2:9a
and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine: The most important information in this clause is that the water had become wine. This is also the most important part of the story. In some languages it may be natural to translate it as an independent clause. For example:
The master of the banquet tasted the water—and it had been changed into wine!
that had been turned into wine: There are several ways to translate this clause. For example:
• Use a passive verb. For example:
that had been changed into wine
-or-
that had been turned into wine (New International Version)
• Use an active verb. For example:
that Jesus had changed into wine
-or-
the water that was now wine (New Living Translation (2004))
Translate this clause in a way that is natural in your language for describing an important action.
The text does not say exactly when the water turned into wine. You should not supply this information.
2:9b
He did not know where it was from: The steward did not know that this wine was originally water that Jesus had transformed. Here are other ways to translate this phrase:
He did not know where the wine came from (New Century Version)
-or-
not knowing its source (Revised English Bible)
-or-
He did not realize where it had come from (New International Version)
2:9c
but the servants who had drawn the water knew: This is parenthetical information. Although the Berean Standard Bible does not indicate this, the New Revised Standard Version shows this by using parentheses. You should indicate that this is a parenthetical comment in a way that is natural in your language. For example, you might want to use dashes instead of parentheses:
—though the servants who had drawn the water knew— (New Jerusalem Bible)
General Comment on 2:9b–c
2:9c is in contrast to 2:9b. The man in charge of the feast did not know where the wine had come from. The servants did know. Indicate this contrast in a way that is natural in your language. For example:
but the servants who had brought the water knew (New Century Version)
2:9d
Then he called the bridegroom aside: The word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as called here means “sent for” or “asked to come.” The man in charge of the feast asked the bridegroom to come and talk to him.
Here is another way to translate this clause:
he called the bridegroom over (New Living Translation (2004))
bridegroom: The term bridegroom refers to the man who marries the bride in a wedding ceremony.
General Comment on 2:9a–d
In some languages it may be natural to change the order of the clauses of verse 9. For example:
9c And the servants who had taken/dipped the water ⌊out of the pots/jars⌋ knew where the wine had come from, 9b but the man in charge did not know. 9a Therefore when he tasted the water that Jesus had changed into wine, 9d he called the bridegroom…
General Comment on 2:9a–d
In the Greek, as in the Berean Standard Bible, this is one long sentence. In some languages it may be more natural to break this into two or more sentences. For example:
The person in charge tasted the water that had become wine. He didn’t know where it had come from, although the servers who had poured the water knew. The person in charge called the groom…. (God’s Word)
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