John 2
Good News Translation
The Wedding in Cana
2 Two days later there was a wedding in the town of Cana in Galilee. Jesus' mother was there, 2 and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. 3 When the wine had given out, Jesus' mother said to him, “They are out of wine.”
4 “You must not tell me what to do,” Jesus replied. “My time has not yet come.”
5 Jesus' mother then told the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”
6 The Jews have rules about ritual washing, and for this purpose six stone water jars were there, each one large enough to hold between twenty and thirty gallons. 7 Jesus said to the servants, “Fill these jars with water.” They filled them to the brim, 8 and then he told them, “Now draw some water out and take it to the man in charge of the feast.” They took him the water, 9 which now had turned into wine, and he tasted it. He did not know where this wine had come from (but, of course, the servants who had drawn out the water knew); so he called the bridegroom 10 and said to him, “Everyone else serves the best wine first, and after the guests have drunk a lot, he serves the ordinary wine. But you have kept the best wine until now!”
11 Jesus performed this first miracle in Cana in Galilee; there he revealed his glory, and his disciples believed in him.
12 (A)After this, Jesus and his mother, brothers, and disciples went to Capernaum and stayed there a few days.
Jesus Goes to the Temple(B)
13 (C)It was almost time for the Passover Festival, so Jesus went to Jerusalem. 14 There in the Temple he found people selling cattle, sheep, and pigeons, and also the moneychangers sitting at their tables. 15 So he made a whip from cords and drove all the animals out of the Temple, both the sheep and the cattle; he overturned the tables of the moneychangers and scattered their coins; 16 and he ordered those who sold the pigeons, “Take them out of here! Stop making my Father's house a marketplace!” 17 (D)His disciples remembered that the scripture says, “My devotion to your house, O God, burns in me like a fire.”
18 The Jewish authorities came back at him with a question, “What miracle can you perform to show us that you have the right to do this?”
19 (E)Jesus answered, “Tear down this Temple, and in three days I will build it again.”
20 “Are you going to build it again in three days?” they asked him. “It has taken forty-six years to build this Temple!”
21 But the temple Jesus was speaking about was his body. 22 So when he was raised from death, his disciples remembered that he had said this, and they believed the scripture and what Jesus had said.
Jesus' Knowledge of Human Nature
23 While Jesus was in Jerusalem during the Passover Festival, many believed in him as they saw the miracles he performed. 24 But Jesus did not trust himself to them, because he knew them all. 25 There was no need for anyone to tell him about them, because he himself knew what was in their hearts.
John 2
English Standard Version
The Wedding at Cana
2 On (A)the third day there was a wedding at (B)Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. 2 Jesus also was invited to the wedding with (C)his disciples. 3 When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” 4 And Jesus said to her, (D)“Woman, (E)what does this have to do with me? (F)My hour has not yet come.” 5 His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”
6 Now there were six stone water jars there (G)for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty (H)gallons.[a] 7 Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. 8 And he said to them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the feast.” So they took it. 9 When the master of the feast tasted (I)the water now become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom 10 and said to him, “Everyone serves the good wine first, and when people have drunk freely, then the poor wine. But you have kept the good wine until now.” 11 This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested (J)his glory. And (K)his disciples believed in him.
12 After this he went down to Capernaum, with his mother and (L)his brothers[b] and his disciples, and they stayed there for a few days.
Jesus Cleanses the Temple
13 (M)The Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus (N)went up to Jerusalem. 14 (O)In the temple he found those who were selling oxen and sheep and pigeons, and the money-changers sitting there. 15 And making a whip of cords, he drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and oxen. And he poured out the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables. 16 And he told those who sold the pigeons, “Take these things away; do not make (P)my Father's house a house of trade.” 17 His disciples remembered that it was written, (Q)“Zeal for your house will consume me.”
18 So the Jews said to him, (R)“What sign do you show us for doing these things?” 19 Jesus answered them, (S)“Destroy this temple, and in three days (T)I will raise it up.” 20 The Jews then said, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple,[c] and will you raise it up in three days?” 21 But he was speaking about (U)the temple of his body. 22 When therefore he was raised from the dead, (V)his disciples remembered that he had said this, and they believed (W)the Scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken.
Jesus Knows What Is in Man
23 Now when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many believed in his name (X)when they saw the signs that he was doing. 24 But Jesus (Y)on his part did not entrust himself to them, because (Z)he knew all people 25 and needed no one to bear witness about man, for (AA)he himself knew what was in man.
Footnotes
- John 2:6 Greek two or three measures (metrētas); a metrētēs was about 10 gallons or 35 liters
- John 2:12 Or brothers and sisters. In New Testament usage, depending on the context, the plural Greek word adelphoi (translated “brothers”) may refer either to brothers or to brothers and sisters
- John 2:20 Or This temple was built forty-six years ago
Good News Translation® (Today’s English Version, Second Edition) © 1992 American Bible Society. All rights reserved. For more information about GNT, visit www.bibles.com and www.gnt.bible.
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
