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The marriage at Cana

Two days after that, there was a marriage party. It was in the town of Cana, in Galilee. Jesus' mother was there. People had asked Jesus and his disciples to come to the party too. When people had drunk all the wine, Jesus' mother said to him, ‘They have no more wine.’ Jesus replied, ‘Woman, why do you tell me this? It is not my time yet.’ His mother said to the servants, ‘Do whatever he tells you to do.’

There were six big pots there. People had used stone to make them. Each pot could contain about 100 litres of water. The water was there so that the Jews could wash themselves in the way that their special rules taught. Jesus said to the servants, ‘Fill the pots with water.’ So they filled the pots to the top. Then he said, ‘Now take some of the water from the pots and give it to the master of the party.’ So they did that. The master of the party tasted the water. The water had now become wine! The master did not know where the wine had come from. But the servants who had given it to him knew about it. Then the master asked the new husband to come to him. 10 The master said to him, ‘Everyone else brings out the best wine first. When people have had plenty to drink, then they give people cheaper wine. But you are different. You have kept the best wine until now.’

11 Jesus did this first miracle at Cana, in Galilee. In this way, Jesus showed how great and powerful he was. And his disciples believed in him.

Jesus goes to the temple

12 After this, Jesus went to a town called Capernaum. His mother, his brothers and his disciples went with him. They stayed there for a few days.[a]

13 It was almost time for the Jewish Passover festival. So Jesus went to Jerusalem.[b] 14 He went into the yard of the temple. There he found people who were selling cows, sheep and doves. Other people were sitting at tables to change coins for people. 15 So Jesus made a whip from some pieces of rope. Then he made all the people leave the temple quickly, with the sheep and the cows. He threw onto the ground all the coins of the men who changed money. He turned their tables over. 16 He said to the people who sold birds, ‘Take them out of here! Do not make my Father's house into a market!’ 17 His disciples remembered what it says in the Bible: ‘My love for your house burns inside me like a fire.’[c]

18 Then the Jews asked Jesus, ‘What is your authority to do this? Do a miracle to show us that you really do have authority.’ 19 Jesus answered them, ‘If you destroy this house of God, I will build it up again in three days.’ 20 The Jews replied, ‘People have worked for 46 years to build this house. But you say that you will build it again in three days!’ 21 But the house that Jesus was speaking about was his own body. 22 The disciples remembered this when Jesus had become alive again after his death. They remembered that he had said this. Then they believed what the Bible taught. They also believed the words that Jesus had spoken.

23 While Jesus was in Jerusalem for the Passover festival, he did many miracles.[d] Many people saw these miracles that showed he was from God. As a result, they believed in Jesus. 24 But Jesus himself did not trust the people. He knew what all people are really like. 25 He did not need anyone to tell him what people are like. He knew already what was really in each person.

Footnotes

  1. 2:12 Capernaum was another town in Galilee. It was next to the lake called Lake Galilee.
  2. 2:13 The Passover was an event that was very special to the Jews. Every year, all the men had to come to the temple at Jerusalem for the Passover Festival. They remembered the time, many years before, when God had led their ancestors out of Egypt. God had saved them so that they did not have to be slaves to Egypt's people. He had killed all the oldest sons of Egypt's people. But he had saved the Jewish sons of Israel's people. He told the Jews that they must put a lamb's blood on the wood over the top and on the sides of their doors. If the blood was there, their oldest sons would not die. See Exodus 12.
  3. 2:17 See Psalms 69:9.
  4. 2:23 Jesus did many miracles, but John only tells us about seven of them. In Greek, John uses a word for miracle that means sign. It tells us more about God.

Jesus Changes Water Into Wine

On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee.(A) Jesus’ mother(B) was there, and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. When the wine was gone, Jesus’ mother said to him, “They have no more wine.”

“Woman,[a](C) why do you involve me?”(D) Jesus replied. “My hour(E) has not yet come.”

His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”(F)

Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing,(G) each holding from twenty to thirty gallons.[b]

Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water”; so they filled them to the brim.

Then he told them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet.”

They did so, and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine.(H) He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside 10 and said, “Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now.”

11 What Jesus did here in Cana of Galilee was the first of the signs(I) through which he revealed his glory;(J) and his disciples believed in him.(K)

12 After this he went down to Capernaum(L) with his mother(M) and brothers(N) and his disciples. There they stayed for a few days.

Jesus Clears the Temple Courts(O)

13 When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover,(P) Jesus went up to Jerusalem.(Q) 14 In the temple courts he found people selling cattle, sheep and doves,(R) and others sitting at tables exchanging money.(S) 15 So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple courts, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. 16 To those who sold doves he said, “Get these out of here! Stop turning my Father’s house(T) into a market!” 17 His disciples remembered that it is written: “Zeal for your house will consume me.”[c](U)

18 The Jews(V) then responded to him, “What sign(W) can you show us to prove your authority to do all this?”(X)

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

20 They replied, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three days?” 21 But the temple he had spoken of was his body.(Z) 22 After he was raised from the dead, his disciples recalled what he had said.(AA) Then they believed the scripture(AB) and the words that Jesus had spoken.

23 Now while he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Festival,(AC) many people saw the signs(AD) he was performing and believed(AE) in his name.[d] 24 But Jesus would not entrust himself to them, for he knew all people. 25 He did not need any testimony about mankind,(AF) for he knew what was in each person.(AG)

Footnotes

  1. John 2:4 The Greek for Woman does not denote any disrespect.
  2. John 2:6 Or from about 75 to about 115 liters
  3. John 2:17 Psalm 69:9
  4. John 2:23 Or in him