Matthew 12:46-50
Context12:46 While Jesus 1 was still speaking to the crowds, 2 his mother and brothers 3 came and 4 stood outside, asking 5 to speak to him. 12:47 6 Someone 7 told him, “Look, your mother and your brothers are standing outside wanting 8 to speak to you.” 12:48 To the one who had said this, Jesus 9 replied, 10 “Who is my mother and who are my brothers?” 12:49 And pointing 11 toward his disciples he said, “Here 12 are my mother and my brothers! 12:50 For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is 13 my brother and sister and mother.”
1 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
2 tn Grk “crowds, behold, his mother.” The Greek word ἰδού (idou) has not been translated because it has no exact English equivalent here, but adds interest and emphasis (BDAG 468 s.v. 1).
3 sn 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.
4 tn “His mother and brothers came and” is a translation of “behold, his mother and brothers came.”
5 tn Grk “seeking.”
6 tc A few ancient
7 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
8 tn Grk “seeking.”
9 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
10 tn Grk “And answering, he said to the one who had said this.” This construction is somewhat redundant in English and has been simplified in the translation. Here δέ (de) at the beginning of the clause has not been translated.
11 tn Grk “extending his hand.”
12 tn Grk “Behold my mother and my brothers.”
13 tn The pleonastic pronoun αὐτός (autos, “he”) which precedes this verb has not been translated.