The First Sign: Turning Water into Wine

On the third day a wedding took place in Cana(A) of Galilee.(B) Jesus’ mother(C) was there, and Jesus and His disciples were invited to the wedding as well. When the wine ran out, Jesus’ mother told Him, “They don’t have any wine.”

“What has this concern of yours to do with Me,[a](D) woman?”(E) Jesus asked. “My hour[b] has not yet come.”

“Do whatever He tells you,” His mother told the servants.

Now six stone water jars had been set there for Jewish purification.(F) Each contained 20 or 30 gallons.[c]

“Fill the jars with water,” Jesus told them. So they filled them to the brim. Then He said to them, “Now draw some out and take it to the chief servant.”[d] And they did.

When the chief servant tasted the water (after it had become wine), he did not know where it came from—though the servants who had drawn the water knew. He called the groom 10 and told him, “Everyone sets out the fine wine first, then, after people have drunk freely, the inferior. But you have kept the fine wine until now.”

11 Jesus performed this first sign[e] in Cana(G) of Galilee.(H) He displayed(I) His glory,(J) and His disciples believed in Him.

12 After this, He went down to Capernaum,(K) together with His mother, His brothers,(L) and His disciples, and they stayed there only a few days.

Cleansing the Temple Complex

13 The Jewish Passover(M) was near, so Jesus went up to Jerusalem.(N) 14 In the temple complex(O) He found people selling oxen, sheep, and doves, and He also found the money changers sitting there. 15 After making a whip out of cords,(P) He drove everyone out of the temple complex with their sheep(Q) and oxen. He also poured out the money changers’ coins and overturned the tables. 16 He told those who were selling doves, “Get these things out of here! Stop turning My Father’s(R) house(S) into a marketplace!”[f](T)

17 And His disciples remembered that it is written: Zeal(U) for Your house will consume(V) Me.(W)[g]

18 So the Jews replied to Him, “What sign of authority will You show us for doing these things?”

19 Jesus answered, “Destroy this sanctuary,(X) and I will raise it up in three days.”(Y)

20 Therefore the Jews said, “This sanctuary took 46 years to build, and will You raise it up in three days?”(Z)

21 But He was speaking about the sanctuary of His body.(AA) 22 So when He was raised from the dead,(AB) His disciples remembered that He had said this.(AC) And they believed the Scripture(AD) and the statement Jesus had made.

23 While He was in Jerusalem(AE) at the Passover Festival,(AF) many trusted in His name(AG) when they saw the signs He was doing. 24 Jesus, however, would not entrust Himself to them, since He knew them all 25 and because He did not need anyone to testify about man; for He Himself knew what was in man.(AH)

Footnotes

  1. John 2:4 Or You and I see things differently; lit What to Me and to you; Mt 8:29; Mk 1:24; 5:7; Lk 8:28
  2. John 2:4 The time of His sacrificial death and exaltation; Jn 7:30; 8:20; 12:23,27; 13:1; 17:1
  3. John 2:6 Lit 2 or 3 measures
  4. John 2:8 Lit ruler of the table; perhaps master of the feast, or headwaiter
  5. John 2:11 Lit this beginning of the signs; Jn 4:54; 20:30. Seven miraculous signs occur in John’s Gospel and are so noted in the headings.
  6. John 2:16 Lit a house of business
  7. John 2:17 Ps 69:9

1 Christ turneth water into Wine, 11 which was the beginning of his miracles. 12 He goeth down to Capernaum: 13 from thence he goeth up to Jerusalem, 15 and casteth the merchandise out of the Temple. 19 He foretelleth that the Temple, that is, his body shall be destroyed of the Jews. 23 Many believe in him, seeing the miracles which he did.

And [a]the [b]third day, was there a marriage in Cana a town of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there.

And Jesus was called also, and his disciples unto the marriage.

[c]Now when the wine failed, the mother of Jesus said unto him, They have no wine.

