John 2
New Matthew Bible
Christ turns the water into wine, and drives the buyers and sellers out of the temple.
2 And the third day there was a marriage in Cana, a village of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. 2 And Jesus was invited also, and his disciples, to the marriage. 3 And when the wine failed, Jesus’ mother said to him, They have no wine. 4 Jesus said to her, Woman, what have I to do with you? My hour is not yet come. 5 And his mother said to the servants, Whatever he says to you, do it.
6 And there were standing there six waterpots of stone, for the purification rites of the Jews, containing twenty or thirty gallons apiece. 7 And Jesus said to them, Fill the waterpots with water. And they filled them up to the brim. 8 And he said to them, Draw some out now, and bring it to the master of the feast. And they brought it.
9 When the master of the feast tasted the water that was turned to wine, and did not know where it was from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), he called the bridegroom 10 and said to him, All men at the beginning set out good wine, and when people have drunk, then that which is worse. But you have kept back the good wine until now.
11 This beginning of miracles Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and showed his glory, and his disciples believed on him. 12 After that, he descended into Capernaum with his mother and his brethren and his disciples, but continued not many days there.
13 And the Jews’ Passover was near at hand. And Jesus went up to Jerusalem, 14 and found sitting in the temple those who sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the money-changers. 15 And 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 the tables, 16 and said to those who sold doves, Take these things away from here, and do not make my Father’s house a house of merchandise! 17 And his disciples remembered that it was written: The zeal of your house has consumed me.
18 Then the Jews said to him, What sign can you show to us, seeing that you do these things? 19 Jesus answered and said to them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will rear it up again.
20 Then the Jews said, This temple was forty-six years in building, and will you rear it up in three days?
21 But he was speaking of the temple of his body. 22 As soon therefore as he was risen up again from death, his disciples remembered that he had said this. And they believed the scripture, and the words that Jesus had spoken.
23 When he was at Jerusalem, at Passover in the feast, many believed on his name when they saw the miracles that he did. 24 But Jesus did not put himself in their hands, 25 because he knew all men, and needed not that anyone should testify of man. For he knew what was in man.
John 2
Easy-to-Read Version
The Wedding at Cana
2 Two days later there was a wedding in the town of Cana in Galilee, and Jesus’ mother was there. 2 Jesus and his followers were also invited. 3 At the wedding there was not enough wine, so Jesus’ mother said to him, “They have no more wine.”
4 Jesus answered, “Dear woman, why are you telling me this? It is not yet time for me to begin my work.”
5 His mother said to the servants, “Do what he tells you.”
6 There were six large stone waterpots there that were used by the Jews in their washing ceremonies.[a] Each one held about 20 or 30 gallons.[b]
7 Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the waterpots with water.” So they filled them to the top.
8 Then he said to them, “Now dip out some water and take it to the man in charge of the feast.”
So they did what he said. 9 Then the man in charge tasted it, but the water had become wine. He did not know where the wine had come from, but the servants who brought the water knew. He called the bridegroom 10 and said to him, “People always serve the best wine first. Later, when the guests are drunk, they serve the cheaper wine. But you have saved the best wine until now.”
11 This was the first of all the miraculous signs Jesus did. He did it in the town of Cana in Galilee. By this he showed his divine greatness, and his followers believed in him.
12 Then Jesus went to the town of Capernaum. His mother and brothers and his followers went with him. They all stayed there a few days.
Jesus at the Temple(A)
13 It was almost time for the Jewish Passover, so Jesus went to Jerusalem. 14 There in the Temple area he saw men selling cattle, sheep, and doves. He saw others sitting at tables, exchanging and trading people’s money. 15 Jesus made a whip with some pieces of rope. Then he forced all these men and the sheep and cattle to leave the Temple area. He turned over the tables of the money traders and scattered their money. 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, his followers remembered what was written in the Scriptures:
“My strong devotion to your Temple will destroy me.” (B)
18 Some Jews said to Jesus, “Show us a miracle as a sign from God. 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 They answered, “People 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 he was raised from death, his followers remembered that he had said this. So they believed the Scriptures, and they believed the words Jesus said.
23 Jesus was in Jerusalem for the Passover festival. Many people believed in him because they saw the miraculous signs he did. 24 But Jesus did not trust them, because he knew how all people think. 25 He did not need anyone to tell him what a person was like. He already knew.
Copyright © 2016 by Ruth Magnusson (Davis). Includes emendations to February 2022. All rights reserved.
Copyright © 2006 by Bible League International