Chapter 3

And when the wine failed, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, "They have no wine."

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

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

Now there were six waterpots of stone set there after the Jews' manner of purifying, containing two or three firkins apiece. Jesus saith unto them, "Fill the waterpots with water."

And they filled them up to the brim.

And he saith unto them, "Draw out now, and bear unto the ruler of the feast."

And they bare it. And when the ruler of the feast tasted the water now become wine, and knew not whence it was (but the servants that had drawn the water knew), the ruler of the feast calleth the bridegroom, and saith unto him, "Every man setteth on first the good wine; and when men have drunk freely, then that which is worse: thou hast kept the good wine until now."

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

After this he went down to Capernaum, he, and his mother, and his brethren, and his disciples; and there they abode not many days.

JESUS IN JERUSALEM

CLEANSING HIS FATHER'S HOUSE.

And the passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. And he found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting: and he made a scourge of cords, and cast all out of the temple, both the sheep and the oxen; and he poured out the changers' money, and overthrew their tables; and to them that sold the doves he said, "Take these things hence; make not my Father's house a house of merchandise."

His disciples remembered that it was written, "Zeal for thy house shall eat me up."

The Jews therefore answered and said unto him, "What sign showest thou unto us, seeing that thou doest these things?"

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

The Jews therefore said, "Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou raise it up in three days?"

But he spake of the temple of his body. When therefore he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he spake thus; and they believed the scripture, and the word which Jesus had said.

THE VISIT OF NICODEMUS.

Now when he was in Jerusalem at the passover, during the feast, many believed on his name, beholding his signs which he did. But Jesus did not trust himself unto them, for that he knew all men, and because he needed not that any one should bear witness concerning man; for he himself knew what was in man.

Now there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, ruler of the Jews; the same came unto him by night, and said to him, "Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that thou doest, except God be with him."

Jesus answered and said unto him, "Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except one be born anew, he cannot see the kingdom of God."

Nicodemus saith unto him, "How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter a second time into his mother's womb, and be born?"

Jesus answered, "Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except one be born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh: and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, 'Ye must be born anew.' The wind bloweth where it will, and thou hearest the voice thereof, but knowest not whence it cometh, and whither it goeth; so is every one that is born of the Spirit."

Nicodemus answered and said unto him, "How can these things be?"

Jesus answered and said unto him, "Art thou the teacher of Israel, and understandest not these things? Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that which we know, and bear witness of that which we have seen; and ye receive not our witness. If I told you earthly things and ye believe not, how shall ye believe if I tell you heavenly things? And no one hath ascended into heaven but he that descended out of heaven, even the Son of man, who is in heaven. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness even so must the Son of man be lifted up; that whosoever believeth may in him have eternal life.

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God sent not the Son into the world to judge the world; but that the world should be saved through him. He that believeth on him is not judged: he that believeth not hath been judged already, because he hath not believed on the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the judgment, that the light is come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the light; for their works were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, and cometh not to the light, lest his works should be reproved. But he that doeth the truth cometh to the light, that his works may be made manifest, that they have been wrought in God."

PREPARATORY PREACHING

JESUS BAPTIZING AND PREACHING.

After these things came Jesus and his disciples into the land of Judæa; and there he tarried with them, and baptized (although Jesus himself baptized not, but his disciples).

And John also was baptizing in Ænon near to Salim, because there was much water there: and they came, and were baptized. For John was not yet cast into prison.

And Jesus himself, when he began to teach, was about thirty years of age.

JOHN'S TRIBUTE TO JESUS.

There arose therefore a questioning on the part of John's disciples with a Jew about purifying. And they came unto John, and said to him, "Rabbi, he that was with thee beyond the Jordan, to whom thou hast borne witness, behold, the same baptizeth, and all men come to him."

John answered and said, "A man can receive nothing, except it have been given him from heaven. Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but, that I am sent before him. He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, that standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom's voice: this my joy therefore is made full. He must increase, but I must decrease."

