Water Made Wine

The words

John 2:1–11 (opens a new tab)

1. Apiece

   John uses “apiece” for the capacity of each stone waterpot: two or three firkins, before the servants are told to fill them with water.

   John 2:6–7 (opens a new tab)

2. Beginning

   John calls this the “beginning of miracles,” describing Jesus’s glory made known and the disciples believing in him; the NET uses the wording “first of his miraculous signs.”

   Did you know?

   John later recalls the water made wine when Jesus returns to Cana; verse 54 calls the following episode “the second miracle,” linking the later scene with this opening one.

   John 2:11 (opens a new tab) · NET Bible: John 2:1-11 (opens a new tab) · John 4:46; John 4:54 (opens a new tab)

3. Brim

   Top edge of a vessel.

   John says the servants fill the six waterpots “up to the brim” after Jesus’s instruction, then draw from them and take what they draw to the feast’s governor.

   John 2:6–8 (opens a new tab) · NET Bible: John 2:1-11 (opens a new tab)

4. Cana

   John names Cana of Galilee as the wedding’s setting, places Jesus’s mother there and says Jesus and his disciples were also called to the celebration.

   John 2:1–2 (opens a new tab)

5. Firkins

   Here, measures of about 10½ US gallons (40 liters) each.

   John uses firkins for each jar’s capacity, giving two or three per vessel; the six jars are for the purification practice described in the passage.

   John 2:6 (opens a new tab) · NET Bible: John 2:1-11 (opens a new tab) · NIST: US gallon conversion (opens a new tab)

6. Good Wine

   John reports the feast’s governor telling the bridegroom he has kept the good wine until then; the governor does not know its source, but the servants do.

   John 2:9–10 (opens a new tab)

7. Hour

   John records “mine hour is not yet come” in Jesus’s reply to his mother; later, John 12:23 gives Jesus’s words “The hour is come.”

   John 2:3–4 (opens a new tab) · John 12:20–23 (opens a new tab)

8. Marriage

   John places Jesus’s mother at a marriage in Cana and says Jesus and his disciples were called to it; the wine shortage comes during this celebration.

   John 2:1–3 (opens a new tab)

9. Mother

   John places Jesus’s mother at the wedding before mentioning Jesus and his disciples; she tells him “They have no wine,” then gives the servants an instruction.

   John 2:1–5 (opens a new tab)

10. Ruler

    John’s ruler of the feast tastes the water made wine and calls the bridegroom; the servants know where it came from, while the ruler does not.

    John 2:8–10 (opens a new tab)

11. Servants

    John gives the servants the tasks of filling the waterpots and drawing from them; unlike the feast’s ruler, they know where the tasted wine came from.

    John 2:5–9 (opens a new tab)

12. Stone

    John identifies six waterpots as stone and relates them to Jewish purification, before describing their filling with water and the governor’s tasting of wine.

    Did you know?

    A 2024 Israel Antiquities Authority report describes a Mount Scopus chalk-vessel workshop dated to the first century CE; its authors link this production with Jewish purity observance.

    John 2:6–9 (opens a new tab) · IAA: Mount Scopus stone vessels (opens a new tab)

13. Third Day

    John opens the wedding scene with “the third day,” naming Cana of Galilee and Jesus’s mother; he next mentions Jesus and his disciples being invited.

    John 2:1–2 (opens a new tab)

14. Waterpots

    Water jars.

    John’s six waterpots stand there for purification; Jesus tells the servants to fill them with water, then to draw from them for the feast’s governor.

    John 2:6–8 (opens a new tab) · NET Bible: John 2:1-11 (opens a new tab)

15. Whatsoever

    Whatever; no matter what.

    John records Jesus’s mother telling the servants, “Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it,” before Jesus gives his instructions about filling the waterpots.

    John 2:5–7 (opens a new tab) · NET Bible: John 2:1-11 (opens a new tab)