To the servants renders “to them” of the Greek text, but several translations take this pronominal phrase to be an explicit reference to the servants (Good News Translation, Jerusalem Bible, New English Bible, Bible de Jérusalem).

In choosing a word to translate fill, it is important not to suggest that the servants carried these huge jars out to fill them with water; rather it should be suggested that the jars remained in place while water was brought to fill them.

To the brim (so most translations) is mentioned to show that there was no room left to add anything to the water in the jars. In some languages to the brim is equivalent to “until there was water flowing down the outside” or “until water reached the brim” or “until they were completely full.”

Quoted with permission from Newman, Barclay M. and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on the Gospel of John. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1980. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .