Cana

"This, the first of His signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested His glory; and His disciples believed in Him." (John 2:11 RSV)

The fortified village of Cana was a regular stop for Jesus when he traveled from Nazareth to the Sea of Galilee and Capernaum. The route from Nazareth to Capernaum is 30 miles, too far to complete in a single day - and since Cana lay on the main Ptolemias-Taricheae road, it was an ideal stop for weary travelers. Cana was also important in the first century as it guarded the climb to Jotapata, city of the well known historian Josephus.

Cana is mentioned four times in bible verses and all references are found in the Book of John. We learn that Jesus Christ performed his first miracle in Cana, turning water into wine (read the story on this page).

There is also a Johannine account mentioning Cana. A nobleman asked Jesus to heal his dying son while he was en route from Cana to Capernaum. Yet even though the ill son was in Capernaum and Jesus was in Cana, Christ assured the worried father that the boy would recover – and when the father returned home, he found, miraculously, that his son was well (read the story on this page).

Although biblical scholars are not sure about the exact site of Cana today, many believe that it is in Kirbet Qanah in the Bet Netofa Valley, 7 miles north of Nazareth.

The First Miracle Performed by Jesus
"On the third day there was a marriage at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there; Jesus also was invited to the marriage, with His disciples. When the wine failed, the mother of Jesus said to Him, "They have no wine." And Jesus said to her, "O woman, what have you to do with Me? My hour has not yet come." His mother said to the servants, "Do whatever He tells you."
Now six stone jars were standing there, for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons." Jesus said to them, "Fill the jars with water." And they filled them up to the brim. "He said to them, "Now draw some out, and take it to the steward of the feast." So they took it.
When the steward of the feast tasted the water now become wine, and did not know where it came from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew, the steward of the feast called the bridegroom and said to him, "Every man serves the good wine first; and when men have drunk freely, then the poor wine; but you have kept the good wine until now."
This, the first of His signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested His glory; and His disciples believed in Him. (John 2:1-11 RSV)

Healing a Dying Son
"After the two days He departed to Galilee. For Jesus Himself testified that a prophet has no honor in his own country. So when He came to Galilee, the Galileans welcomed Him, having seen all that He had done in Jerusalem at the feast, for they too had gone to the feast."
"So He came again to Cana in Galilee, where He had made the water wine. And at Capernaum there was an official whose son was ill. When he heard that Jesus had come from Judea to Galilee, he went and begged Him to come down and heal his son, for he was at the point of death." "Jesus therefore said to him, "Unless you see signs and wonders you will not believe." "The official said to Him, "Sir, come down before my child dies." "Jesus said to him, "Go; your son will live."
"The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and went his way. As he was going down, his servants met him and told him that his son was living. So he asked them the hour when he began to mend, and they said to him, "Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him." "The father knew that was the hour when Jesus had said to him, "Your son will live"; and he himself believed, and all his household."
"This was now the second sign that Jesus did when He had come from Judea to Galilee." (John 4:44-54 RSV)