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Jesus Changes Water into Wine

On the third day of that week[a] there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. When the wine ran out, Jesus’ mother told him, “They don’t have any more wine.”

“How does that concern us, dear lady?”[b] Jesus asked her. “My time hasn’t come yet.”

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

Now standing there were six stone water jars used for the Jewish rites of purification, each one holding from two to three measures.[c] Jesus told the servants,[d] “Fill the jars with water.” So they filled them up to the brim. Then he told them, “Now draw some out and take it to the man in charge of the banquet.” So they did.

When the man in charge of the banquet tasted the water that had become wine (without knowing where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew), he[e] called for the bridegroom 10 and told him, “Everyone serves the best wine first, and the cheap kind when people[f] are drunk. But you have kept the best wine until now!” 11 Jesus did this, the first[g] of his signs, in Cana of Galilee. He revealed his glory, and his disciples believed in him.

12 After this, Jesus[h] went down to Capernaum—he, his mother, his brothers, and his disciples—and they remained there for a few days.

Confrontation in the Temple over Money(A)

13 The Jewish Passover was near, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14 In the Temple he found people selling cattle, sheep, and doves, as well as moneychangers sitting at their tables. 15 After making a whip out of cords, he drove all of them out of the Temple, including the sheep and the cattle. He scattered the coins of the moneychangers and knocked over their tables.

16 Then he told those who were selling the doves, “Take these things out of here! Stop making my Father’s house a marketplace!” 17 His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for your house will consume me.”[i]

18 Then the Jewish leaders[j] asked him, “What sign can you show us as authority for doing these things?”

19 Jesus answered them, “Destroy this sanctuary, and in three days I will rebuild it.”

20 The Jewish leaders[k] said, “This sanctuary has been under construction for 46 years, and you’re going to rebuild it in three days?” 21 But the sanctuary he was speaking about was his own body. 22 After he had been raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this. So they believed the Scripture and the statement that Jesus had made.[l]

Jesus Knows All People

23 While Jesus[m] was in Jerusalem for the Passover Festival, many people believed in him[n] because they saw the signs that he was doing. 24 Jesus, however, did not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people 25 and didn’t need anyone to tell him what people were like, because he himself knew what was in every person.[o]

Footnotes

  1. John 2:1 The Gk. lacks of that week
  2. John 2:4 Or us, woman
  3. John 2:6 I.e. about 25 gallons each; the Gk. metron contained about 8.4 gallons
  4. John 2:7 Lit. them
  5. John 2:9 Lit. the man in charge of the banquet
  6. John 2:10 Lit. they
  7. John 2:11 Or beginning
  8. John 2:12 Lit. he
  9. John 2:17 Cf. Ps 69:9
  10. John 2:18 I.e. Judean leaders; lit. the Jews
  11. John 2:20 I.e. Judean leaders; lit. The Jews
  12. John 2:22 Lit. spoken
  13. John 2:23 Lit. he
  14. John 2:23 Lit. in his name
  15. John 2:25 Lit. in a person

On the third day there was a wedding at Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there.

Jesus also was invited with His disciples to the wedding.

And when the wine was all gone, the mother of Jesus said to Him, They have no more wine!

Jesus said to her, [[a]Dear] woman, what is that to you and to Me? [What do we have in common? Leave it to Me.] My time (hour to act) has not yet come.(A)

His mother said to the servants, Whatever He says to you, do it.

Now there were six waterpots of stone standing there, as the Jewish custom of purification (ceremonial washing) demanded, holding twenty to thirty gallons apiece.

Jesus said to them, Fill the waterpots with water. So they filled them up to the brim.

Then He said to them, Draw some out now and take it to the manager of the feast [to the one presiding, the superintendent of the banquet]. So they took him some.

And when the manager tasted the water just now turned into wine, not knowing where it came from—though the servants who had drawn the water knew—he called the bridegroom

10 And said to him, Everyone else serves his best wine first, and when people have drunk freely, then he serves that which is not so good; but you have kept back the good wine until now!

11 This, the first of His signs (miracles, wonderworks), Jesus performed in Cana of Galilee, and manifested His glory [by it He displayed His greatness and His power openly], and His disciples believed in Him [adhered to, trusted in, and relied on Him].(B)

12 After that He went down to Capernaum with His mother and brothers and disciples, and they stayed there only a few days.

13 Now the Passover of the Jews was approaching, so Jesus went up to Jerusalem.

14 There He found in the temple [[b]enclosure] those who were selling oxen and sheep and doves, and the money changers sitting there [also at their stands].

15 And having made a lash (a whip) of cords, He drove them all out of the temple [[c]enclosure]—both the sheep and the oxen—spilling and scattering the brokers’ money and upsetting and tossing around their trays (their stands).

16 Then to those who sold the doves He said, Take these things away (out of here)! Make not My Father’s house a house of merchandise (a marketplace, a sales shop)!(C)

17 And His disciples remembered that it is written [in the Holy Scriptures], Zeal (the fervor of love) for Your house will eat Me up. [I will be consumed with jealousy for the honor of Your house.](D)

18 Then the Jews retorted, What sign can [d]You show us, seeing You do these things? [What sign, miracle, token, indication can You give us as evidence that You have authority and are commissioned to act in this way?]

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

20 Then the Jews replied, It took forty-six years to build this temple (sanctuary), and will You raise it up in three days?

21 But He had spoken of the temple which was His body.

22 When therefore He had risen from the dead, His disciples remembered that He said this. And so they believed and trusted and relied on the Scripture and the word (message) Jesus had spoken.(E)

23 But when He was in Jerusalem during the Passover Feast, many believed in His name [identified themselves with His party] after seeing His signs (wonders, miracles) which He was doing.

24 But Jesus [for His part] did not trust Himself to them, because He knew all [men];

25 And He did not need anyone to bear witness concerning man [needed no evidence from anyone about men], for He Himself knew what was in human nature. [He could read men’s hearts.](F)

Footnotes

  1. John 2:4 G. Abbott-Smith, Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament: “a term of respect and endearment.”
  2. John 2:14 Richard Trench, Synonyms of the New Testament.
  3. John 2:15 Richard Trench, Synonyms of the New Testament.
  4. John 2:18 Capitalized because of what He is, the spotless Son of God, not what the speaker may have thought He was.