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The First Sign: Turning Water into Wine

On the third day a wedding took place in Cana(A) of Galilee.(B) Jesus’s mother(C) was there, and Jesus and his disciples were invited to the wedding as well. When the wine ran out, Jesus’s 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 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 eighty or one hundred and twenty litres.[b]

‘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 head waiter.’[c] And they did.

When the head waiter 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 are drunk, the inferior. But you have kept the fine wine until now.’

11 Jesus did this, the first of his signs, in Cana(G) of Galilee.(H) He revealed(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

13 The Jewish Passover(M) was near, and so Jesus went up to Jerusalem.(N) 14 In the temple(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 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! ’[d](T)

17 And his disciples remembered that it is written: Zeal(U) for your house will consume(V) me.[e](W)

18 So the Jews replied to him, ‘What sign will you show us for doing these things? ’

19 Jesus answered, ‘Destroy this temple,[f](X) and I will raise it up in three days.’(Y)

20 Therefore the Jews said, ‘This temple took forty-six years to build,[g] and will you raise it up in three days? ’(Z)

21 But he was speaking about the temple 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) during the Passover Festival,(AF) many believed 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. 2:4 Or ‘What does that have to do with you and me; lit ‘What to me and to you; Mt 8:29; Mk 1:24; 5:7; Lk 8:28
  2. 2:6 Lit two or three measures
  3. 2:8 Lit ruler of the table
  4. 2:16 Lit a house of business
  5. 2:17 Ps 69:9
  6. 2:19 Or sanctuary, also in vv. 20,21
  7. 2:20 Or was built forty-six years ago

Water to Wine

On the third day, there was a wedding at Cana in the Galilee. Yeshua’s mother was there, and Yeshua and His disciples were also invited to the wedding. When the wine ran out, Yeshua’s mother said to Him, “They don’t have any wine!”

Yeshua said to her, “Woman, what does this have to do with you and Me? My hour hasn’t come yet.”

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

Now there were six stone jars, used for the Jewish ritual of purification, each holding two to three measures. [a] Yeshua said to them, “Fill the jars with water!” So they filled them up to the top. Then He said to them, “Take some water out, and give it to the headwaiter.” And they brought it.

Now the headwaiter did not know where it had come from, but the servants who had drawn the water knew. As the headwaiter tasted the water that had become wine, he calls the bridegroom 10 and says to him, “Everyone brings out the good wine first, and whenever they are drunk, then the worse. But you’ve reserved the good wine until now!” 11 Yeshua did this, the first of the signs, in Cana of the Galilee—He revealed His glory, and His disciples believed in Him.

Yeshua Purges the Temple

12 After this Yeshua went down to Capernaum with His mother, brothers,[b] and disciples, and they stayed there a few days. 13 The Jewish feast of Passover was near, so Yeshua went up to Jerusalem. 14 In the Temple, He found the merchants selling oxen, sheep, and doves; also the moneychangers sitting there. 15 Then He made a whip of cords and drove them all out of the Temple, both the sheep and oxen. He dumped out the coins of the moneychangers and overturned their tables. 16 To those selling doves, He said, “Get these things out of here! Stop making My Father’s house a marketplace!” 17 His disciples remembered that it is written, “Zeal for your House will consume Me!”[c]

18 The Judean leaders responded, “What sign do You show us, since You are doing these things?”

19 “Destroy this Temple,” Yeshua answered them, “and in three days I will raise it up.”

20 The Judean leaders then said to Him, “Forty-six years this Temple was being built, and You will raise it up in three days?” 21 But He was talking about the temple of His body. 22 So after He was raised from the dead, His disciples remembered that He was talking about this. Then they believed the Scripture and the word that Yeshua had spoken.

23 Now when He was in Jerusalem for the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name, seeing the signs He was doing. 24 But Yeshua did not entrust Himself to them, because He knew all men. 25 He did not need anyone to testify about man, for He knew what was in man.

Footnotes

  1. John 2:7 About 20-25 gallons; 1 measure is about 9 gallons.
  2. John 2:12 Some mss. say brethren.
  3. John 2:17 Ps. 69:10(9).