Then He said to them, "Now pour [some of it] out and take it to the banquet host." So, they took some to him,

and said to him, "Everyone sets out the best wine first, and when people have had plenty to drink, he then sets out the poor quality [wine]. But you have kept the best wine until now." [Note: See Barnes Notes and The Gospel of John by Butler for evidence suggesting that this was not intoxicating wine].

This was the beginning of Jesus' [miraculous] signs, which He performed in Cana in Galilee. [In doing this] He demonstrated His glorious power and His disciples believed in Him.

For [just] as the Father is Himself [the source of] life, in the same way He gave to His Son also [the power] to be [the source of] life.

After these things happened Jesus went across to the east side of Lake Galilee, also called Lake Tiberias. [Note: This lake also bore a name honoring the Roman Emperor Tiberias].

So, [when] Jesus knew that the people were about to come and forcibly take Him and make Him [their] king, He left there again and went to the high plateau [to be] alone [i.e., to pray. See Mark 6:46].

Why do you people not understand what I am saying? It is because you cannot [bear to] listen to my message.

We know that God does not listen to sinners [i.e., when they pray]; but God does listen to the person who reveres Him and does what He wants.

"Why was this perfume not sold for a large sum of money [Note: The amount here was equivalent to three hundred days of a farm laborer's pay, or over $20,000 in 1994] and [then] the money given to poor people?"

Now he did not say this because he cared about poor people, but because he was in charge of the money bag, and being a thief, he used to steal from it.

For you will always have poor people among you, but you will not always have me."

This was so that these words, which Isaiah the prophet had spoken, would be fulfilled [Isa. 53:1], "Lord, who has believed our message? And who has the Lord's power been shown to?"

For some of them thought, since Judas was in charge of the [money] bag, that Jesus was telling him, "Buy whatever we need for the [Passover] meal," or that he was [being told] to give [money] to poor people [from it].

He will cut off [See verse 6] every branch [i.e., follower of Christ] who is in [fellowship with] me that does not bear fruit. And He will prune every branch that does bear fruit, so it will bear more fruit.

Remain united to me, and I will remain united to you. Just as a branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it remains united to the vine, so neither can you people [bear fruit] unless you remain united to me.

"I am the vine; you people are the branches. The person who remains united to me, and I to him, will bear much fruit. For you cannot do anything if [you are] separated from me.

You [apostles] did not choose me, but I chose you, and appointed you to go and bear much fruit [i.e., through their evangelizing], and that your fruit should last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask Him for in my name [i.e. by my authority].

"I still have many things to tell you, but you cannot bear [to hear] them at present.

I have revealed your name [i.e., your power and character] to the men you gave me out of the world [i.e., the apostles]. They belonged to you, but you gave them to me, and they have obeyed your word.

And [now] I am coming to you, for I will not be in the world any longer, yet these men are [still] in the world. Holy Father, protect them by [the power of] your name which you have given me. May these men be one, as we are.

I protected them while I was with them by [the power of] your name which you gave me. [See verse 11]. I guarded them so that not one of them was lost except the "son of destruction" [i.e., Judas]. [This was] so that the Scripture would be fulfilled [Psa. 41:9 ?].

[I pray] that all of them may be one, just as you, Father, are [one] in [fellowship with] me, and I [am one] in [fellowship with] you, so that they also may be [one] in [fellowship with] us in order that the world may [see it and] believe that you sent me.

Now when Jesus had said to them, "I am [He]," they [all] moved backward and fell to the ground. [Note: This appears to have been done by some miraculous power].