He that cometh from above is above all: he that is of the earth is of the earth, and of the earth he speaketh: he that cometh from heaven is above all. What he hath seen and heard, of that he beareth witness; and no man receiveth his witness. He that hath received his witness hath set his seal to this, that God is true. For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for he giveth not the Spirit by measure. The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand. He that believeth on the Son hath eternal life; but he that obeyeth not the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him.

AT JACOB'S WELL.

When therefore the Lord knew that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus was making and baptizing more disciples than John, he left Judæa, and departed again into Galilee.

And he must needs pass through Samaria. So he cometh to a city of Samaria, called Sychar, near to the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph: and Jacob's well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus by the well. It was about the sixth hour.

There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus saith unto her, "Give me to drink." For his disciples were gone away into the city to buy food.

The Samaritan woman therefore saith unto him, "How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, who am a Samaritan woman?" (for Jews have no dealings with Samaritans).

Jesus answered and said unto her, "If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, 'Give me to drink' thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water."

The woman saith unto him, "Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep; whence then hast thou that living water? Art thou greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his sons, and his cattle?"

Jesus answered and said unto her, "Every one that drinketh of this water shall thirst again; but whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall become in him a well of water, springing up unto eternal life."

The woman saith unto him, "Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come all the way hither to draw."

Jesus saith unto her, "Go, call thy husband, and come hither."

The woman answered and said unto him, "I have no husband."

Jesus saith unto her, "Thou saidst well, I have no husband: for thou hast had five husbands; and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband: this hast thou said truly."

The woman saith unto him, "Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet. Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship."

Jesus saith unto her, "Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when neither in this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, shall ye worship the Father. Ye worship that which ye know not: we worship that which we know; for salvation is from the Jews. But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth: for such doth the Father seek to be his worshippers. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship in spirit and truth."

The woman saith unto him, "I know that Messiah cometh (he that is called Christ): when he is come, he will declare unto us all things."

Jesus saith unto her, "I that speak unto thee am he."

PREACHING TO THE SAMARITANS.

And upon this came his disciples; and they marvelled that he was speaking with a woman; yet no man said, "What seekest thou?" or, "Why speakest thou with her?"

So the woman left her waterpot, and went away into the city, and saith to the people, "Come, see a man, who told me all things that ever I did: can this be the Christ?"

They went out of the city, and were coming to him.

In the mean while the disciples prayed him, saying, "Rabbi, eat."

But he said unto them, "I have meat to eat that ye know not."

The disciples therefore said one to another, "Hath any man brought him aught to eat?"

Jesus saith unto them, "My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to accomplish his work. Say not ye, 'There are yet four months, and then cometh the harvest'? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes and look on the fields, that they are white already unto harvest. He that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal; that he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together. For herein is the saying true, One soweth, and another reapeth. I sent you to reap that whereon ye have not labored: others have labored and ye are entered into their labor."

And from that city many of the Samaritans believed on him because of the word of the woman, who testified, "He told me all things that ever I did."

So when the Samaritans came unto him, they besought him to abide with them: and he abode there two days. And many more believed because of his word; and they said to the woman, "Now we believe, not because of thy speaking: for we have heard for ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Saviour of the world."

=HIS YEAR OF POPULARITY=

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JESUS IN GALILEE

JOHN THE BAPTIST IMPRISONED.

Herod the tetrarch sent forth and laid hold upon John, and bound him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife; for he had married her. For John said unto Herod, "It is not lawful for thee to have thy brother's wife."

And Herodias set herself against him, and desired to kill him: and she could not; for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and kept him safe.

And when he would have put him to death, he feared the multitude, because they counted him as a prophet.

RECEPTION OF JESUS BY THE GALILÆANS.

Now when Jesus heard that John was delivered up, he returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee, and the Galilæans received him, having seen all the things that he did in Jerusalem at the feast: for they also went unto the feast.

And a fame went out concerning him through all the region round about. And he taught in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe in the gospel."

HEALING THE NOBLEMAN'S SON.

He came therefore again unto Cana of Galilee, where he made the water wine. And there was a certain nobleman, whose son was sick at Capernaum. When he heard that Jesus was come out of Judæa into Galilee, he went unto him, and besought him that he would come down, and heal his son; for he was at the point of death.

