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THE MESSAGE

John 2:1

Three days later there was a wedding in the village of Cana in Galilee. Jesus' mother was there. Jesus and his disciples were guests also. When they started running low on wine at the wedding banquet, Jesus' mother told him, "They're just about out of wine."

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Cana;   Jesus, the Christ;   Marriage;   Mary;   Miracles;   Water;   Scofield Reference Index - Miracles;   Thompson Chain Reference - Cana;   Feasts;   Mary;   Social Functions;   Social Life;   Wedding Feasts;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Galilee;   Marriage;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Cana;   Feasts;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Galilee;   Grapes;   John, gospel of;   Marriage;   Miracles;   Palestine;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Joy;   Miracle;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Marriage;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Advocate;   Cana;   Entertain;   Marriage-Feasts;   Wine;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Banquets;   Jesus Christ;   John, the Gospel According to;   Nazareth;   Zaretan;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Banquet;   Cana;   Capernaum;   Fulfill;   John, the Gospel of;   Mary;   Sacrifice and Offering;   Sign;   Water;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Cana;   Joy;   Marriage;   Mary;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Apostles;   Bethabara ;   Brotherhood (2);   Cana ;   Celibacy (2);   Common Life;   Dates (2);   Guest;   Happiness;   Influence;   John (the Apostle);   Joy (2);   Loneliness;   Marriage;   Marriage (Ii.);   Mary, the Virgin;   Numbers (2);   Pleasure;   Possession;   Reality;   Sea of Galilee;   Toleration, Tolerance;   Wealth (2);   Worldliness (2);   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Cana of Galilee ;   John, the Gospel by;   Marriage;   Melchisedec, Melchizedek ;   Miracles;   New Testament;   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Cana;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Chief parables and miracles in the bible;   Nazareth;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Ca'na;   Naz'areth;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Cana;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Jesus of Nazareth;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Bethany;   Cana of Galilee;   Joy;   Mary;   Uncleanness;   Woman;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Marriage;   Paraclete;   Psalmomancy;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
On the third day a wedding took place in Cana of Galilee. Jesus’s mother was there, and
King James Version (1611)
And the third day there was a mariage in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Iesus was there.
King James Version
And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there:
English Standard Version
On the third day there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there.
New American Standard Bible
On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there;
New Century Version
Two days later there was a wedding in the town of Cana in Galilee. Jesus' mother was there,
Amplified Bible
On the third day there was a wedding at Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there;
New American Standard Bible (1995)
On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there;
Legacy Standard Bible
And on the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there;
Berean Standard Bible
On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus' mother was there,
Contemporary English Version
Three days later Mary, the mother of Jesus, was at a wedding feast in the village of Cana in Galilee.
Complete Jewish Bible
On Tuesday there was a wedding at Kanah in the Galil; and the mother of Yeshua was there.
Darby Translation
And on the third day a marriage took place in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there.
Easy-to-Read Version
Two days later there was a wedding in the town of Cana in Galilee, and Jesus' mother was there.
Geneva Bible (1587)
And the thirde day, was there a mariage in Cana a towne of Galile, and the mother of Iesus was there.
George Lamsa Translation
ON the third day there was a marriage feast in Cana, a city of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there.
Good News Translation
Two days later there was a wedding in the town of Cana in Galilee. Jesus' mother was there,
Lexham English Bible
And on the third day, there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there.
Literal Translation
And on the third day a marriage took place in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there.
American Standard Version
And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there:
Bible in Basic English
On the third day two people were going to be married at Cana in Galilee. The mother of Jesus was there:
Hebrew Names Version
The third day, there was a marriage in Kanah of the Galil. Yeshua' mother was there.
International Standard Version
On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee. The mother of Jesus was there,Joshua 19:28;">[xr]
Etheridge Translation
AND on the third day there was a feast in Kotna, a city of Galila; and the mother of Jeshu was there:
Murdock Translation
And on the third day there was a feast in Cana, a city of Galilee: and the mother of Jesus was there.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And the thirde day, was there a mariage in Cana [a citie] of Galilee, and the mother of Iesus was there.
English Revised Version
And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there:
World English Bible
The third day, there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee. Jesus' mother was there.
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
And the third day, there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there.
Weymouth's New Testament
Two days later there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there,
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And the thridde dai weddyngis weren maad in the Cane of Galilee; and the modir of Jhesu was there.
Update Bible Version
And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there:
Webster's Bible Translation
And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there.
New English Translation
Now on the third day there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee. Jesus' mother was there,
New King James Version
On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there.
New Living Translation
The next day there was a wedding celebration in the village of Cana in Galilee. Jesus' mother was there,
New Life Bible
Three days later there was a wedding in the town of Cana in the country of Galilee. The mother of Jesus was there.
New Revised Standard
On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And, on the third day, a marriage, took place, in Cana, of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there, -
Douay-Rheims Bible
And the third day, there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee: and the mother of Jesus was there.
Revised Standard Version
On the third day there was a marriage at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there;
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
And the thryde daye was ther a mariage in Cana a cite of Galile: and the mother of Iesus was there.
Young's Literal Translation
And the third day a marriage happened in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there,
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And vpon the thirde daye there was a mariage at Cana in Galile, and the mother of Iesus was there.
Mace New Testament (1729)
Three days after, there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee; where the mother of Jesus was present.
Simplified Cowboy Version
The next day, Jesus attended a wedding in Cana with his mom.

