“Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? Isn’t His mother’s name Mary, and aren’t His brothers James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas?
Parallel translations
- WEB Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? Isn’t his mother called Mary, and his brothers, James, Joses, Simon, and Judas?
- KJV Is not this the carpenter’s son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas?
- NKJV Is this not the carpenter’s son? Is not His mother called Mary? And His brothers James, Joses, Simon, and Judas?
- NASB Is this not the carpenter’s son? Is His mother not called Mary, and His brothers, James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas?
- NLT Then they scoffed, “He’s just the carpenter’s son, and we know Mary, his mother, and his brothers—James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas.
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
The townspeople dismiss Jesus as merely the carpenter's son with a known family. Familiarity blinds them to His true identity.
Overview
The people of Nazareth recall Jesus' ordinary upbringing, naming Joseph the carpenter, His mother Mary, and His brothers. Their familiarity with His humble origins becomes a stumbling block to recognizing His divine commission. The verse illustrates how the incarnation, God taking on ordinary humanity, can be missed by those who judge only by outward appearances.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 20
- 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.
- John 6:42They were asking, “Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How then can He say, ‘I have come down from heaven?’”
- Luke 3:23Jesus Himself was about thirty years old when He began His ministry. He was regarded as the son of Joseph, the son of Heli,
- Luke 4:22All spoke well of Him and marveled at the gracious words that came from His lips. “Isn’t this the son of Joseph?” they asked.
- Mark 15:47Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joseph saw where His body was placed.
- Luke 24:10It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them who told this to the apostles.
- John 19:25Near the cross of Jesus stood His mother and her sister, as well as Mary the wife of Clopas and Mary Magdalene.
- Gal 1:19But I saw none of the other apostles except James, the Lord’s brother.
- Luke 2:5–7He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to him in marriage and was expecting a child.
- Isa 53:2–3He grew up before Him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no stately form or majesty to attract us, no beauty that we should desire Him.
- Isa 49:7Thus says the LORD, the Redeemer and Holy One of Israel, to Him who was despised and abhorred by the nation, to the Servant of rulers: “Kings will see You and rise, and princes will bow down, because of the LORD, who is faithful, the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen You.”
- Mark 15:40And there were also women watching from a distance. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joses, and Salome.
- Matt 27:56Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of Zebedee’s sons.
- Matt 1:18–20This 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.
- Luke 1:27to a virgin pledged in marriage to a man named Joseph, who was of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary.
- Ps 22:6But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by men and despised by the people.
- John 1:45–46Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the One Moses wrote about in the Law, the One the prophets foretold—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.”
- John 9:29We know that God spoke to Moses, but we do not know where this man is from.”
- John 7:41–42Others declared, “This is the Christ.” But still others asked, “How can the Christ come from Galilee?
- Matt 12:46–48While Jesus was still speaking to the crowds, His mother and brothers stood outside, wanting to speak to Him.
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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 13:55 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
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