John 2:4

George Lamsa Translation

Jesus said to her, What is it to me and to you, woman? my turn has not yet come.

Parallel Translations

Easy-to-Read Version
Jesus answered, "Dear woman, why are you telling me this? It is not yet time for me to begin my work."

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
Iesus sayde vnto her: woman what have I to do with the? myne houre is not yet come.

Hebrew Names Version
Yeshua said to her, "Woman, what does that have to do with you and me? My hour has not yet come."

International Standard Version
Jesus said to her, "How does that concern us, woman? My hour has not yet come."2 Samuel 16:10; 19:22; John 7:6; 19:26;">[xr]

New American Standard Bible
And Jesus said to her, "What business do you have with Me, woman? My hour has not yet come."

New Century Version
Jesus answered, "Dear woman, why come to me? My time has not yet come."

Update Bible Version
And Jesus says to her, Woman, what have I to do with you? my hour is not yet come.

Webster's Bible Translation
Jesus saith to her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? my hour is not yet come.

English Standard Version
And Jesus said to her, "Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come."

World English Bible
Jesus said to her, "Woman, what does that have to do with you and me? My hour has not yet come."

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
Jesus saith to her, Woman, what is it to me and thee?

Weymouth's New Testament
"Leave the matter in my hands," He replied; "the time for me to act has not yet come."

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And Jhesus seith to hir, What to me and to thee, womman? myn our cam not yit.

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

Berean Standard Bible
"Woman, why does this concern us?" Jesus replied. "My hour has not yet come."

Contemporary English Version
Jesus replied, "Mother, my time hasn't yet come: You must not tell me what to do."

Amplified Bible
Jesus said to her, "[Dear] woman, what is that to you and to Me? My time [to act and to be revealed] has not yet come."

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

Bible in Basic English
Jesus said to her, Woman, this is not your business; my time is still to come.

Complete Jewish Bible
Yeshua replied, "Mother, why should that concern me? — or you? My time hasn't come yet."

Darby Translation
Jesus says to her, What have I to do with thee, woman? mine hour has not yet come.

Etheridge Translation
Jeshu saith to her, What (is it) to me and to thee, woman? Not yet hath come mine hour.

Murdock Translation
Jesus said to her: What is [fn] to me and thee? Not yet hath my hour come.

King James Version (1611)
Iesus saith vnto her, Woman, what haue I to doe with thee? mine houre is not yet come.

New Living Translation
"Dear woman, that's not our problem," Jesus replied. "My time has not yet come."

New Life Bible
Jesus said to her, "Woman, what is that to you and to Me. It is not time for Me to work yet."

New Revised Standard
And Jesus said to her, "Woman, what concern is that to you and to me? My hour has not yet come."

Geneva Bible (1587)
Iesus saide vnto her, Woman, what haue I to doe with thee? mine houre is not yet come.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And Jesus saith unto her - What part can I take with thee, O woman? Not yet, hath come, mine hour.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And Jesus saith to her: Woman, what is that to me and to thee? My hour is not yet come.

Revised Standard Version
And Jesus said to her, "O woman, what have you to do with me? My hour has not yet come."

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Iesus saith vnto her: Woman, what haue I to do with thee, myne houre is not yet come.

Good News Translation
"You must not tell me what to do," Jesus replied. "My time has not yet come."

Christian Standard Bible®
“What does that have to do with you and me,

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

Lexham English Bible
And Jesus said to her, "What does your concern have to do with me, woman? My hour has not yet come."

Literal Translation
Jesus said to her, What is that to Me and to you, woman? My hour has not yet come.

Young's Literal Translation
Jesus saith to her, `What -- to me and to thee, woman? not yet is mine hour come.'

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Iesus sayde vnto her: Woma, what haue I to do wt the? Myne houre is not yet come.

Mace New Testament (1729)
Jesus answer'd her, woman, leave that affair to me, is not that my concern?

THE MESSAGE
Jesus said, "Is that any of our business, Mother—yours or mine? This isn't my time. Don't push me."

New English Translation
Jesus replied, "Woman, why are you saying this to me? My time has not yet come."

New King James Version
Jesus said to her, "Woman, what does your concern have to do with Me? My hour has not yet come."

Simplified Cowboy Version
"That ain't none of my business," Jesus replied. "I'm staying out of the limelight for now, but my time will come."

New American Standard Bible (1995)
And Jesus said to her, "Woman, what does that have to do with us? My hour has not yet come."

Legacy Standard Bible
And Jesus *said to her, "Woman, what do I have to do with you? My hour has not yet come."

