A thoughtful guide for your walk of faith Read with context, practice with grace.
Gospels · WORLD ENGLISH BIBLE

John 2

Signs and extended conversations reveal Jesus' identity and invite life-giving trust.

New Testament

John 2

1The third day, there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there.

2Jesus also was invited, with his disciples, to the wedding.

3When the wine ran out, Jesus’ mother said to him, “They have no wine.”

4Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does that have to do with you and me? My hour has not yet come.”

5His mother said to the servants, “Whatever he says to you, do it.”

6Now there were six water pots of stone set there after the Jews’ way of purifying, containing two or three metretes apiece.

7Jesus said to them, “Fill the water pots with water.” So they filled them up to the brim.

8He said to them, “Now draw some out, and take it to the ruler of the feast.” So they took it.

9When the ruler of the feast tasted the water now become wine, and didn’t know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the ruler of the feast called the bridegroom

10and said to him, “Everyone serves the good wine first, and when the guests have drunk freely, then that which is worse. You have kept the good wine until now!”

11This beginning of his signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him.

12After this, he went down to Capernaum, he, and his mother, his brothers, and his disciples; and they stayed there a few days.

13The Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.

14He found in the temple those who sold oxen, sheep, and doves, and the changers of money sitting.

15He made a whip of cords and drove all out of the temple, both the sheep and the oxen; and he poured out the changers’ money and overthrew their tables.

16To those who sold the doves, he said, “Take these things out of here! Don’t make my Father’s house a marketplace!”

17His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for your house will eat me up.”

18The Jews therefore answered him, “What sign do you show us, seeing that you do these things?”

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

20The Jews therefore said, “It took forty-six years to build this temple! Will you raise it up in three days?”

21But he spoke of the temple of his body.

22When therefore he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he said this, and they believed the Scripture and the word which Jesus had said.

23Now when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in his name, observing his signs which he did.

24But Jesus didn’t entrust himself to them, because he knew everyone,

25and because he didn’t need for anyone to testify concerning man; for he himself knew what was in man.

READ IN CONTEXT

Before applying this chapter

Signs and extended conversations reveal Jesus' identity and invite life-giving trust. Read John 2 within the complete John overview, and use the contextual Bible reading guide before forming a personal application. Chapter divisions aid navigation, but the literary unit may begin earlier or continue into the next chapter.

Observe first

Mark repeated words, changes of speaker, commands, promises, contrasts, questions, and the relationship between paragraphs.

Apply responsibly

Distinguish description from command and immediate audience from later readers before forming a personal application.

TEXT-DERIVED READING NOTES

What to notice in John 2

John 2 contains 25 verses and about 478 words in this translation. These observations come from the chapter itself; they are prompts for close reading, not claims about its only possible meaning.

The opening movement

Verse 1 begins: “The third day, there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there.” Ask what situation, voice, image, or argument this opening establishes for everything that follows.

The closing movement

Verse 25 closes: “and because he didn’t need for anyone to testify concerning man; for he himself knew what was in man.” Compare the ending with the opening and note what changed, resolved, intensified, or remained open.

Vocabulary worth tracing

Recurring or prominent content words include disciples, wine, water, temple, mother, jews. Follow where each word appears and whether its meaning shifts with the speaker or setting.

COMMON QUESTIONS

About John 2

Which Bible translation is shown here?+

This page reproduces the World English Bible Protestant edition (WEBP), a modern-English translation dedicated to the public domain.

How should I cite a specific verse?+

Use the book, chapter, and verse—for example, John 2:1—and name the World English Bible if the wording matters. Each verse number above is a direct anchor link.

Does the chapter number define the complete literary unit?+

Not always. Chapter and verse numbers were added for navigation. Check the paragraphs, scenes, poetic stanzas, or argument before and after this chapter.

A SMALL NEXT STEP

You do not have to have everything figured out.

Begin with one honest question, one passage read carefully, and one faithful next step.

Start with prayer