Looking around at those who sat around him, he said, “Behold, my mother and my brothers!
Parallel translations
- KJV And he looked round about on them which sat about him, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren!
- BSB Looking at those seated in a circle around Him, He said, “Here are My mother and My brothers!
- NKJV And He looked around in a circle at those who sat about Him, and said, “Here are My mother and My brothers!
- NASB And looking around at those who were sitting around Him, He *said, “Here are My mother and My brothers!
- NLT Then he looked at those around him and said, “Look, these are my mother and 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
Looking at those seated around him, Jesus declares them his mother and brothers. It matters because it includes ordinary disciples in his own family.
Overview
With a sweeping look, Jesus identifies his gathered followers as his true family. This astonishing statement elevates discipleship above natural kinship in the kingdom of God. It assures believers that union with Christ brings them into the intimate household of God, sharing in his family by grace.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 10
- Matt 12:49–50He stretched out his hand towards his disciples, and said, “Behold, my mother and my brothers!
- Luke 11:27–28It 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 that bore you, and the breasts which nursed you!”
- Rom 8:29For whom he foreknew, he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.
- Matt 25:40–45“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.’
- Matt 28:10Then Jesus said to them, “Don’t be afraid. Go tell my brothers that they should go into Galilee, and there they will see me.”
- Heb 2:11–12For both he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified are all from one, for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brothers,
- Song 4:9–10You have ravished my heart, my sister, my bride. You have ravished my heart with one of your eyes, with one chain of your neck.
- Ps 22:22I will declare your name to my brothers. Among the assembly, I will praise you.
- John 20:17Jesus 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 Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’”
- Song 5:1–2I 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 drunk my wine with my milk. Eat, friends! Drink, yes, drink abundantly, beloved.
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 3:34 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.