This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory. And his disciples believed in him.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The verse highlights that this miracle wasn't just a display of power, but a sign specifically intended to reveal Jesus' divine glory. It also clarifies that for the disciples, this event wasn't necessarily the beginning of their belief, but a significant strengthening and deepening of their existing faith in him.
This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory. And his disciples believed in him.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus and his disciples are attending a wedding in Cana when the wine runs out. Jesus' mother, Mary, brings this shortage to his attention, and after a brief exchange where Jesus emphasizes that his "hour" has not yet come, she instructs the servants to do whatever he tells them. This miracle, turning water into wine, marks the beginning of Jesus' public ministry, revealing his divine power and causing his disciples' faith to deepen significantly.
When Jesus turned water into wine, it wasn't just a neat trick. John calls it a 'sign.' What makes a miracle a sign?
The Gospel of John uses the word 'sign' specifically for Jesus' miraculous acts.
What's in a Name?
Jesus' disciples already believed in Him before this event. So why does John say they 'believed in Him' now? What changed?
The disciples' faith was deepened and transformed by Jesus' first sign.
A Step Deeper
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Understand the original words
sēmeion · Greek Noun
A miraculous act or event intended to point beyond itself to a deeper spiritual reality, specifically the identity and divine mission of Jesus Christ.
doxa · Greek Noun
The outward manifestation of God’s internal essence, splendor, and holiness; in the Gospel of John, it refers to the revelation of Jesus' divine nature as the Son of God.
pisteuō · Greek Verb
Trusting, reliance, and commitment to a person or truth; in John, it is the active response of saving faith in the person of Jesus as the Messiah.
This first public 'sign' at Cana, occurring just after Jesus's baptism and the initial calling of his disciples, solidified their faith by revealing His divine glory. It marked a crucial step from private recognition to public ministry, setting the stage for His later actions in Jerusalem.
c. 5 BC - 4 BC
Jesus' Birth and Early Life
Jesus was born in Bethlehem and spent his childhood and formative years in Nazareth, Galilee.
c. AD 27-28
Jesus' Baptism and Temptation
Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist in the Jordan River, after which he was tempted by the devil in the wilderness for forty days. This marked the beginning of his public ministry.
c. AD 27-28
Jesus' Disciples Begin to Follow Him
Shortly after his baptism, Jesus called his first disciples, including Andrew, Peter, James, and John, who began to follow him. Their initial belief was based on John the Baptist's testimony and Jesus's early interactions.
c. AD 27-28— this verse
The Wedding at Cana
Jesus, his mother Mary, his disciples, and likely other relatives attended a wedding in Cana, a village in Galilee. When the wine ran out, Jesus transformed water into wine, his first recorded 'sign'.
c. AD 27-28
Jesus Cleanses the Temple
Following the wedding at Cana, Jesus traveled to Jerusalem and powerfully drove out merchants and money-changers from the Temple courts, demonstrating his authority.
c. AD 27-28
Jesus Meets Nicodemus
In Jerusalem, Jesus had a late-night conversation with Nicodemus, a prominent Pharisee, explaining the necessity of spiritual rebirth for entering the Kingdom of God.
Similar to how Moses and Aaron performed signs to reveal God's power, Jesus' miracle here is presented as a 'sign' that manifests His own divine glory.
1 Kings 17:8-16This passage shows Elijah performing a miracle to provide for a widow, highlighting God's provision and care for His people, just as Jesus' miracle addresses a need at a wedding.
Isaiah 6:1-3Isaiah's vision of God's glory in the temple speaks to the awe-inspiring presence of the divine; Jesus' miracle here is also described as a manifestation of His glory, impacting His disciples' faith.
Matthew 11:2-6John the Baptist, already a believer, questions Jesus, and Jesus' response points to the miracles He performs as evidence of His identity, echoing how signs confirm belief.
Romans 1:20This verse states that God's 'eternal power and divine nature' have been seen through what has been made; Jesus' miracle is a direct demonstration of this divine power and nature, confirming His identity to His disciples.
vincentJohn 2:11: "This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him."
This beginningOr, more strictly, this as a beginning.Of miracles (σημείων)Rev., correctly, signs. See on Matthew 11:20; see on Matthew 24:24. This act was not merely a prodigy (τέρας), nor a wonderful thing (θαυμάσιον), nor a power (δύναμις), but distinctively a sign, a mark of the doer's power and grace, and divine character. Hence it falls in perfectly w…
barnesJohn 2:11: "This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him."
This beginning of miracles - This his first public miracle. This is declared by the sacred writer to be a "miracle" - that is, an exertion of divine power, producing a change of the substance of water into wine, which no human power could do. Manifested forth - Showed; exhibited. His glory - His power, and proper character as the Messiah; showed that he had di…
The verse highlights that this miracle wasn't just a display of power, but a sign specifically intended to reveal Jesus' divine glory. It also clarifies that for the disciples, this event wasn't necessarily the beginning of their belief, but a significant strengthening and deepening of their existing faith in him.
Jesus and his disciples are attending a wedding in Cana when the wine runs out. Jesus' mother, Mary, brings this shortage to his attention, and after a brief exchange where Jesus emphasizes that his "hour" has not yet come, she instructs the servants to do whatever he tells them. This miracle, turning water into wine, marks the beginning of Jesus' public ministry, revealing his divine power and causing his disciples' faith to deepen significantly.
Jesus and his disciples are attending a wedding in Cana when the wine runs out. Jesus' mother, Mary, brings this shortage to his attention, and after a brief exchange where Jesus emphasizes that his "hour" has not yet come, she instructs the servants to do whatever he tells them. This miracle, turning water into wine, marks the beginning of Jesus' public ministry, revealing his divine power and causing his disciples' faith to deepen significantly.
"This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory. And his disciples believed in him." — The verse highlights that this miracle wasn't just a display of power, but a sign specifically intended to reveal Jesus' divine glory. It also clarifies that for the disciples, this event wasn't ne…
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Last reviewed October 2026