John 2

And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there:

1On the third day there was a wedding party in a town called Cana, in the area called Galilee. Jesus' mother was there.

2And both Jesus was called, and his disciples, to the marriage.

2Jesus and his followers were invited to the wedding too.

3And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, They have no wine.

3The wine ran out. Jesus' mother said to him, "They have no more wine."

NoteThe King James Bible says "when they wanted wine." Long ago, "wanted" meant "ran out of" or "did not have."

4Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come.

4Jesus said to her, "Woman, why is this our concern? It is not yet my time."

5His mother saith unto the servants, Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it.

5His mother said to the helpers, "Do whatever he tells you to do."

6And there were set there six waterpots of stone, after the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three firkins apiece.

6Six big stone jars stood nearby. The Jewish people used them for washing before meals. Each jar held about twenty or thirty gallons.

NoteThe old word for the jar size is "firkin." Six full jars held about 120 to 180 gallons in all.

7Jesus saith unto them, Fill the waterpots with water. And they filled them up to the brim.

7Jesus said to the helpers, "Fill the jars with water." So they filled them right to the top.

8And he saith unto them, Draw out now, and bear unto the governor of the feast. And they bare it.

8Then he said, "Now pour some out. Take it to the man in charge of the party." So they took it to him.

NoteThe "governor of the feast" was the man in charge of the food and drink at the party. He was not a ruler of a country.

9When the ruler of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and knew not whence it was: (but the servants which drew the water knew;) the governor of the feast called the bridegroom,

9The man in charge tasted the water. It had turned into wine. He did not know where it came from, but the helpers who poured it knew. So he called the groom over.

10And saith unto him, Every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine; and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse: but thou hast kept the good wine until now.

10He said to him, "Everyone serves the good wine first. They serve the cheap wine later, after people have had plenty. But you saved the good wine until now!"

11This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him.

11This was the first miracle Jesus did. He did it in Cana, in Galilee. He showed how great he is, and his followers believed in him.

12After this he went down to Capernaum, he, and his mother, and his brethren, and his disciples: and they continued there not many days.

12After that he went down to the town of Capernaum. His mother, his brothers, and his followers went too. They stayed there only a few days.

13And the Jews’ passover was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem,

13It was almost time for Passover, a Jewish holiday. So Jesus went up to the city of Jerusalem.

14And found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting:

14In the temple yard he found men selling cattle, sheep, and doves. Money changers were sitting at their tables.

15And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers’ money, and overthrew the tables;

15So he made a whip out of cords. He drove them all out of the temple yard, along with the sheep and the cattle. He dumped out the money changers' coins and turned over their tables.

16And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father’s house an house of merchandise.

16He said to the men selling doves, "Take these things out of here! Do not turn my Father's house into a market!"

17And his disciples remembered that it was written, The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up.

17His followers remembered these words from the Bible: "My love for your house burns inside me."

18Then answered the Jews and said unto him, What sign shewest thou unto us, seeing that thou doest these things?

18So the Jewish leaders asked him, "What sign can you show us to prove you may do this?"

19Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.

19Jesus answered, "Tear down this temple. In three days I will build it up again."

20Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days?

20They said, "It took forty-six years to build this temple. Will you build it up in three days?"

21But he spake of the temple of his body.

21But Jesus was talking about his own body, not the building.

22When therefore he was risen from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this unto them; and they believed the scripture, and the word which Jesus had said.

22Later Jesus died and came back to life. Then his followers remembered what he had said. They believed the Bible and the words Jesus had spoken.

23Now when he was in Jerusalem at the passover, in the feast day, many believed in his name, when they saw the miracles which he did.

23Jesus stayed in Jerusalem during the Passover holiday. Many people saw the miracles he did and believed in him.

24But Jesus did not commit himself unto them, because he knew all men,

24But Jesus did not trust himself to them. He knew what all people are like.

25And needed not that any should testify of man: for he knew what was in man.

25No one had to tell him about people. He already knew what was inside them.