Contextual Overview

1Three days later there was a wedding in the village of Cana in Galilee. Jesus' mother was there. Jesus and his disciples were guests also. When they started running low on wine at the wedding banquet, Jesus' mother told him, "They're just about out of wine." 4 Jesus said, "Is that any of our business, Mother—yours or mine? This isn't my time. Don't push me." 5 She went ahead anyway, telling the servants, "Whatever he tells you, do it." 6Six stoneware water pots were there, used by the Jews for ritual washings. Each held twenty to thirty gallons. Jesus ordered the servants, "Fill the pots with water." And they filled them to the brim. 8 "Now fill your pitchers and take them to the host," Jesus said, and they did. 9When the host tasted the water that had become wine (he didn't know what had just happened but the servants, of course, knew), he called out to the bridegroom, "Everybody I know begins with their finest wines and after the guests have had their fill brings in the cheap stuff. But you've saved the best till now!" 11 This act in Cana of Galilee was the first sign Jesus gave, the first glimpse of his glory. And his disciples believed in him.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

am 4034, ad 30

the third: John 1:43

a marriage: Genesis 1:27, Genesis 1:28, Genesis 2:18-25, Psalms 128:1-4, Proverbs 18:22, Proverbs 19:14, Proverbs 31:10-12, Ephesians 5:30-33, 1 Timothy 4:1-3, Hebrews 13:4