Contextual Overview

¹ ON the third day there was a marriage feast in Cana, a city of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there. ² And Jesus and his disciples were also invited to the marriage feast. ³ And when the wine decreased, his mother said to Jesus, They have no wine. ⁴ Jesus said to her, What is it to me and to you, woman? my turn has not yet come. ⁵ His mother said to the helpers, Whatever he tells you, do it. ⁶ And there were six stone jars placed there for the purification of the Jews, which could hold several gallons each. ⁷ Jesus said to them, Fill the jars with water; and they filled them up to the brim. ⁸ Then he said to them, Draw out now, and bring it to the chief guest of the feast. And they brought it. ⁹ And when the chief guest tasted the water that had become wine, he did not know whence it had come; but the helpers knew, who had drawn the water. Then the chief guest called the bridegroom ¹⁰ And said to him, Every man at first brings the best wine; and when they have drunk, then that which is weak; but you have kept the best wine until now.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Woman: John 19:26, John 19:27, John 20:13, John 20:15, Matthew 15:28

what: Deuteronomy 33:9, 2 Samuel 16:10, 2 Samuel 19:22, Luke 2:49, 2 Corinthians 5:16, Galatians 2:5, Galatians 2:6

mine: John 7:6, John 7:30, John 8:20, John 12:23, John 13:1, Ecclesiastes 3:1

Reciprocal: 1 Kings 2:20 - I desire 1 Kings 17:18 - What have I 2 Kings 3:13 - What 2 Chronicles 35:21 - What Matthew 8:29 - What Matthew 12:48 - Who is Mark 3:33 - Who Luke 4:23 - do

Cross-References

Genesis 1:1
GOD created the heavens and the earth in the very beginning.

Genesis 1:4
And God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness.

Genesis 1:28
And God blessed them, and God said to them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the wild beasts that move upon the earth.

Genesis 1:31
And God saw everything that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.

Genesis 2:1
THUS the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them.

Genesis 2:2
And on the sixth day God, finished his works which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his works which he had made.

Genesis 5:1
THIS is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day that God created man, in the likeness of God created he him;

Genesis 10:1
NOW these are the descendants of the sons of Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth: and to them were sons born after the flood.

Genesis 11:10
These are the descendants of Shem: Shem was a hundred years old, and begot Arphakhashar, two years after the flood;

Genesis 25:12
Now these are the generations of Ishmael, Abrahams son, whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarahs maid, bore to Abraham;

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Jesus saith unto her, woman,.... Calling her "woman", as it was no ways contrary to her being a virgin, Galatians 4:4, so it was no mark of disrespect; it being an usual way of speaking with the Jews, when they showed the greatest respect to the person spoken to; and was used by our Lord when he addressed his mother with the greatest tenderness, and strongest affection, John 19:26. The Jews frequently object this passage to us Christians: one of their writers his objection in this manner p:

"they (the Christians) say, the mother of Jesus is never called a woman their law; but here her son himself calls her a man.''

Another puts it thus q:

"it is their (the Christians) belief, that Mary, even after she brought forth Jesus, was a virgin; but if she was, as they say, why does not her son call her by the name of virgin? but he calls her a woman, which signifies one known by man, as appears from John 2:4.''

To which may be replied, that the mother of Jesus is never called a woman in the New Testament, is not said by us Christians: it is certain she is so called, both here, and elsewhere; but then this is no contradiction to her being a virgin; one, and the same person, may be a virgin, and a woman: the Abraham's servant was sent to take for wife for his son Isaac, is called a woman, though a virgin that had never known any man, Genesis 24:5. Besides, we do not think ourselves obliged to maintain the perpetual virginity of Mary, the mother of our Lord; it is enough that she was a virgin when she conceived, and when she brought forth her firstborn: and as the Jews endeavour to take an advantage of this against the character of Mary, the Papists are very solicitous about the manner in which these words are said, lest they should be thought to contain a reproof, which they cannot bear she should be judged worthy of; or suggest any thing to her dishonour, whom they magnify as equal to her son: but certain it is, that the following words,

what have I to do with thee? show resentment and reproof. Some render the words, "what is it to thee and me?" and give this as the sense; what concern is this of ours? what business have we with it? let them look to it, who are the principal in the feast, and have the management of it. The Jew r objects to this sense of the words, but gives a very weak reason for it:

"but I say, (says he,) who should be concerned but the master of the feast? and he was the master of the feast:''

whereas it is a clear case that he was one of the guests, one that was invited, John 2:2, and that there was a governor or ruler of the feast, who might be more properly called the master of it than Jesus, John 2:8. However, since Christ afterwards did concern himself in it, it looks as if this was not his meaning. Others render it to the sense we do, "what have I with thee?" as the Ethiopic version; or "what business hast thou with me?" as the Persic version; and is the same with, מה לי ולך, "what have I to do with thee?" used in 1 Kings 17:18, where the Septuagint use the same phrase as here; and such a way of speaking is common with Jewish writers s: hereby signifying, that though, as man, and a son of hers, he had been subject to her, in which he had set an example of obedience to parents; yet, as God, he had a Father in heaven, whose business he came to do; and in that, and in his office, as Mediator, she had nothing to do with him; nor was he to be directed by her in that work; or to be told, or the least hint given when a miracle should be wrought, by him in confirmation of his mission and doctrine. Moreover, he adds,

