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The Wedding at Cana

·Two days later [L On the third day] there was a wedding in the town of Cana in Galilee [C of uncertain location, probably near Nazareth]. Jesus’ mother was there, and Jesus and his ·followers [disciples] were also invited to the wedding. When all the wine was gone, Jesus’ mother said to him, “They have no more wine.”

Jesus answered, “·Dear woman [L Woman; C a respectful form of address in that culture], ·why come to me [what concern is that to me and to you; L what to me and to you]? My ·time [L hour; C here and throughout John, Jesus’ “hour” refers to his messianic sacrifice on the cross] has not yet come.”

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

In that place there were six stone water jars that the Jews used in their washing ceremony [C a Jewish ritual before eating, before worshiping in the Temple, and at other special times]. Each jar held about twenty or thirty gallons [C Greek: two or three metretai; each about nine gallons or forty liters].

Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water.” So they filled the jars to the ·top [brim].

Then he said to them, “Now take some out and give it to the ·master of the feast [chief steward; headwaiter].”

So they took the water to the master. When he tasted it, the water had become wine. He did not know where the wine came from, but the servants who had brought the water knew. The ·master of the wedding [chief steward; headwaiter] called the bridegroom 10 and said to him, “People always serve the ·best [expensive] wine first. Later, after the guests have been drinking awhile [C and are less discriminating], they serve the ·cheaper [inferior] wine. But you have saved the ·best [expensive] wine till now.”

11 So in Cana of Galilee [see 2:1] Jesus did his first ·miracle [L sign; C Jesus’ miracles are called semeia, “signs,” in John’s Gospel]. There he ·showed [revealed; manifested] his ·glory [majesty], and his ·followers [disciples] believed in him.

Jesus in the Temple(A)

12 After this, Jesus went to the town of Capernaum [C a town on the northwest shore of the Sea of Galilee] with his mother, brothers, and ·followers [disciples]. They stayed there for just a few days.

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Miracle at Cana

On the third day there was a wedding at Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there; and both Jesus and His disciples were invited to the wedding. When the wine was all gone, the mother of Jesus said to Him, “[a]They have no more wine.” Jesus said to her, “[Dear] woman, [b]what is that to you and to Me? My time [to act and to be revealed] has not yet come.”(A) His mother said to the servants, “Whatever He says to you, do it.” Now there were six stone waterpots set there for the Jewish custom of purification (ceremonial washing), containing twenty or thirty gallons each. Jesus said to the servants, “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 headwaiter [of the banquet].” So they took it to him. And when the headwaiter tasted the water which had 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 [c]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 (attesting miracles), Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and revealed His glory [displaying His deity and His great power openly], and His disciples believed [confidently] in Him [as the Messiah—they adhered to, trusted in, and relied on Him].(B)

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

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Footnotes

  1. John 2:3 To fail to provide for the wedding guests would bring disgrace on the groom.
  2. John 2:4 Lit what to Me and to you (a Hebrew idiom).
  3. John 2:10 Or have become intoxicated.