Cana: John 4:46, John 21:2, Joshua 19:28, Kanah

Reciprocal: Genesis 29:22 - and made Numbers 6:10 - General John 4:54 - General

Cross-References

Genesis 1:1
First this: God created the Heavens and Earth—all you see, all you don't see. Earth was a soup of nothingness, a bottomless emptiness, an inky blackness. God's Spirit brooded like a bird above the watery abyss.
Genesis 2:5
At the time God made Earth and Heaven, before any grasses or shrubs had sprouted from the ground— God hadn't yet sent rain on Earth, nor was there anyone around to work the ground (the whole Earth was watered by underground springs)— God formed Man out of dirt from the ground and blew into his nostrils the breath of life. The Man came alive—a living soul!
Genesis 2:8
Then God planted a garden in Eden, in the east. He put the Man he had just made in it. God made all kinds of trees grow from the ground, trees beautiful to look at and good to eat. The Tree-of-Life was in the middle of the garden, also the Tree-of-Knowledge-of-Good-and-Evil.
2 Chronicles 2:12
He wrote on, "Blessed be the God of Israel, who made heaven and earth, and who gave King David a son so wise, so knowledgeable and shrewd, to build a temple for God and a palace for himself. I've sent you Huram-Abi—he's already on his way—he knows the construction business inside and out. His mother is from Dan and his father from Tyre. He knows how to work in gold, silver, bronze, iron, stone, and wood, in purple, violet, linen, and crimson textiles; he is also an expert engraver and competent to work out designs with your artists and architects, and those of my master David, your father.
Nehemiah 9:6
Then on the twenty-fourth day of this month, the People of Israel gathered for a fast, wearing burlap and faces smudged with dirt as signs of repentance. The Israelites broke off all relations with foreigners, stood up, and confessed their sins and the iniquities of their parents. While they stood there in their places, they read from the Book of The Revelation of God , their God, for a quarter of the day. For another quarter of the day they confessed and worshiped their God . A group of Levites—Jeshua, Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani, and Kenani—stood on the platform and cried out to God , their God, in a loud voice. The Levites Jeshua, Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah said, "On your feet! Bless God , your God, for ever and ever!" Blessed be your glorious name, exalted above all blessing and praise! You're the one, God , you alone; You made the heavens, the heavens of heavens, and all angels; The earth and everything on it, the seas and everything in them; You keep them all alive; heaven's angels worship you!
Psalms 33:6
The skies were made by God 's command; he breathed the word and the stars popped out. He scooped Sea into his jug, put Ocean in his keg.
Isaiah 42:5
God 's Message, the God who created the cosmos, stretched out the skies, laid out the earth and all that grows from it, Who breathes life into earth's people, makes them alive with his own life: "I am God . I have called you to live right and well. I have taken responsibility for you, kept you safe. I have set you among my people to bind them to me, and provided you as a lighthouse to the nations, To make a start at bringing people into the open, into light: opening blind eyes, releasing prisoners from dungeons, emptying the dark prisons. I am God . That's my name. I don't franchise my glory, don't endorse the no-god idols. Take note: The earlier predictions of judgment have been fulfilled. I'm announcing the new salvation work. Before it bursts on the scene, I'm telling you all about it."
Isaiah 45:18
God , Creator of the heavens— he is, remember, G od. Maker of earth— he put it on its foundations, built it from scratch. He didn't go to all that trouble to just leave it empty, nothing in it. He made it to be lived in. This God says: "I am God , the one and only. I don't just talk to myself or mumble under my breath. I never told Jacob, ‘Seek me in emptiness, in dark nothingness.' I am God . I work out in the open, saying what's right, setting things right. So gather around, come on in, all you refugees and castoffs. They don't seem to know much, do they— those who carry around their no-god blocks of wood, praying for help to a dead stick? So tell me what you think. Look at the evidence. Put your heads together. Make your case. Who told you, and a long time ago, what's going on here? Who made sense of things for you? Wasn't I the one? God ? It had to be me. I'm the only God there is— The only God who does things right and knows how to help. So turn to me and be helped—saved!— everyone, whoever and wherever you are. I am God , the only God there is, the one and only. I promise in my own name: Every word out of my mouth does what it says. I never take back what I say. Everyone is going to end up kneeling before me. Everyone is going to end up saying of me, ‘Yes! Salvation and strength are in God !'" All who have raged against him will be brought before him, disgraced by their unbelief. And all who are connected with Israel will have a robust, praising, good life in God !
Isaiah 65:17
"Pay close attention now: I'm creating new heavens and a new earth. All the earlier troubles, chaos, and pain are things of the past, to be forgotten. Look ahead with joy. Anticipate what I'm creating: I'll create Jerusalem as sheer joy, create my people as pure delight. I'll take joy in Jerusalem, take delight in my people: No more sounds of weeping in the city, no cries of anguish; No more babies dying in the cradle, or old people who don't enjoy a full lifetime; One-hundredth birthdays will be considered normal— anything less will seem like a cheat. They'll build houses and move in. They'll plant fields and eat what they grow. No more building a house that some outsider takes over, No more planting fields that some enemy confiscates, For my people will be as long-lived as trees, my chosen ones will have satisfaction in their work. They won't work and have nothing come of it, they won't have children snatched out from under them. For they themselves are plantings blessed by God , with their children and grandchildren likewise God -blessed. Before they call out, I'll answer. Before they've finished speaking, I'll have heard. Wolf and lamb will graze the same meadow, lion and ox eat straw from the same trough, but snakes—they'll get a diet of dirt! Neither animal nor human will hurt or kill anywhere on my Holy Mountain," says God .
Jeremiah 10:16
But the Portion-of-Jacob is the real thing. He put the whole universe together And pays special attention to Israel. His name? God -of-the-Angel-Armies!

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And the third day there was a marriage,.... Either from the second testimony bore by John the Baptist concerning Christ, and from the call of Simon Peter, which seem to be of the same date; see John 1:35, or from Christ's coming into Galilee; or from the conversation he had with Nathanael; from either of which the date is taken, it matters not; the first is as agreeable and plain, as any. There is much dispute, and many rules with the Jews about the times, and days of marriage:

"a virgin, (they say z,) marries on the fourth day (of the week), and a widow on the fifth, because the sanhedrim sit in the cities twice in the week, on the second, and on the fifth days; so that if there is any dispute about virginity, he (the husband) may come betimes to the sanhedrim.''

