The Wedding at Cana

2 ·Two days later [^LOn the third day] there was a wedding in the town of Cana in Galilee [^Cof uncertain location, probably near Nazareth]. Jesus’ mother was there, ² and Jesus and his ·followers [disciples] were also invited to the wedding. ³ When all the wine was gone, Jesus’ mother said to him, “They have no more wine.”

⁴ Jesus answered, “·Dear woman [^LWoman; ^Ca respectful form of address in that culture], ·why come to me [what concern is that to me and to you; ^Lwhat to me and to you]? My ·time [^Lhour; ^Chere and throughout John, Jesus’ “hour” refers to his messianic sacrifice on the cross] has not yet come.”

⁵ His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you to do.”

⁶ In that place there were six stone water jars that the Jews used in their washing ceremony [^Ca Jewish ritual before eating, before worshiping in the Temple, and at other special times]. Each jar held about twenty or thirty gallons [^CGreek: two or three metretai; each about nine gallons or forty liters].

⁷ Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water.” So they filled the jars to the ·top [brim].

⁸ 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. ⁹ 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 [^Cand 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 [^Lsign; ^CJesus’ miracles are called semeia, “signs,” in John’s Gospel]. There he ·showed [revealed; manifested] his ·glory [majesty], and his ·followers [disciples] believed in him.