John 2
1 Two days later there was a wedding [celebration] in Cana [town], in Galilee [district]. Jesus’ mother was there.
Two days later a wedding was held at Cana in Galilee, and Jesus' mother was there.
2 Jesus and [we] his disciples [were also there, because] we had been invited {someone had invited us} also.
Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding.
3 When the guests had drunk all the wine [that was there], Jesus’ mother said to him, “The wine is all gone; [can you do something about that]?”
The wine ran out, so Jesus' mother told him, “They don't have any more wine.”
4 Jesus said to her, “Ma’am/Woman, (do not [tell] me [what to do]!/why do you [tell] me [what to do]?) [RHQ] It is not yet time [MTY] [to show] that I am [the Messiah by working miracles].”
“Mother, why should you involve me? My time hasn't come yet,” he replied.
5 Then Jesus’ mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you!”
His mother told the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”
6 There were six [empty] stone jars there. The Jews [habitually put water in them] to use for washing things [to make them acceptable to God]. Each jar held (20 to 30 gallons/80 to 120 liters).
Standing nearby were six stone jars used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each one holding twenty to thirty gallons.
7 Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water!” So they filled the jars to the brim.
“Fill the jars with water,” Jesus told them. So they filled them right up.
8 Then he told them, “Now, ladle out some [of it] and take it (to the head waiter/to the master of ceremonies).” So the servants did that.
Then he told them, “Pour some out, and take it to the master of ceremonies.” So they took him some.
9 (The head waiter/The master of ceremonies) tasted the water, which had now become wine. He did not know where the wine had come from, but the servants who had ladled out the wine knew. [The wine was delicious]! So he called the bridegroom over,
The master of ceremonies didn't know where it had come from, only the servants knew. But when he tasted the water that had been turned to wine, he called the bridegroom over.
10 and said to him, “Everyone [else] serves the best wine first. Then when the guests have drunk so much [that they cannot tell the difference], [they serve] the cheap wine. But you [have not done what others do]. You have kept the best wine until now!”
“Everyone serves out the best wine first,” he told him, “and once people have had plenty to drink, then they put out the cheaper wine. But you have kept the best wine till last!”
11 That was the first miracle that Jesus did. He did it in Cana [town], in Galilee [district]. By doing it he showed how awesome he is, and as a result, [we] his disciples believed that he [truly was the Messiah].
This was the very first of Jesus' miraculous signs, and was performed in Cana of Galilee. Here he revealed his glory, and his disciples put their trust in him.
12 Jesus then went down to Capernaum [city] with his mother and [younger] brothers and [us] his disciples. We stayed there several days.
After this Jesus left for Capernaum with his mother, brothers, and disciples where they stayed for a few days.
13 Later, when it was almost time for the Jewish Passover [celebration], Jesus [and we his disciples] went up to Jerusalem.
Since it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, Jesus went on to Jerusalem.
14 There, in the Temple [courtyard], he saw some men who were selling cattle, sheep, and pigeons [for sacrifices]. He also saw men who were sitting at tables, [making a big profit as they] gave people [Temple tax] coins in exchange for [their Roman] coins.
In the Temple he found people selling cattle, sheep, and doves; and money-changers sitting at their tables.
15 Then Jesus made a whip from some cords and [used it to] chase out the sheep and cattle from the Temple [courtyard]. By overturning their tables he scattered the coins of the men who were exchanging them.
He made a whip out of cords and drove everyone out of the Temple, along with the sheep and cattle, scattering coins of the money-changers and turning over their tables.
16 He said to those who were selling doves, “Take these doves away [from here]! Stop [defiling] my Father’s Temple [by] making it a market!”
He ordered the dove-sellers, “Take these things out of here! Don't turn my Father's house into a market!”
17 Then [we] disciples remembered that these words had been written {that [someone/David] had written [these words]} [in the Scriptures prophesying what the Messiah would say]: “Others [PRS] will strongly oppose me because I greatly desire that [people respect] your Sacred Tent.”
His disciples remembered the Scripture that says, “My devotion for your house is like a fire burning inside me!”
18 So [one of] the Jewish [leaders] [SYN] replied to him, “What miracle will you perform to show us that [you have authority from God] to do these things?”
The Jewish leaders reacted, asking him, “What right do you have to do this? Show us some miraculous sign to prove it!”
19 Jesus replied to them, “If/When you destroy this temple, I will build it again within three days.”
Jesus replied, “Destroy this Temple, and in three days I'll raise it up!”
20 So the Jewish [leaders] [SYN] said, “We have been building this Temple for 46 years [and it is not finished yet]! So (there is no way you will build it within three days!/how will you build it within three days?) [RHQ]”
“It took forty-six years to build this Temple, and you're going to raise it up in three days?” the Jewish leaders replied.
21 But when Jesus said that about the temple, [he was really talking about] his own body.
But the Temple Jesus was speaking of was his body.
22 [Later], after Jesus had [died and had] become alive again, [we] his disciples remembered the words he had said. As a result, we believed [what had been prophesied in] the Scriptures [about the Messiah becoming alive again], and we believed that what Jesus said [was true].
After he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered what he said, and so they believed in Scripture and Jesus' own words.
23 While Jesus was in Jerusalem at the Passover celebration, many people came to believe [that he was the Messiah] because they saw the miracles he was performing.
As a result of the miracles Jesus did while he was in Jerusalem during the Passover, many believed in him.
24 But he did not let them tell him what he should do [as the Messiah], because he knew within himself what they were all [thinking].
But Jesus did not trust himself to them, because he knew all about people.
25 He did not need anyone to tell him what others were thinking, because he already knew what they were [thinking and wanting].
He didn't need anyone to tell him about human nature for he knew the way people think.
