John 2

John 2

The big picture

John 2 opens in verse 1 with “And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was…”, reaches its middle movement near verse 13 with “And the Jews’ passover was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem,”, and closes in verse 25 with “And needed not that any should testify of man: for he knew what was in man.” Repeated or prominent terms include Jesus, disciples, temple, wine, feast. Together, those details trace this chapter’s own movement from its opening to its conclusion.

Scripture beside the summary

John · King James Version · 25

John 2:1-7

1–7: The third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of…

John 2:1–7 opens with “And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there:” and reaches “Jesus saith unto them, Fill the waterpots with water. And they filled them up to the brim.” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Water jars at Cana and Jesus driving commerce from the temple courts, with particular weight carried by Jesus, mother, marriage.

Context that brings the passage to life

This block contains 1 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.

John 2:1-7

King James Version

1And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there:

2And both Jesus was called, and his disciples, to the marriage.

3And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, They have no wine.

4Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come.

5His mother saith unto the servants, Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it.

6And there were set there six waterpots of stone, after the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three firkins apiece.

7Jesus saith unto them, Fill the waterpots with water. And they filled them up to the brim.

John 2:8-14

8–14: He saith unto them, Draw out now, and bear unto the governor of the…

John 2:8–14 opens with “And he saith unto them, Draw out now, and bear unto the governor of the feast. And they bare it.” and reaches “And found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Water jars at Cana and Jesus driving commerce from the temple courts, with particular weight carried by feast, wine, beginning.

Context that brings the passage to life

“And he saith unto them, Draw out now, and bear unto the governor of the feast. And they bare it.” Naming Draw keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“When the ruler of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and knew not whence it was: (but the servants…” The line’s distinctive content terms include feast, knew, water. Its relationship to verses 8 and 10 shows what work it does in this passage.

John 2:8-14

King James Version

8And he saith unto them, Draw out now, and bear unto the governor of the feast. And they bare it.

9When the ruler of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and knew not whence it was: (but the servants which drew the water knew;) the governor of the feast called the bridegroom,

10And saith unto him, Every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine; and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse: but thou hast kept the good wine until now.

11This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him.

12After this he went down to Capernaum, he, and his mother, and his brethren, and his disciples: and they continued there not many days.

13And the Jews’ passover was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem,

14And found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting:

John 2:15-21

15–21: When he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the…

John 2:15–21 opens with “And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the…” and reaches “But he spake of the temple of his body.” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Water jars at Cana and Jesus driving commerce from the temple courts, with particular weight carried by temple, house, days.

Context that brings the passage to life

This block contains 2 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.

“And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and…” The line’s distinctive content terms include changers, cords, drove. Its relationship to verses 16 shows what work it does in this passage.

John 2:15-21

King James Version

15And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers’ money, and overthrew the tables;

16And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father’s house an house of merchandise.

17And his disciples remembered that it was written, The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up.

18Then answered the Jews and said unto him, What sign shewest thou unto us, seeing that thou doest these things?

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

20Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days?

21But he spake of the temple of his body.

John 2:22-25

22–25: When therefore he was risen from the dead, his disciples remembered that…

John 2:22–25 opens with “When therefore he was risen from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this unto…” and reaches “And needed not that any should testify of man: for he knew what was in man.” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Water jars at Cana and Jesus driving commerce from the temple courts, with particular weight carried by believed, Jesus, knew.

John 2:22-25

King James Version

22When therefore he was risen from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this unto them; and they believed the scripture, and the word which Jesus had said.

23Now when he was in Jerusalem at the passover, in the feast day, many believed in his name, when they saw the miracles which he did.

24But Jesus did not commit himself unto them, because he knew all men,

25And needed not that any should testify of man: for he knew what was in man.

Details worth noticing

25verses in this reading
4major movements
8verses with speech
3questions in the KJV text

The opening image

John 2:1 begins with “And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there:”

Where the chapter turns

John 2:12 forms a natural hinge: “After this he went down to Capernaum, he, and his mother, and his brethren, and his disciples: and they continued there not many days.”

The final note

John 2:25 leaves the reader with “And needed not that any should testify of man: for he knew what was in man.”

A word trail through the chapter

The words Jesus, disciples, temple, wine, feast, Jews help reveal the chapter’s repeated concerns.

Which gifts come before the prohibition?

Life, the garden, food and meaningful work. The command occurs inside generosity.

How does chapter 2 deepen chapter 1?

It concentrates on dependence, partnership and responsibility within the shared human calling.

KJV words made clear

unto
to
thee
you
thou
you
hath
has
doth
does

Text first

Where readers differ

The chapter summary begins with what the passage says and how its parts fit together. It does not assume one denomination has already settled every question. Where a conclusion depends on a tradition, literary theory, or historical reconstruction, that dependence is named openly.

The KJV text is presented first. Interpretive conclusions are labeled, and differences are introduced only when they help a reader understand why serious communities do not always reach the same answer.

Comparative interpretive notes for this chapter are in preparation. Until reviewed notes are ready, this page separates the KJV text from summary and application without claiming that serious readers agree on every question.