This was a law that obtained since the times of Ezra; for it is said a,

"before the order of Ezra, a woman might be married on any day;''

but in after times, feast days, and sabbath days, were particularly excepted. One of their canons is b

"they do not marry women on a feast day, neither virgins, nor widows:''

The reason of it was, that they might not mix one joy with another; and lest a man should leave the joy of the feast, for the joy of his wife. The account Maimonides c gives of these several things is this;

"it is lawful to espouse on any common day, even on the ninth of Ab, whether in the day, or in the night; but they do not marry wives neither on the evening of the sabbath, nor on the first of the week: the decree is, lest the sabbath should be profaned by preparing the feast; for the bridegroom is employed about the feast: and there is no need to say, that it is unlawful to marry a wife on the sabbath day; and even on the common day of a feast they do not marry wives, as we have explained; because they do not mix one joy with another, as it is said in Genesis 29:27, "fulfil her week, and we will give thee this also": but on the rest of the days it is lawful to marry a wife, any day a man pleases; for he must be employed in the marriage feast three days before the marriage. A place in which the sanhedrim do not sit, but on the second and fifth days only, a virgin is married on the fourth day; that if there is any objection to her virginity, he (her husband) may come betimes to the sanhedrim: and it is a custom of the wise men, that he that marries one that has been married, he may marry her on the fifth day, that so he may rejoice with her on the fifth day, and on the evening of the sabbath, (i.e. the sixth,) and on the sabbath day, and may go forth to his work on the first day.''

But elsewhere it is said d, that

"now they are used to marry on the "sixth day of the week".''

Yea e, that

"it is lawful to marry, and to make the feast on the sabbath day.''

But whether this marriage was of a virgin, or a widow, cannot be known; nor with certainty can it be said on what day of the week it was: if that day was a sabbath day on which the disciples abode with Christ, as Dr. Lightfoot conjectures, then it must be on the first day that Christ went into Galilee, and found Philip, and conversed with Nathanael; and if this third day is reckoned from John's second testimony, it must be on a Tuesday, the third day of the week; but if from Christ's going into Galilee, then it must be on a Wednesday, the fourth day of the week, the day fixed by the Jewish canon for the marriage of a virgin. This marriage was

in Cana of Galilee. The Syriac and Persic versions, read, in "Kotne, a city of Galilee"; and which, in the Jewish map, is called בגליל

קטנא, "Katna" in "Galilee", and is placed in the tribe of Zebulun, which was in Galilee, and not far from Nazareth; and bids fair to be the same place with this; though it is more generally thought f, that Cana, in the tribe of Asher, mentioned in Joshua 19:28, which was also in Galilee, is here meant; and is so called to distinguish it from another Kanah, in the tribe of Ephraim, Joshua 16:8. Josephus g speaks of a town, or village, of Galilee, called Cana, which was a day's march from it to Tiberias, and seems to be the same place: and another Jewish writer h says,

"to me it appears that Cepher Chanania, is Copher Cana; or the village of Cans, as is clear in Misna Sheviith, c. 9. sect. 1. for there is the beginning of lower, Galilee,''

which also accords with this. Now in the case of marriage, there was some difference between Judea and Galilee, and certain rules were laid down relating thereunto: and it is said i,

"there are three countries, for the celebration of marriages; Judea, the country beyond Jordan, and Galilee;''

that is, that were obliged to marry among themselves; so that if any one married a wife out of any of these countries, she was not obliged to go along with him from one country to another k: hence it follows,

"they do not bring them out from city to city, (i.e. oblige them to go with them from city to city,) nor from town to town; but in the same country they bring them out from city to city, and from town to town.''

And it is elsewhere observed l, that

"in Judea, at first, they joined the bridegroom and bride together an hour before they went into the bride chamber, that so his heart might be lifted up in her; but in Galilee they did not do so: in Judea, at first, they appointed for them two companions, one for him, and another for her, that they might minister to, or wait on the bridegroom, and bride, when they went into the bride chamber; but in Galilee they did not do so: in Judea, at first, the companions slept in the house where the bridegroom and bride slept; but in Galilee they did not do so.''

