John 2
International Children’s Bible
The Wedding at Cana
2 Two days later there was a wedding in the town of Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there. 2 Jesus and his followers were also invited to the wedding. 3 When all the wine was gone, Jesus’ mother said to him, “They have no more wine.”
4 Jesus answered, “Dear woman, why come to me? My time has not yet come.”
5 His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you to do.”
6 In that place there were six stone water jars. The Jews used jars like these in their washing ceremony.[a] Each jar held about 20 or 30 gallons.
7 Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water.” So they filled the jars to the top.
8 Then he said to them, “Now take some out and give it to the master of the feast.”
So the servants took the water to the master. 9 When he tasted it, the water had become wine. He did not know where the wine came from. But the servants who brought the water knew. The master of the wedding called the bridegroom 10 and said to him, “People always serve the best wine first. Later, after the guests have been drinking a lot, they serve the cheaper wine. But you have saved the best wine till now.”
11 So in Cana of Galilee, Jesus did his first miracle. There he showed his glory, and his followers believed in him.
Jesus in the Temple
12 Then Jesus went to the town of Capernaum with his mother, brothers and his followers. They all stayed in Capernaum for a few days. 13 But it was almost time for the Jewish Passover Feast. So Jesus went to Jerusalem. 14 In the Temple he found men selling cattle, sheep, and doves. He saw others sitting at tables, exchanging money. 15 Jesus made a whip out of cords. Then he forced all these men, with the sheep and cattle, to leave the Temple. He turned over the tables and scattered the money of the men who were exchanging it. 16 Then he said to those who were selling pigeons, “Take these things out of here! Don’t make my Father’s house a place for buying and selling!”
17 When this happened the followers remembered what was written in the Scriptures: “My strong love for your Temple completely controls me.”[b]
18 The Jews said to Jesus, “Show us a miracle for a sign. Prove that you have the right to do these things.”
19 Jesus answered, “Destroy this temple, and I will build it again in three days.”
20 The Jews answered, “Men worked 46 years to build this Temple! Do you really believe you can build it again in three days?”
21 (But the temple Jesus meant was his own body. 22 After Jesus was raised from death, his followers remembered that Jesus had said this. Then they believed the Scripture and the words Jesus said.)
23 Jesus was in Jerusalem for the Passover Feast. Many people believed in him because they saw the miracles he did. 24 But Jesus did not believe in them because he knew them all. 25 He did not need anyone to tell him about people. Jesus knew what was in a person’s mind.
Footnotes
- 2:6 washing ceremony The Jews washed themselves in special ways before eating, before worshiping in the Temple, and at other special times.
- 2:17 “My . . . me.” Quotation from Psalm 69:9.
John 2
Living Bible
2 Two days later Jesus’ mother was a guest at a wedding in the village of Cana in Galilee, 2 and Jesus and his disciples were invited too. 3 The wine supply ran out during the festivities, and Jesus’ mother came to him with the problem.
4 “I can’t help you now,” he said.[a] “It isn’t yet my time for miracles.”
5 But his mother told the servants, “Do whatever he tells you to.”
6 Six stone waterpots were standing there; they were used for Jewish ceremonial purposes and held perhaps twenty to thirty gallons each. 7-8 Then Jesus told the servants to fill them to the brim with water. When this was done he said, “Dip some out and take it to the master of ceremonies.”
9 When the master of ceremonies tasted the water that was now wine, not knowing where it had come from (though, of course, the servants did), he called the bridegroom over.
10 “This is wonderful stuff!” he said. “You’re different from most. Usually a host uses the best wine first, and afterwards, when everyone is full and doesn’t care, then he brings out the less expensive brands. But you have kept the best for the last!”
11 This miracle at Cana in Galilee was Jesus’ first public demonstration of his heaven-sent power. And his disciples believed that he really was the Messiah.[b]
12 After the wedding he left for Capernaum for a few days with his mother, brothers, and disciples.
13 Then it was time for the annual Jewish Passover celebration, and Jesus went to Jerusalem.
14 In the Temple area he saw merchants selling cattle, sheep, and doves for sacrifices, and moneychangers behind their counters. 15 Jesus made a whip from some ropes and chased them all out, and drove out the sheep and oxen, scattering the moneychangers’ coins over the floor and turning over their tables! 16 Then, going over to the men selling doves, he told them, “Get these things out of here. Don’t turn my Father’s House into a market!”
17 Then his disciples remembered this prophecy from the Scriptures: “Concern for God’s House will be my undoing.”
18 “What right have you to order them out?” the Jewish leaders[c] demanded. “If you have this authority from God, show us a miracle to prove it.”
19 “All right,” Jesus replied, “this is the miracle I will do for you: Destroy this sanctuary and in three days I will raise it up!”
20 “What!” they exclaimed. “It took forty-six years to build this Temple, and you can do it in three days?” 21 But by “this sanctuary” he meant his body. 22 After he came back to life again, the disciples remembered his saying this and realized that what he had quoted from the Scriptures really did refer to him, and had all come true!
23 Because of the miracles he did in Jerusalem at the Passover celebration, many people were convinced that he was indeed the Messiah. 24-25 But Jesus didn’t trust them, for he knew mankind to the core. No one needed to tell him how changeable human nature is!
The Holy Bible, International Children’s Bible® Copyright© 1986, 1988, 1999, 2015 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission.
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.