The third day, there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there.
Parallel translations
- KJV And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there:
- BSB On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there,
- ESV On the third day there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there.
- NKJV On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there.
- NASB On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there;
- NLT The next day there was a wedding celebration in the village of Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there,
Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, where Jesus' mother was present. This sets the scene for Jesus' first miraculous sign.
Overview
John locates Jesus' first sign at an ordinary village wedding, with His mother already there. The setting affirms the goodness of marriage and everyday life. By beginning Jesus' public ministry at a celebration, John signals that Christ brings joy and the abundance of the new covenant into human life.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 16
- John 4:46Jesus came therefore again to Cana of Galilee, where he made the water into wine. There was a certain nobleman whose son was sick at Capernaum.
- Prov 31:10–12Who can find a worthy woman? For her price is far above rubies.
- John 21:2Simon Peter, Thomas called Didymus, Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples were together.
- Prov 18:22Whoever finds a wife finds a good thing, and obtains favor of Yahweh.
- Matt 12:46While he was yet speaking to the multitudes, behold, his mother and his brothers stood outside, seeking to speak to him.
- John 1:43On the next day, he was determined to go out into Galilee, and he found Philip. Jesus said to him, “Follow me.”
- Ps 128:1–4A Song of Ascents. Blessed is everyone who fears Yahweh, who walks in his ways.
- John 1:29The next day, he saw Jesus coming to him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!
- Gen 2:18–25Yahweh God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make him a helper comparable to him.”
- 1 Tim 4:1–3But the Spirit says expressly that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to seducing spirits and doctrines of demons,
- Heb 13:4Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the bed be undefiled: but God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterers.
- Eph 5:30–33because we are members of his body, of his flesh and bones.
- Prov 19:14House and riches are an inheritance from fathers, but a prudent wife is from Yahweh.
- Gen 1:27–28God created man in his own image. In God’s image he created him; male and female he created them.
- John 1:35Again, the next day, John was standing with two of his disciples,
- Josh 19:28and Ebron, Rehob, Hammon, and Kanah, even to great Sidon.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.
Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.
Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.
Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.
The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
John declares him plainly: the eternal Word made flesh, the Lamb of God, the great 'I AM' — bread, light, door, shepherd, way, truth, life, resurrection — that you may believe and have life in his name.
How John 2:1 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.