!” 11 This beginning of signs Jesus performed at Cana in Galilee, and revealed his glory, and his disciples believed in him.

Jesus’ First Journey to Jerusalem

12 After this he went down to Capernaum, and his mother and brothers[i] and his disciples, and they stayed there a few[j] days. 13 And the Passover of the Jews was near, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.

The Cleansing of the Temple

14 And he found in the temple courts[k] those who were selling oxen and sheep and doves, and the money changers seated. 15 And he made a whip of cords and[l] drove them[m] all out of the temple courts,[n] both the sheep and the oxen, and he poured out the coins of the money changers and overturned their[o] tables. 16 And to the ones selling the doves he said, “Take these things away from here! Do not make my Father’s house a marketplace!”[p] 17 His disciples remembered that it is written, “Zeal for your house will consume me.”[q]

18 So the Jews answered and said to him, “What sign do you show to us, because you are doing these things?” 19 Jesus answered and said to them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up!” 20 Then the Jews said, “This temple has been under construction[r] forty-six years, and will you raise it up in three days?” 21 But he was speaking about the temple of his body. 22 So when he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this, and they believed the scripture and the saying that Jesus had spoken.

Jesus at the Passover

23 Now while he was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in his name because they[s] saw his signs which he was doing. 24 But Jesus himself did not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people,[t] 25 and because he did not need[u] anyone to testify[v] about man, for he himself knew what was in man.[w]

Footnotes

  1. John 2:3 Here “when” is supplied as a component of the temporal genitive absolute participle (“ran out”)
  2. John 2:4 Literally “to me and to you”
  3. John 2:5 *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
  4. John 2:6 A “measure” was about 9 gallons (40 liters)
  5. John 2:8 Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
  6. John 2:8 Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
  7. John 2:8 *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
  8. John 2:10 Literally “every man”
  9. John 2:12 Some manuscripts have “his brothers”
  10. John 2:12 Literally “not many”
  11. John 2:14 Here “courts” is supplied to distinguish this area from the interior of the temple building itself
  12. John 2:15 Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“made”) has been translated as a finite verb
  13. John 2:15 Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
  14. John 2:15 *Here “courts” is supplied to distinguish this area from the interior of the temple building itself
  15. John 2:15 Literally “the”; the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun
  16. John 2:16 Literally “a market house”; or “a house of merchants” (an allusion to Zech 14:21)
  17. John 2:17 A quotation from Ps 69:9
  18. John 2:20 This translation of the aorist verb is based on a very close parallel in Ezra 5:16 (LXX), where it is clear from the following verb that the construction had not yet been completed
  19. John 2:23 Here “because” is supplied as a component of the participle (“saw”) which is understood as causal
  20. John 2:24 The Greek term is masculine and thus refers to “all people” rather than “all things” (which would be neuter)
  21. John 2:25 Literally “have need that”
  22. John 2:25 Literally “should testify”
  23. John 2:25 *Here “man” has been retained rather than the generic “people” to maintain the connection with the following verse

Jesus Changes Water Into Wine

On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee.(A) Jesus’ mother(B) was there, and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. When the wine was gone, Jesus’ mother said to him, “They have no more wine.”

“Woman,[a](C) why do you involve me?”(D) Jesus replied. “My hour(E) has not yet come.”

His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”(F)

Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing,(G) each holding from twenty to thirty gallons.[b]

Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water”; so they filled them to the brim.

Then he told them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet.”

They did so, and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine.(H) He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside 10 and said, “Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now.”

11 What Jesus did here in Cana of Galilee was the first of the signs(I) through which he revealed his glory;(J) and his disciples believed in him.(K)

12 After this he went down to Capernaum(L) with his mother(M) and brothers(N) and his disciples. There they stayed for a few days.

Jesus Clears the Temple Courts(O)

13 When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover,(P) Jesus went up to Jerusalem.(Q) 14 In the temple courts he found people selling cattle, sheep and doves,(R) and others sitting at tables exchanging money.(S) 15 So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple courts, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. 16 To those who sold doves he said, “Get these out of here! Stop turning my Father’s house(T) into a market!” 17 His disciples remembered that it is written: “Zeal for your house will consume me.”[c](U)

18 The Jews(V) then responded to him, “What sign(W) can you show us to prove your authority to do all this?”(X)

19 Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.”(Y)

20 They replied, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three days?” 21 But the temple he had spoken of was his body.(Z) 22 After he was raised from the dead, his disciples recalled what he had said.(AA) Then they believed the scripture(AB) and the words that Jesus had spoken.

23 Now while he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Festival,(AC) many people saw the signs(AD) he was performing and believed(AE) in his name.[d] 24 But Jesus would not entrust himself to them, for he knew all people. 25 He did not need any testimony about mankind,(AF) for he knew what was in each person.(AG)

Footnotes

  1. John 2:4 The Greek for Woman does not denote any disrespect.
  2. John 2:6 Or from about 75 to about 115 liters
  3. John 2:17 Psalm 69:9
  4. John 2:23 Or in him