Jesus therefore said unto him, "Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will in no wise believe."

The nobleman saith unto him, "Sir, come down ere my child die."

Jesus saith unto him, "Go thy way; thy son liveth."

The man believed the word that Jesus spake unto him, and he went his way. And as he was now going down, his servants met him, saying that his son lived. So he inquired of them the hour when he began to amend.

They said therefore unto him, "Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him."

So the father knew that it was at that hour in which Jesus said unto him, "Thy son liveth": and himself believed, and his whole house.

This is again the second sign that Jesus did, having come out of Judæa into Galilee.

THE RECALL OF THE FISHERMEN.

And he came down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, which is by the sea, in the borders of Zebulun and Naphtali: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through Isaiah the prophet, saying,

"The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, Toward the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles, The people that sat in darkness Saw a great light, And to them that sat in the region and shadow of death, To them did light spring up."

Now it came to pass, while the multitude pressed upon him and heard the word of God, that he was standing by the lake of Gennesaret; and he saw two boats standing by the lake: but the fishermen had gone out of them, and were washing their nets. And he entered into one of the boats, which was Simon's, and asked him to put out a little from the land. And he sat down and taught the multitudes out of the boat.

And when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, "Put out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught."

And Simon answered and said, "Master, we toiled all night, and took nothing: but at thy word I will let down the nets."

And when they had done this, they inclosed a great multitude of fishes; and their nets were breaking; and they beckoned unto their partners in the other boat, that they should come and help them. And they came, and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink.

But Simon Peter, when he saw it, fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, "Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord!"

For he was amazed, and all that were with him, at the draught of the fishes which they had taken; and so were also James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said unto Simon, "Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men."

And when they had brought their boats to land, they left all, and followed him.

A DAY OF GOOD DEEDS IN CAPERNAUM.

And straightway on the sabbath day he entered into the synagogue and taught. And they were astonished at his teaching: for his word was with authority.

And in the synagogue there was a man, that had a spirit of an unclean demon; and he cried out with a loud voice, "Ah! what have we to do with thee, Jesus thou Nazarene? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art, the Holy One of God!"

And Jesus rebuked him, saying, "Hold thy peace, and come out of him."

And when the demon had thrown him down in the midst, tearing him and crying out with a loud voice, he came out of him, having done him no hurt.

And amazement came upon all, and they spake together, one with another, saying, "What is this word? for with authority and power he commandeth the unclean spirits, and they come out."

And there went forth a rumor concerning him into every place of the region of Galilee round about.

And he rose up from the synagogue, and entered into the house of Simon. And Simon's wife's mother was holden with a great fever; and they besought him for her. And he stood over her, and rebuked the fever; and it left her: and immediately she rose up and ministered unto them.

And at even, when the sun did set, they brought unto him all that were sick, and them that were possessed with demons. And all the city was gathered together at the door. And he cast out many demons with a word, and he suffered not the demons to speak, because they knew that he was the Christ. And he laid his hands on every one of them, and healed all that were sick of divers diseases; that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through Isaiah the prophet, saying, "Himself took our infirmities, and bare our diseases."

THE FIRST LEPER HEALED.

And in the morning, a great while before day, he rose up and went out, and departed into a desert place, and there prayed. And Simon and they that were with him followed after him; and they found him, and say unto him, "All are seeking thee."

And he saith unto them, "Let us go elsewhere into the next towns, that I may preach there also; for to this end came I forth."

And he went into their synagogues throughout all Galilee, preaching and casting out demons.

And it came to pass, while he was in one of the cities, there cometh to him a man full of leprosy, beseeching him, and kneeling down to him, and saying unto him, "Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean."

And being moved with compassion, he stretched forth his hand, and touched him, and saith unto him, "I will; be thou made clean." And straightway the leprosy departed from him, and he was made clean. And he strictly charged him, and straightway sent him out, and saith unto him, "See thou say nothing to any man: but go show thyself to the priest, and offer for thy cleansing the things which Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them."

