John – Chapter 2

New Testament25 Verses

Chapter Summary

John 2 opens with the words: "And the third day, there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee: and the mother of Jesus was there." Across its 25 verses, two threads run through the text: God feeding His people and faith and trust in God. The Church invites us to read this chapter within the whole sweep of salvation history, where every page points toward Christ.

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

2And Jesus also was invited, and his disciples, to the marriage.

3And the wine failing, the mother of Jesus saith to him: They have no wine.

4And Jesus saith to her: Woman, what is that to me and to thee? My hour is not yet come.

5His mother saith to the waiters: Whatsoever he shall say to you, do ye.

6Now there were set there six waterpots of stone, according to the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three measures apiece.

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

8And Jesus saith to them: Draw out now and carry to the chief steward of the feast. And they carried it.

9And when the chief steward had tasted the water made wine and knew not whence it was, but the waiters knew who had drawn the water: the chief steward calleth the bridegroom,

10And saith to him: Every man at first setteth 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 his glory. And his disciples believed in him.

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

13And the pasch of the Jews was at hand: and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.

14And he found in the temple them that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting.

15And when he had made, as it were, a scourge of little cords, he drove them all out of the temple, the sheep also and the oxen: and the money of the changers he poured out, and the tables he overthrew.

16And to them that sold doves he said: Take these things hence, and make not the house of my Father a house of traffic.

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

18The Jews, therefore, answered, and said to him: What sign dost thou shew unto us, seeing thou dost these things?

19Jesus answered and said to them: Destroy this temple; and in three days I will raise it up.

20The Jews then said: Six and forty years was this temple in building; and wilt thou raise it up in three days?

21But he spoke of the temple of his body.

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

23Now when he was at Jerusalem, at the pasch, upon the festival day, many believed in his name, seeing his signs which he did.

24But Jesus did not trust himself unto them: for that he knew all men,

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

Important Verses in John 2

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

John 2:1

And Jesus saith to her: Woman, what is that to me and to thee? My hour is not yet come.

John 2:4

This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee and manifested his glory. And his disciples believed in him.

John 2:11

And because he needed not that any should give testimony of man: for he knew what was in man.

John 2:25

Historical Context

As a New Testament book, John was written with the Church at the close of the apostolic age, led into the mystery of Christ's divinity in view. Chapter 2 of 21 belongs to the early movement of the book, where the narrative or argument is still unfolding. It is a narrative passage recounting concrete events in salvation history with 25 verses in the Douay-Rheims translation. The passage starts with these words: "And the third day, there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee: and the mother of Jesus was there." The final verse reads: "And because he needed not that any should give testimony of man: for he knew what was in man. " In terms of historical background, The fourth Gospel begins before creation: 'In the beginning was the Word. Catholic tradition dates the book to the period described in its introduction: About AD 90-100, at Ephesus.

Who Wrote It

The Apostle John, the beloved disciple, according to early tradition

When It Was Written

About AD 90-100, at Ephesus

Catholic Commentary

The literal sense of John 2 unfolds through 25 verses that carry forward the message of Jesus as the eternal Word and source of life. A pivotal line is verse 1: "And the third day, there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee: and the mother of Jesus was there." The passage repeatedly touches on God feeding His people.

The Church teaches that every passage of Scripture must be read in light of Christ and the Magisterium (CIC 1032). Here, John's Gospel reveals Christ's divinity most clearly (CIC 241). The spiritual sense invites believers to recognize God feeding His people as part of God's pedagogy of salvation.

Applied to the life of faith, the passage supports the Church's conviction that I am the way, the truth, and the life. Whether read privately or heard in the liturgy, John 2 calls for a response of faith, repentance, and charity.

Main Teachings

  • From the manna to the Last Supper, God feeds His people — fully in the Eucharist.
  • Faith is a gift and a decision: entrusting ourselves entirely to God and to His promises.
  • The family is the first school of faith, where love, obedience, and forgiveness are learned.

Reflection for Today

In John Chapter 2, the Church invites us to listen attentively to God's Word within the broader narrative of Jesus as the eternal Word and source of life.

The Second Vatican Council reminded the faithful that Scripture should permeate Catholic spirituality (Dei Verbum, 21-26). John Chapter 2 supports that call by drawing attention to the moral law as path to freedom within the wider message that I am the way, the truth, and the life.

As you continue through John, carry this chapter's lesson into your family, parish, and work. Catholic faith is always ecclesial—God speaks to us as members of Christ's Body, not as isolated individuals.

💡Catholic Reflection • Church Teachings

Frequently Asked Questions

What is John Chapter 2 about?

John 2 contains 25 verses. It opens with "And the third day, there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee: and the mother of Jesus was there." and closes with "And because he needed not that any should give testimony of man: for he knew what was in man. ". The book as a whole is gospel.

What is a key verse in John 2?

One of the most significant verses is verse 1: "And the third day, there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee: and the mother of Jesus was there." It is often cited in Catholic teaching and preaching.

Who wrote John and when?

The Apostle John, the beloved disciple, according to early tradition. About AD 90-100, at Ephesus.

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