Next we have an account of the persons that were present at this marriage:

and the mother of Jesus was there; who seems to have been a principal person at this wedding, and was very officious; when wine was wanted, she signified it to her son, and ordered the servants to do whatever he bid them: and since she, and Jesus, and his brethren, were all here, it looks as if it was a relation of hers that was now married: and since these brethren were the kinsmen of Christ, Simon, Judas, and Joses, the sons of Cleophas or Alphaeus, whose wife was sister to the mother of our Lord; and since one of them, to distinguish him from Simon Peter, is called Simon the Canaanite, or an inhabitant of Cana, as some have thought; hence it is conjectured by Dr. Lightfoot, that Alphaeus had an house in Cana, and that his family dwelt there, and that it was for one of his family that this marriage feast was made; see John 2:2. Joseph, the husband of Mary, perhaps, was now dead, since no mention is made of him here, nor any where else, as alive, after Christ had entered on his public ministry.

z Misn. Cetubot, c. 1. sect. 1. a T. Bab. Cetubot, fol. 3. 1. b Misa. Moed Katon, c. 1. sect. 7. & T. Bab. Moed Katon, fol. 8. 2. & 18. 2. c Hachot Ishot, c. 10. sect. 14, 15. d Piske Toseph. Cetubot, art. 6. e Ib art. 28. f Jerom de Locis Hebraicis, fol. 90. B. g In vita sua. h Juchasin, fol. 57. 2. i Misn. Cetubot, c. 13. sect. 10. T. Hieros. Cetubot, fol. 36. 2. k Bartenora in ib. l T. Bab. Cetubot, fol. 12. 1.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

And the third day - On the third day after his conversation with Nathanael.

Cana - This was a small town about 15 miles northwest of Tiberias and 6 miles northeast of Nazareth. It is now called Kerr Kenna, is under the government of a Turkish officer, and contains perhaps 300 inhabitants, chiefly Catholics. The natives still pretend to show the place where the water was turned into wine, and even one of the large stone water-pots. “A Greek church,” says Professor Hackett (‘Illustrations of Scripture,’ p. 322), “stands at the entrance of the town, deriving its special sanctity, as I understood, from its being supposed to occupy the site of the house in which the marriage was celebrated to which Jesus and his friends were invited. A priest to whom we were referred as the custodian soon arrived, in obedience to our call, and unlocked the doors of the church. It is a low stone building, pair.” “The houses,” says Dr. Thomson (‘The Land and the Book,’ vol. ii. p. 126), “were built of limestone, cut and laid up after the fashion still common in this region, and some of them may have been inhabited within the last fifty years. There are many ancient cisterns about it, and fragments of water-jars in abundance, and both reminded us of the ‘beginning of miracles.’ Some of my companions gathered bits of these water-jars as mementoes witnesses they could hardly be, for those of the narrative were of ‘stone,’ while these were baked earth.” The place is now quite deserted. Dr. Thomson says: “There is not now a habitable house in the humble village where our blessed Lord sanctioned, by his presence and miraculous assistance, the all-important and world-wide institution of marriage.” It was called “Cana of Galilee” to distinguish it from another Cana in the tribe of Ephraim, Joshua 16:9. This was the native place of Nathanael, John 21:2.

The mother of Jesus - Mary. It is not improbable that she was a relative of the family where the marriage took place.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

CHAPTER II.

The miracle at Cana in Galilee, where our Lord changed water

into wine, 1-11.

He goes to Capernaum, 12.

He purges the temple at the feast of the passover, 13-17.

The Jews require a miracle, as a proof that he had authority to

do these things, 18.

In answer he refers to his own death and resurrection, 19-22.

Many believe on him while at the feast of the passover, to whom

Jesus would not trust himself, 23-25.

NOTES ON CHAP. II.

Verse John 2:1. Cana of Galilee — This was a small city in the tribe of Asher, Joshua 19:28, and by saying this was Cana of Galilee, the evangelist distinguishes it from another Cana, which was in the tribe of Ephraim, in the Samaritan country. See Joshua 16:8; Joshua 17:9.

Some suppose that the third day, mentioned here, refers to the third day of the marriage feast: such feasts lasting among the Jews seven days. See Judges 14:12; Judges 14:17-18, and Bishop Pearce.

The mother of Jesus was there — Some of the ancients have thought that this was the marriage of John the evangelist, who is supposed to have been a near relative of our Lord. See the sketch of his life prefixed to these notes.


 
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