But he answered him who spoke to him, “Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?” He stretched out his hand toward his disciples, and said, “Behold, my mother and my brothers! For whoever does the will of my Father who is in heaven, he is my brother, and sister, and mother.”
Parallel Translations
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But he answered him who spoke to him, “Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?”
He stretched out his hand toward his disciples, and said, “Behold, my mother and my brothers!
For whoever does the will of my Father who is in heaven, he is my brother, and sister, and mother.”
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He answered and sayd to him that tolde hym: Who is my mother? or who are my brethren?
And he stretched forth his hond over his disciples and sayd: behold my mother and my brethren.
For whosoever dothe my fathers will which is in heven the same is my brother suster and mother.
Show all 3 translations
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But he answered, and said to him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren?
And he stretched foorth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Beholde my mother and my brethren.
For whosoeuer shall doe my Fathers will which is in heauen, the same is my brother and sister and mother.
Cross-references (48)
- Luke 8:21 (v50) But he answered them, “My mother and my brothers are these who hear the word of God, and do it.”
- Mark 3:35 (v50) For whoever does the will of God is my brother, my sister, and mother.”
- John 15:14 (v50) You are my friends, if you do whatever I command you.
- Matthew 28:10 (v50) Then Jesus said to them, “Don’t be afraid. Go tell my brothers that they should go into Galilee, and there they will see me.”
- Luke 11:27-28 (v50) It came to pass, as he said these things, a certain woman out of the multitude lifted up her voice, and said to him, “Blessed is the womb…
Show all 48 cross-references
- 1 John 3:23-24 (v50) This is his commandment, that we should believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another, even as he commanded. He who…
- Hebrews 2:11-17 (v50) For both he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified are all from one, for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brothers, saying,…
- James 1:21-22 (v50) Therefore, putting away all filthiness and overflowing of wickedness, receive with humility the implanted word, which is able to save your…
- 1 John 2:17 (v50) The world is passing away with its lusts, but he who does God’s will remains forever.
- John 6:29 (v50) Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.”
- John 6:40 (v50) This is the will of the one who sent me, that everyone who sees the Son, and believes in him, should have eternal life; and I will raise…
- Romans 8:29 (v50) For whom he foreknew, he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.
- Matthew 7:20-21 (v50) Therefore by their fruits you will know them. Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven; but he who…
- Matthew 25:40 (v50) “The King will answer them, ‘Most certainly I tell you, because you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’
- John 19:26-27 (v50) Therefore when Jesus saw his mother, and the disciple whom he loved standing there, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son!” Then…
- John 20:17 (v50) Jesus said to her, “Don’t hold me, for I haven’t yet ascended to my Father; but go to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my…
- Galatians 6:15 (v50) For in Christ Jesus neither is circumcision anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation.
- 1 Timothy 5:2 (v50) the elder women as mothers; the younger as sisters, in all purity.
- 1 Peter 4:2 (v50) that you no longer should live the rest of your time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God.
- Psalms 22:22 (v50) I will declare your name to my brothers. Among the assembly, I will praise you.
- Matthew 17:5 (v50) While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them. Behold, a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is my beloved…
- Mark 3:32-33 (v48) A multitude was sitting around him, and they told him, “Behold, your mother, your brothers, and your sisters are outside looking for you.”…
- Mark 3:34 (v49) Looking around at those who sat around him, he said, “Behold, my mother and my brothers!
- Acts 16:30-31 (v50) brought them out, and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” They said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you…
- Acts 17:30 (v50) The times of ignorance therefore God overlooked. But now he commands that all people everywhere should repent,
- Galatians 5:6 (v50) For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision amounts to anything, nor uncircumcision, but faith working through love.
- Ephesians 5:25-27 (v50) Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the assembly, and gave himself up for it; that he might sanctify it, having cleansed…
- Colossians 3:11 (v50) where there can’t be Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, bondservant, or free person; but Christ is all,…
- Revelation 22:14 (v50) Blessed are those who do his commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter in by the gates into the city.
