But Jesus replied, “Who are My mother and My brothers?”
Parallel translations
- WEB He answered them, “Who are my mother and my brothers?”
- KJV And he answered them, saying, Who is my mother, or my brethren?
- NKJV But He answered them, saying, “Who is My mother, or My brothers?”
- NASB Answering them, He *said, “Who are My mother and My brothers?”
- NLT Jesus replied, “Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?”
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Jesus asks, 'Who are my mother and my brothers?' It matters because it redirects family loyalty toward a deeper, spiritual kinship.
Overview
Far from dishonoring his family, Jesus uses the question to teach that the closest ties are spiritual. He prepares to define his true relatives not by blood but by obedience to God. This reframing invites all people into the family of God through faith, a bond that transcends natural relationships.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 7
- Mark 3:21When His family heard about this, they went out to take custody of Him, saying, “He is out of His mind.”
- Mark 6:3Isn’t this the carpenter, the son of Mary and the brother of James, Joses, Judas, and Simon? Aren’t His sisters here with us as well?” And they took offense at Him.
- Deut 33:9He said of his father and mother, ‘I do not consider them.’ He disregarded his brothers and did not know his own sons, for he kept Your word and maintained Your covenant.
- 2 Cor 5:16So from now on we regard no one according to the flesh. Although we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer.
- Luke 2:49“Why were you looking for Me?” He asked. “Did you not know that I had to be in My Father’s house?”
- John 2:4“Woman, why does this concern us?” Jesus replied. “My hour has not yet come.”
- John 7:3–5So Jesus’ brothers said to Him, “Leave here and go to Judea, so that Your disciples there may see the works You are doing.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Mark drives urgently to the cross, showing Jesus the Son of God as the suffering Servant who 'came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.'
How Mark 3:33 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.