^3:31Then⁵⁷ Jesus’⁵⁸ mother and his brothers⁵⁹ came. Standing⁶⁰ outside, they sent word to him, to summon him. ^3:32A crowd was sitting around him and they said to him, “Look, your mother and your brothers⁶¹ are outside looking for you.” ^3:33He answered them and said, “Who are my mother and my brothers?”⁶²^3:34And looking at those who were sitting around him in a circle, he said, “Here⁶³ are my mother and my brothers! ^3:35For whoever does the will of God is⁶⁴ my brother and sister and mother.”

Read in Logos

Footnotes

57 Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
58 Grk “his”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
59 The issue of whether Jesus had brothers (siblings) has had a long history in the church. Epiphanius, in the 4th century, argued that Mary was a perpetual virgin and had no offspring other than Jesus. Others argued that these brothers were really cousins. Nothing in the text suggests any of this. See also John 7:3.
60 Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
61 Many read “and your sisters” here after “your brothers” (A D Γ 700 it). However, the pedigree of several of the which lack this phrase is considerable (א B C K L W Δ Θ f1, 13 28 33 565 892 1241 1424 2542 lat sy). It seems likely that this phrase was added by an early Western scribe to harmonize this statement with Jesus’ response in v. 35. has the words in brackets, indicating some doubt as to their authenticity.
62 Grk “Who is my mother and my brothers?” The use of the singular verb ἐστιν (estin) here singles out Mary above Jesus’ brothers, giving her special prominence (see ). This is slightly unnatural in English since the predicate nominative is plural, though, so a plural verb was used in the translation.
63 Grk “Behold my mother and my brothers.”
64 The pleonastic pronoun οὖτος (houtos, “this one”) which precedes this verb has not been translated.

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

And his mother and his brothers came, and standing outside they sent to him and called him. And a crowd was sitting around him, and they said to him, “Your mother and your brothers are outside, seeking you.” And he answered them, “Who are my mother and my brothers?” And looking about at those who sat around him, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! For whoever does the will of God, he is my brother and sister and mother.”

NIVNew International Version (2011)

Then Jesus’ mother and brothers arrived. Standing outside, they sent someone in to call him. A crowd was sitting around him, and they told him, “Your mother and brothers are outside looking for you.”

“Who are my mother and my brothers?” he asked.

Then he looked at those seated in a circle around him and said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother.”

CSBChristian Standard Bible

His mother and his brothers came, and standing outside, they sent word to him and called him. A crowd was sitting around him and told him, “Look, your mother, your brothers, and your sisters are outside asking for you.”

He replied to them, “Who are my mother and my brothers?” Looking at those sitting in a circle around him, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.”

NLTNew Living Translation

Then Jesus’ mother and brothers came to see him. They stood outside and sent word for him to come out and talk with them. There was a crowd sitting around Jesus, and someone said, “Your mother and your brothers are outside asking for you.”

Jesus replied, “Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?” Then he looked at those around him and said, “Look, these are my mother and brothers. Anyone who does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother.”

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

And his mother and his brothers arrived, and standing outside, they sent word to him to summon him. And a crowd was sitting around him, and they told him, “Behold, your mother and your brothers are outside looking for you.” And he answered them and said, “Who is my mother or my brothers?” And looking around at those who were sitting around him in a circle, he said, “Behold, my mother and my brothers! For whoever does the will of God, this person is my brother and sister and mother.”

KJV 1900King James Version

There came then his brethren and his mother, and, standing without, sent unto him, calling him. And the multitude sat about him, and they said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren without seek for thee. And he answered them, saying, Who is my mother, or my brethren? And he looked round about on them which sat about him, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren! For whosoever shall do the will of God, the same is my brother, and my sister, and mother.

Public Domain