But he went out, and began to publish it much, and to spread abroad the matter, insomuch that Jesus could no more openly enter into a city, but withdrew himself to desert places and prayed: and they came to him from every quarter to hear and to be healed of their infirmities. And the power of the Lord was with him to heal.

BEGINNINGS OF CONTROVERSY

THE HEALING OF A PARALYTIC.

And when he entered again into Capernaum after some days, it was noised that he was in the house. And many were gathered together, so that there was no longer room for them, no, not even about the door; and he spake the word unto them.

And they come, bringing unto him a man sick of the palsy, borne of four. And when they could not come nigh unto him for the crowd, they went up to the housetop, and uncovered the roof where he was: and when they had broken it up, they let down the bed whereon the sick of the palsy lay.

And Jesus seeing their faith saith unto the sick of the palsy, "Son, thy sins are forgiven."

But there were certain of the scribes sitting there, and reasoning in their hearts, "Why doth this man thus speak? he blasphemeth: who can forgive sins but one, even God?"

And straightway Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they so reasoned within themselves, saith unto them, "Why reason ye these things in your hearts? Which is easier, to say to the sick of the palsy, 'Thy sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Arise, and take up thy bed, and walk?' But that ye may know that the Son of man hath authority on earth to forgive sins (he saith to the sick of the palsy), 'I say unto thee, Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thy house.'"

And he arose, and straightway took up the bed, and went forth before them all; insomuch that they were all amazed, and were filled with fear, and glorified God, saying, "We never saw it on this fashion: we have seen strange things to-day."

THE PUBLICAN DISCIPLE.

And Jesus went forth again by the sea side; and all the multitude resorted unto him, and he taught them. And as he passed by, he saw a man, called Levi Matthew, the son of Alphæus, sitting at the place of toll, and he saith unto him, "Follow me."

And he forsook all, and arose and followed him.

And Levi made him a great feast in his house. And there was a great multitude of publicans and sinners that were sitting at meat with Jesus and his disciples.

And when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto his disciples, "Why eateth your Teacher with the publicans and sinners?"

But when he heard it, he said, "They that are whole have no need of a physician, but they that are sick. But go ye and learn what this meaneth, 'I desire mercy, and not sacrifice': for I came not to call the righteous, but sinners."

THE OLD AND THE NEW.

And John's disciples and the Pharisees were fasting, and they come and say unto him, "The disciples of John fast often, and make supplications; likewise also the disciples of the Pharisees; but thine eat and drink."

And Jesus said unto them, "Can ye make the sons of the bride-chamber fast, while the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come; and when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, then will they fast in those days."

And he spake also a parable unto them: "No man rendeth a piece from a new garment and putteth it upon an old garment; else he will rend the new, and also the piece from the new will not agree with the old. And no man putteth new wine into old wine-skins; else the new wine will burst the skins, and itself will be spilled, and the skins will perish. But new wine must be put into fresh wine-skins. And no man having drunk old wine desireth new; for he saith, The old is good."

A SABBATH HEALING IN JERUSALEM.

After these things there was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.

Now there is in Jerusalem by the sheep gate a pool, which is called in Hebrew Bethesda, having five porches. In these lay a multitude of them that were sick, blind, halt, withered. And a certain man was there, who had been thirty and eight years in his infirmity. When Jesus saw him lying, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he saith unto him, "Wouldest thou be made whole?"

The sick man answered him, "Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me."

Jesus saith unto him, "Arise, take up thy bed, and walk."

And straightway the man was made whole, and took up his bed and walked.

Now it was the sabbath on that day.

So the Jews said unto him that was cured, "It is the sabbath, and it is not lawful for thee to take up thy bed."

But he answered them, "He that made me whole, the same said unto me, 'Take up thy bed, and walk.'"

They asked him, "Who is the man that said unto thee, 'Take up thy bed, and walk'?"

But he that was healed knew not who it was; for Jesus had conveyed himself away, a multitude being in the place. Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, "Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing befall thee."

The man went away, and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him whole. And for this cause the Jews persecuted Jesus, because he did these things on the sabbath.

But Jesus answered them, "My Father worketh even until now, and I work."

For this cause therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only brake the sabbath, but also called God his own Father, making himself equal with God.