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While Jesus was still speaking to the crowds, His mother and brothers stood outside, wanting to speak to Him.
Matthew 12:46 · Berean Standard Bible
Parallel translations
  • WEB While he was yet speaking to the multitudes, behold, his mother and his brothers stood outside, seeking to speak to him.
  • KJV While he yet talked to the people, behold, his mother and his brethren stood without, desiring to speak with him.
  • NKJV While He was still talking to the multitudes, behold, His mother and brothers stood outside, seeking to speak with Him.
  • NASB While He was still speaking to the crowds, behold, His mother and brothers were standing outside, seeking to speak to Him.
  • NLT As Jesus was speaking to the crowd, his mother and brothers stood outside, asking to speak to him.

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

While Jesus is teaching, his mother and brothers stand outside wanting to speak with him.

Overview

This scene introduces a lesson about Jesus' true family. The reference to his brothers reflects his natural kin according to the flesh. The setting prepares for Jesus' redefinition of kinship around obedience to God.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 24

  • Matt 13:55“Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? Isn’t His mother’s name Mary, and aren’t His brothers James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas?
  • John 2:12After this, He went down to Capernaum with His mother and brothers and His disciples, and they stayed there a few days.
  • John 7:5For even His own brothers did not believe in Him.
  • John 7:3So Jesus’ brothers said to Him, “Leave here and go to Judea, so that Your disciples there may see the works You are doing.
  • Mark 3:31–35Then Jesus’ mother and brothers came and stood outside. They sent someone in to summon Him,
  • Luke 8:19–21Then Jesus’ mother and brothers came to see Him, but they were unable to reach Him because of the crowd.
  • 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.
  • Gal 1:19But I saw none of the other apostles except James, the Lord’s brother.
  • Acts 1:14With one accord they all continued in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers.
  • Luke 2:48When His parents saw Him, they were astonished. “Child, why have You done this to us?” His mother asked. “Your father and I have been anxiously searching for You.”
  • 1 Cor 9:5Have we no right to take along a believing wife, as do the other apostles and the Lord’s brothers and Cephas?
  • Luke 8:10He replied, “The knowledge of the mysteries of the kingdom of God has been given to you, but to others I speak in parables, so that, ‘though seeing, they may not see; though hearing, they may not understand.’
  • John 7:10But after His brothers had gone up to the feast, He also went—not publicly, but in secret.
  • Mark 2:21No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment. If he does, the new piece will pull away from the old, and a worse tear will result.
  • John 2:5His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever He tells you.”
  • Luke 2:33The Child’s father and mother were amazed at what was spoken about Him.
  • Luke 2:51Then He went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But His mother treasured up all these things in her heart.
  • John 2:1On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there,
  • Matt 2:11On coming to the house, they saw the Child with His mother Mary, and they fell down and worshiped Him. Then they opened their treasures and presented Him with gifts of gold and frankincense and myrrh.
  • Matt 2:20“Get up!” he said. “Take the Child and His mother and go to the land of Israel, for those seeking the Child’s life are now dead.”
  • Matt 1:18This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged in marriage to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit.
  • Matt 2:13–14When the Magi had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up!” he said. “Take the Child and His mother and flee to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the Child to kill Him.”
  • John 19:25Near the cross of Jesus stood His mother and her sister, as well as Mary the wife of Clopas and Mary Magdalene.
  • Luke 1:43And why am I so honored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (2)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — Matthew videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on Matthew 12:46YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on MatthewMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.

Christ at the center

Matthew presents Jesus as the promised King — son of David, son of Abraham — the new Moses and true Israel in whom every prophecy reaches 'that it might be fulfilled.'

How Matthew 12:46 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.