Jesus said unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine [d]hour is not yet come.

His mother said unto the servants, Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it.

And there were set there, six [e]waterpots of stone, after the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three [f]firkins apiece.

And Jesus said unto them, Fill the waterpots with water. Then they filled them up to the brim.

Then he said unto them, Draw out now, and bear unto the governor of the feast. So they bare it.

Now when the governor of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, (for he knew not whence it was, but the servants, which drew the water, knew) the governor of the feast called the bridegroom,

10 And said unto him, All men at the beginning set forth good wine, and when men have [g]well drunk, then that which is worse: but thou hast kept back the good wine until now.

11 This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana a town of Galilee, and showed forth his glory: and his disciples believed on him.

12 After that, he went down into Capernaum, he and his mother, and his [h]brethren, and his disciples: but they continued not many days there.

13 [i]For the Jews’ Passover was at hand. Therefore Jesus went up to Jerusalem.

14 [j]And he found in the Temple those that sold oxen, and sheep, and doves, and changers of money sitting there.

15 Then he made a scourge of small cords and drove them all out of the Temple with the sheep and oxen, and poured out the changers’ money, and overthrew their tables,

16 And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence: make not my father’s house, an house of merchandise.

17 And his disciples remembered, that it was written, (A)The [k]zeal of thine house hath eaten me up.

18 [l]Then answered the Jews, and said unto him, What [m]sign showest thou unto us, that thou doest these things?

19 Jesus answered, and said unto them, (B)Destroy this Temple, and in three days I will raise it up again.

20 Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this Temple a building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days?

21 But he spake of the [n]temple of his body.

22 As soon therefore as he was risen from the dead, his disciples remembered that he thus said unto them: and they believed the Scriptures, and the word which Jesus had said.

23 Now when he was at Jerusalem at the Passover in the feast, many believed in his Name, when they saw his miracles which he did.

24 [o]But Jesus did not commit himself unto them, because he knew them all.

25 [p]And had no need that any should testify of man, for he knew what was in man.

Footnotes

  1. John 2:1 Christ declaring openly in an assembly by a notable miracle, that he hath power over the nature of things, to feed man’s body, leadeth the minds of all men, to his spiritual and saving virtue and power.
  2. John 2:1 After the talk which he had with Nathanael, or after that he departured from John, or after that he came into Galilee.
  3. John 2:3 Christ is careful enough of our salvation, and therefore hath no need of others to put him in mind of it.
  4. John 2:4 Mine appointed time.
  5. John 2:6 These were vessels appointed for water, wherein they washed themselves.
  6. John 2:6 Every firkin contained an hundred pounds, at twelve ounces the pound: Whereby we gather that Christ helped them with a thousand and eight hundred pounds of wine.
  7. John 2:10 Word for word, are drunken. Now this speech, to be drunken, is not always taken in evil part in the Hebrew tongue, but signifieth sometime such store, and plentiful use of wine, as doth not pass measure, as Gen. 43:34.
  8. John 2:12 That is, his cousins.
  9. John 2:13 Christ being made subject to the Law for us, satisfieth the Law of the Passover.
  10. John 2:14 Christ being ordained to purge the Church, doth with great zeal begin his office both of Priest and Prophet.
  11. John 2:17 Zeal in this place is taken for a wrathful indignation and displeasure of the mind, conceived of some naughty and evil dealing towards them whom we love well.
  12. John 2:18 Against them which so bind God to an ordinary calling which they themselves most shamefully abuse, that they will not admit an extraordinary, which God confirmeth from heaven, (and they although in vain would have it extinguished) unless it be sealed with outward and bodily miracles.
  13. John 2:18 With what miracle dost thou confirm it, that we may see that heavenly power and virtue, which giveth thee authority to speak and do thus?
  14. John 2:21 That is, of his body.
  15. John 2:24 It is not good crediting them, which stand only upon miracles.
  16. John 2:25 Christ is the searcher of hearts, and therefore true God.