- Song of Solomon 4:9-10 (v50) You have ravished my heart, my sister, my bride. You have ravished my heart with one of your eyes, with one chain of your neck. How…
- Song of Solomon 5:1-2 (v50) I have come into my garden, my sister, my bride. I have gathered my myrrh with my spice; I have eaten my honeycomb with my honey; I have…
- Matthew 10:37 (v48) He who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and he who loves son or daughter more than me isn’t worthy of me.
- Matthew 25:45 (v50) “Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Most certainly I tell you, because you didn’t do it to one of the least of these, you didn’t do it to…
- Acts 3:22-23 (v50) For Moses indeed said to the fathers, ‘The Lord God will raise up a prophet for you from among your brothers, like me. You shall listen to…
- Acts 26:20 (v50) but declared first to them of Damascus, at Jerusalem, and throughout all the country of Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that they should…
- 2 Corinthians 11:2 (v50) For I am jealous over you with a godly jealousy. For I married you to one husband, that I might present you as a pure virgin to Christ.
- Hebrews 5:9 (v50) Having been made perfect, he became to all of those who obey him the author of eternal salvation,
- Deuteronomy 33:9 (v48) He said of his father, and of his mother, ‘I have not seen him.’ He didn’t acknowledge his brothers, nor did he know his own children; for…
- Song of Solomon 4:12 (v50) My sister, my bride, is a locked up garden; a locked up spring, a sealed fountain.
- Matthew 28:7 (v49) Go quickly and tell his disciples, ‘He has risen from the dead, and behold, he goes before you into Galilee; there you will see him.’…
- Luke 2:52 (v48) And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.
- John 17:8-9 (v49) for the words which you have given me I have given to them, and they received them, and knew for sure that I came from you. They have…
- John 17:20 (v49) Not for these only do I pray, but for those also who will believe in me through their word,
- John 20:17-20 (v49) Jesus said to her, “Don’t hold me, for I haven’t yet ascended to my Father; but go to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my…
- 1 Corinthians 9:5 (v50) Have we no right to take along a wife who is a believer, even as the rest of the apostles, and the brothers of the Lord, and Cephas?
- Luke 2:49 (v48) He said to them, “Why were you looking for me? Didn’t you know that I must be in my Father’s house?”
- John 2:3-4 (v48) When the wine ran out, Jesus’ mother said to him, “They have no wine.” Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does that have to do with you and…
- 2 Corinthians 5:16 (v48) Therefore we know no one after the flesh from now on. Even though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now we know him so no more.
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this passage (12 sources)
Historical commentary, presented as a primary source — not an endorsement.
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Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain On v49 None are more near unto us, than they that…
None are more near unto us, than they that are of the household of faith.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain On vv48–50 48 But he answered and said unto him that…
48 But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren?
Ver. 48. Who is my mother, and who, &c.] This meekest lamb was stirred with a holy indignation at so absurd an interruption, and sharps him up that delivers the message. Great is the honour that is due to a mother. Solomon set Bathsheba at his right hand, and promised her anything with reason. Nescitne Antipater unicam matris lacrimulam omnes istius criminationes posse delere? Knows not Antipater that one tear of my mother’s can easily blot out all his accusations against her? said Alexander the Great. Brethren also, or near allies (as these were to our Saviour), are dearly to be respected, and greatly gratified, as were Joseph’s brethren by him in his greatness. But when these relations, or their requests, come in competition with God’s work or glory, they must be neglected, nay, rejected and abominated. For is there any friend to God? or any foe like him? Men be they pleased or displeased, he must be obeyed, and his business despatched, be the contrary occasions never so urgent in show, the pretences never so specious and plausible.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain On vv48–49 And he answering, said - Our Lord's knowing why…
And he answering, said - Our Lord's knowing why they came, sufficiently justifies his seeming disregard of them.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain On vv48, 50 Verse 48. Who is my mother? and who are…
Verse 48. Who is my mother? and who are my brethren?] The reason of this seeming disregard of his relatives was this: they came to seize upon him, for they thought he was distracted. See Mr 3:33.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain On vv49–50 And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples--How…
And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples--How graphic is this! It is the language evidently of an eye-witness.
and said, Behold my mother and my brethren!
