43After the two days he went out from there into Galilee. [4:44] For Jesus himself testified that a prophet has no honor in his own homeland. [4:45] So when he came into Galilee, the Galileans received him, having seen all the things he did in Jerusalem at the feast — for they also had gone to the feast. [4:46] He came again into Cana of Galilee, where he had made the water wine. And there was a royal official whose son was ill in Capernaum. [4:47] Having heard that Jesus had come out of Judea into Galilee, he went to him and asked him to come down and heal his son — for he was about to die. [4:48] Jesus therefore said to him, "Unless you see signs and wonders, you absolutely will not believe." [4:49] The royal official said to him, "Sir, come down before my child dies." [4:50] Jesus said to him, "Go — your son lives." The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and went his way. [4:51] And as he was already going down, his slaves met him, saying that his child was alive. [4:52] So he inquired of them the hour in which he got better, and they said to him, "Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him." [4:53] The father then knew that it was at that hour in which Jesus said to him, "Your son lives," and he himself believed, and his whole household. [4:54] This was again a second sign Jesus did when he came out of Judea into Galilee.
JHN 4:43-54
Jesus Heals the Officialʼs Son
In the world it was spoken into
In 1st-century Galilee, referred to a high-ranking official in the service of Herod Antipas, tetrarch of Galilee and Perea. Such officials were part of the Herodian administrative system, often overseeing local governance or tax collection. Their status placed them in a position of power but also made them dependent on Herod’s favor. The official’s journey from Capernaum to Cana, a distance of about 16 miles, underscores the urgency of his son’s illness, as travel was arduous and time-consuming. For Galileans, (signs) were not merely miracles but acts that revealed divine authority, challenging the Roman imperial narrative of power. The official’s request for Jesus to come to Capernaum reflects a common expectation that healers needed physical proximity to perform their work. Jesus’ response, healing from a distance, subverts this assumption, demonstrating authority beyond spatial limitations. This act would have been seen as a (wonder), evoking awe and pointing to Jesus’ unique identity.
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How other translations render this
JHN 4:43
- KJV
- Now after two days he departed thence, and went into Galilee.
- BSB
- After two days, Jesus left for Galilee.
- Koinōnos
- After the two days he went out from there into Galilee.
JHN 4:44
- KJV
- For Jesus himself testified, that a prophet hath no honour in his own country.
- BSB
- Now He Himself had testified that a prophet has no honor in his own hometown.
- Koinōnos
- For Jesus himself testified that a prophet has no honor in his own homeland.
JHN 4:45
- KJV
- Then when he was come into Galilee, the Galilaeans received him, having seen all the things that he did at Jerusalem at the feast: for they also went unto the feast.
- BSB
- Yet when He arrived, the Galileans welcomed Him. They had seen all the great things He had done in Jerusalem at the feast, for they had gone there as well.
- Koinōnos
- So when he came into Galilee, the Galileans received him, having seen all the things he did in Jerusalem at the feast — for they also had gone to the feast.
JHN 4:46
- KJV
- So Jesus came again into Cana of Galilee, where he made the water wine. And there was a certain nobleman, whose son was sick at Capernaum.
- BSB
- So once again He came to Cana in Galilee, where He had turned the water into wine. And there was a royal official whose son lay sick at Capernaum.
- Koinōnos
- He came again into Cana of Galilee, where he had made the water wine. And there was a royal official whose son was ill in Capernaum.
JHN 4:47
- KJV
- When he heard that Jesus was come out of Judaea into Galilee, he went unto him, and besought him that he would come down, and heal his son: for he was at the point of death.
- BSB
- When he heard that Jesus had come from Judea to Galilee, he went and begged Him to come down and heal his son, who was about to die.
- Koinōnos
- Having heard that Jesus had come out of Judea into Galilee, he went to him and asked him to come down and heal his son — for he was about to die.
JHN 4:48
- KJV
- Then said Jesus unto him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe.
- BSB
- Jesus said to him, “Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will never believe.”
- Koinōnos
- Jesus therefore said to him, "Unless you see signs and wonders, you absolutely will not believe.
JHN 4:49
- KJV
- The nobleman saith unto him, Sir, come down ere my child die.
- BSB
- “Sir,” the official said, “come down before my child dies.”
- Koinōnos
- The royal official said to him, "Sir, come down before my child dies.
JHN 4:50
- KJV
- Jesus saith unto him, Go thy way; thy son liveth. And the man believed the word that Jesus had spoken unto him, and he went his way.
- BSB
- “Go,” said Jesus. “Your son will live.” The man took Jesus at His word and departed.
- Koinōnos
- Jesus said to him, "Go — your son lives." The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and went his way.
JHN 4:51
- KJV
- And as he was now going down, his servants met him, and told him, saying, Thy son liveth.
- BSB
- And while he was still on the way, his servants met him with the news that his boy was alive.
- Koinōnos
- And as he was already going down, his slaves met him, saying that his child was alive.
JHN 4:52
- KJV
- Then enquired he of them the hour when he began to amend. And they said unto him, Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him.
- BSB
- So he inquired as to the hour when his son had recovered, and they told him, “The fever left him yesterday at the seventh hour.”
- Koinōnos
- So he inquired of them the hour in which he got better, and they said to him, "Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him.
JHN 4:53
- KJV
- So the father knew that it was at the same hour, in the which Jesus said unto him, Thy son liveth: and himself believed, and his whole house.
- BSB
- Then the father realized that this was the very hour in which Jesus had told him, “Your son will live.” And he and all his household believed.
- Koinōnos
- The father then knew that it was at that hour in which Jesus said to him, "Your son lives," and he himself believed, and his whole household.
JHN 4:54
- KJV
- This is again the second miracle that Jesus did, when he was come out of Judaea into Galilee.
- BSB
- This was now the second sign that Jesus performed after coming from Judea into Galilee.
- Koinōnos
- This was again a second sign Jesus did when he came out of Judea into Galilee.
Only verses where the wording diverges meaningfully are shown. Identical phrasings are suppressed.
Translator's notes
JHN 4:46
- there was:The word translated 'there was' here is better understood as 'royal official.' It refers to someone in the king's service, indicating a person of high status and authority within the royal court.
JHN 4:48
- signs:The term translated 'signs' often refers to actions or events that point beyond themselves to a deeper meaning or reality, serving as evidence of divine power or presence.
- wonders:The word translated 'wonders' describes extraordinary occurrences that evoke awe and astonishment, often associated with divine intervention or power.
JHN 4:51
- servants:The word translated 'servants' here more accurately means 'slaves.' In this context, it refers to individuals who were the property of the official, highlighting their complete subservience and obedience.