mine hour is not yet come: meaning not the hour of his sufferings and death, in which sense he sometimes uses this phrase; as if the hint was, that it was not proper for him to work miracles as yet, lest it should provoke his enemies to seek his life before his time; but rather the time of his public ministry and miracles, which were to go together, and the one to be a proof of the other; though it seems to have a particular regard to the following miracle, the time of doing that was not yet come; the proper juncture, when all fit circumstances meeting together, it would be both the more useful, and the more illustrious: or his meaning is, that his time of doing miracles in public was not yet; and therefore, though he was willing to do this miracle, yet he chose to do it in the most private manner; so that only a few, and not the principal persons at the feast should know it: wherefore the reproof was not so much on the account of the motion itself, as the unseasonableness of it; and so his mother took it.

p Vet. Nizzachon, p. 222. q R. Isaac Chizzuk Emuna, par. 2. c. 42. p. 433. r Vet. Nizzachon, p. 223. s Vid. Kimchi in Psal. ii. 12. Bechinat Olam, p. 70.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Woman - This term, as used here, seems to imply reproof, as if she was interfering in that which did not properly concern her; but it is evident that no such reproof or disrespect was intended by the use of the term “woman” instead of “mother.” It is the same term by which he tenderly addressed Mary Magdalene after his resurrection John 20:15, and his mother when he was on the cross, John 19:26. Compare also Matthew 15:28; John 4:21; 1 Corinthians 7:16.

What have I to do with thee? - See the notes at Matthew 8:29. This expression is sometimes used to denote indignation or contempt. See Judges 11:12; 2 Samuel 16:10; 1 Kings 17:18. But it is not probable that it denoted either in this place; if it did, it was a mild reproof of Mary for attempting to control or direct him in his power of working miracles. Most of the ancients supposed this to be the intention of Jesus. The words sound to us harsh, but they might have been spoken in a tender manner, and not have been intended as a reproof. It is clear that he did not intend to refuse to provide wine, but only to delay it a little; and the design was, therefore, to compose the anxiety of Mary, and to prevent her being solicitous about it. It may, then, be thus expressed: “My mother, be not anxious. To you and to me this should not be a matter of solicitude. The proper time of my interfering has not yet come. When that is come I will furnish a supply, and in the meantime neither you nor I should be solicitous.” Thus understood, it is so far from being a “harsh reproof,” that it was a mild exhortation for her to dismiss her fears and to put proper trust in him.

Mine hour ... - My time. The proper time for my interposing. Perhaps the wine was not yet entirely exhausted. The wine had begun to fail, but he would not work a miracle until it was entirely gone, that the miracle might be free-from all possibility of suspicion. It does not mean that the proper time for his working a miracle, or entering. on his public work had not come, but that the proper time for his interposing there had not arrived.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse John 2:4. Woman, what have I to do with thee? — τι εμοι και σοι γυναι: O, woman, what is this to thee and me? This is an abrupt denial, as if he had said: "WE are not employed to provide the necessaries for this feast: this matter belongs to others, who should have made a proper and sufficient provision for the persons they had invited." The words seem to convey a reproof to the virgin, for meddling with that which did not particularly concern her. The holiest persons are always liable to errors of judgment: and should ever conduct themselves with modesty and humility, especially in those things in which the providence of God is particularly concerned. But here indeed there appears to be no blame. It is very likely the bride or bridegroom's family were relatives of the blessed virgin; and she would naturally suppose that our Lord would feel interested for the honour and comfort of the family, and, knowing that he possessed extraordinary power, made this application to him to come forward to their assistance. Our Lord's answer to his mother, if properly translated, is far from being disrespectful. He addresses the virgin as he did the Syrophoenician woman, Matthew 15:28; as he did the Samaritan woman, John 4:21, as he addressed his disconsolate mother when he hung upon the cross, John 19:26; as he did his most affectionate friend Mary Magdalene, John 20:15, and as the angels had addressed her before, John 20:13; and as St. Paul does the believing Christian woman, 1 Corinthians 7:16; in all which places the same term, γυναι which occurs in this verse, is used; and where certainly no kind of disrespect is intended, but, on the contrary, complaisance, affability, tenderness, and concern and in this sense it is used in the best Greek writers.

Mine hour is not yet come. — Or, my time, for in this sense the word ωρα is often taken. My time for working a miracle is not yet fully come. What I do, I do when necessary, and not before. Nature is unsteady-full of haste; and ever blundering, in consequence. It is the folly and sin of men that they are ever finding fault with the Divine providence. According to them, God never does any thing in due time-he is too early or too late: whereas it is utterly impossible for the Divine wisdom to forestall itself; or for the Divine goodness to delay what is necessary.