In The Bible Reader is a footnote for John 2: 1-11, which is quoted here. This version was edited by four scholars: one Roman Catholic, one Jew, one Protestant, and one Christian journalist.
“The miracle at Cana is the first of seven signs by which Jesus shows forth the divinity, and the Church uses the account for the same purpose on the second Sunday after Epiphany. Roman Catholic and Orthodox Catholic writers have also appealed to the account to prove the power of Mary by virtue of her position as Mother of God. These writers, and many others who do not share this view of Mary, explain that Jesus was not rebuking his mother or being unkind to her in what he says in verse 4. They agree generally, that the Greek word translated “woman” here (gune) was a respectful term (as if Jesus said, ‘My lady,’ whether solemnly or teasingly); but interpretations of the rest of the sentence vary considerably. The Greek says simply: ‘What to me and to you, woman?'”
Versions Compared
- ANT – The Authentic New Testament
- CJB – Complete Jewish Bible
- CNT – Cassirer New Testament
- EVD – English Version for the Deaf
- HBME – The Holy Bible in Modern English
- IV – Inspired Version
- KJV – King James Version
- KLNT – Kleist-Lilly New Testament
- KTC – Knox Translation
- LB – Living Bible
- MSNT – The Modern Speech New Testament
- NCV – New Century Version
- NEB – New English Bible
- NET – New Evangelical Translation
- NIV – New International Version
- NJB – New Jerusalem Bible
- REB – Revised English Bible
- RNT – Riverside New Testament
- SGAT – An American Translation (Smith-Goodspeed)
- TM – The Message
Other Versions Used
- CEV – Contemporary English Version
- EBR – The Emphasized Bible
- NAB – New American Bible
- NBV – New Berkeley Version
- SV – The Scholars Version
- WAS – Worrell New Testament
John 2: 4
ANT – “What do you want with me, madam?” Jesus said to her. “My time has not yet come.”
CJB – Yeshua replied, “Mother, why should that concern me? – or you? My time hasn’t come yet.”
CNT – “Good woman,” was Jesus’ reply, “how can you and I have a common concern about this? The hour appointed for me has not yet arrived.”
EVD – Jesus answered, “Dear woman, you should not tell me what to do. My time has not yet come.”
HBME – Jesus, in reply to her, said:
“What is that to you and Me, mother? My time has not yet come.”
IV – Jesus said unto her, Woman, what wilt thou have me to do for thee? that I will do; for mine hour is not yet come.
KJV – Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come.
KLNT – Jesus replied: “Leave that to me, mother! My time has not yet come!”
KTC – Jesus answered her, Nay, woman, why dost thou trouble my with that? My time has not come yet.
LB – I can’t help you now,” he said. “It isn’t my time for miracles.”
MSNT – “Leave the matter in my hands, ” he replied; “the time for me to act has not yet come.”
NCV – Jesus answered, “Dear woman, why come to me? My time has not yet come.”
NEB – He answered, “Your concern, mother, is not mine. My hour has not yet come.”
NET – Jesus answered her, “What do we have in common, woman? My time has not yet come.”
NIV – “Dear woman, why do you involve me?” Jesus replied. “My time has not yet come.”
NJB – Jesus said, “Woman, what do you want from me? My hour has not come yet.”
REB – He answered, “That is no concern of mine. My hour has not yet come.”
RNT – Jesus said to her, “What have you to do with my work, woman? My hour has not yet come.”
SGAT – Jesus said to her,
“Do not try to direct me. It is not yet time for me to act.”
TM – Jesus said, “Is that any of our business, Mother – yours or mine? This isn’t my time. Don’t push me.”
Footnotes
CEV – My time has not yet come!: The time when the true glory would be seen, and he would be recognized as God’s Son. See 12: 23.
EBR – The mother being already there (verse 1), probably as relative or near friend, had naturally accepted a measure of providing care. If so, Jesus hereby merely excuses himself from being yoked in as her helper, and yet may and must have declined her guidance with respectful tenderness.
NAB – This verse may seem to show that Jesus did not work miracles to help his family and friends, as in the apocryphal gospels.
Woman: a normal, polite form of address, but unattested in reference to one’s mother.
How does your concern affect me?: literally, “What is this to me and to you?” – a Hebrew expression of either hostility or denial of common interest.
My hour has not come: The “hour” is that of Jesus’ passion, death, resurrection, and ascension.
NBV – As a form of address “Woman” was a title of respect in that day. Jesus spoke the same word to His mother at the cross, John 19: 26.
SV – My time. Jesus’ time (Greek, hora, kairos) is the moment when he will be glorified (12: 23, 27-28), elevated (3: 14), and hence when he will return to the Father (13: 1, 17: 1). When that time comes, Jesus will speak plainly (16: 25) and his disciples will be scattered (16: 32); then the true worshipers will worship the Father as he truly is, without regard to place (4: 21, 23).
Certain events cannot transpire because Jesus’ time has not yet arrived (2: 4; 7: 6, 8, 30; 8: 20). Jesus’ time is contrasted with the time of the world: “It’s always your time,” because the world is evil and prefers darkness to light (7: 7; 3: 19-21).
The Fellows [the translators of this version] concluded that the words ascribed to Jesus in this narrative were the creation of the storyteller or were derived from common lore.
WAS – What is it to Me and to you?: We are guests, and guests are not expected to supply the things needed at a feast.