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain On v49 49. Disciples… my mother — Our Lord here refused,…
49. Disciples… my mother — Our Lord here refused, or at least delayed to see his relatives, to teach an important lesson. Nothing more close than the connection of Christ and his believers. The tie of human relationship is physical and temporal; the tie to Christ is spiritual and eternal. And we see from this passage how absurd is the idea that Mary is our intercessor with Christ or God. The connection of any saint with Jesus by faith is greater than this tie of blood in itself is.
Our Lord speaks of mother, brother, and sister; but never of any human father.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain On vv49–50 49. Behold my mother and my brethren] The new…
49. Behold my mother and my brethren] The new life subverts the old relationships. By the spiritual birth new ties of kindred are established.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain On vv49–50 (49) Behold my mother and my brethren.—The words assert…
(49) Behold my mother and my brethren.—The words assert in its strongest form the truth which we all acknowledge, that though natural relationships involve duties which may not be neglected, spiritual relationships, the sense of brotherhood in a great cause, of devotion to the same Master, are above them, and that when the two clash (as in the case supposed in Mat_10:37), the latter must of right prevail.
The words have naturally occupied a prominent position in the controversial writings of Protestants against what has been judged by them to be the idolatrous worship of the Virgin Mother by the Church of Rome; and it is clear that they have a very direct bearing on it. They do exclude the thought that her intercession is mightier to prevail than that of any other pure and saintly soul. Though spoken with no apparent reference to the abuses of later ages, the words are a protest, all the stronger because of the absence of such reference, against the excess of reverence which has passed into a cultus, and the idolatry of dressed-up dolls into which that cultus has developed.
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain On vv48–50 But he answered and said unto him that told…
But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren? Who are they who are such in the truest sense? they for whom I must therefore primarily care?
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
B. W. Johnson 1891 · Public Domain On vv48, 50 48, 49. Who is my mother, and my brethren?…
48, 49. Who is my mother, and my brethren? An allusion to his Divine character, which lifted him above the ordinary ties of the flesh. Behold my mother and my brethren. His real relatives are those bound to him by spiritual ties.
B. W. Johnson's The People's New Testament with Notes (1889–1891) — public domain. Electronic text from the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) ThML edition.
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On v48 Connecting Statement:
Connecting Statement:
This is the end of the part of the story that began in Matthew 12:1, where Matthew tells of growing opposition to Jesus' ministry.
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who told him
The details of the message the person told Jesus are understood and not repeated here. AT: "who told Jesus that his mother and brothers wanted to speak to him" (See: Ellipsis)
Who is my mother and who are my brothers?
Jesus uses these questions to teach the people. AT: "I will tell you who are really my mother and brothers" (See: Rhetorical Question)
See
"Look" or "Listen" or "Pay attention to what I am about to tell you"
here are my mother and my brothers
This is a metaphor that means Jesus' disciples belong to Jesus' spiritual family. This is more important than belonging to his physical family. (See: Metaphor)
whoever does
"anyone who does"
Father
This is an important title for God. (See: Translating Son and Father)
that person is my brother, and sister, and mother
This is a metaphor meaning that those who obey God belong to Jesus' spiritual family. This is more important than belonging to his physical family. (See: Metaphor)
translationWords
Jesus
disciple
will of God
God the Father
heaven
unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On v48 12:48-50 Those who are true members in Jesus’ family…
12:48-50 Those who are true members in Jesus’ family do the will of the Father, as expressed in the commands of Jesus (see 7:21). Obedience does not earn entrance into this family, but one cannot be considered a member if he or she is not obedient (see 3:15; 5:17-48; 6:10, 12; 7:13-27; 21:31).
Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.