Matthew 12:46

Matthew 12:46 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)While he yet talked to the people, behold, his mother and his brethren stood without, desiring to speak with him.
• New International Version (NIV)While Jesus was still talking to the crowd, his mother and brothers stood outside, wanting to speak to him.
• English Standard Version (ESV)While he was still speaking to the people, behold, his mother and his brothers stood outside, asking to speak to him.
• New King James Version (NKJV)While He was still talking to the multitudes, behold, His mother and brothers stood outside, seeking to speak with Him.

Context of Matthew 12:46

44So it says to itself, “I will return to the place where I lived before.” Then it goes back to that person. It finds that the place is empty. Everything there is now good and clean. 45So the bad spirit goes out and it brings back seven other spirits. They are even worse than itself. They all go into the person and they live there. Now the person's life is even worse than it was before. The same thing will happen to you bad people who are alive today.’ While Jesus was still speaking to the crowd of people, his mother and his brothers arrived. They stood outside the house. They wanted to speak to Jesus. 47Someone told him, ‘Look! Your mother and brothers are standing outside. They want to speak to you.’ 48Jesus replied, ‘I will tell you who my mother and my brothers really are.’

Matthew 12:46 word by word

Ἔτι αὐτοῦ λαλοῦντος τοῖς ὄχλοις ἰδοὺ ἡ μήτηρ καὶ οἱ ἀδελφοὶ αὐτοῦ εἱστήκεισαν ἔξω ζητοῦντες αὐτῷ λαλῆσαι.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·δέde · thenG1161
• Whileλαλέωlaleō · to speakG2980
• heαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• yetἔτιeti · stillG2089
• to the peopleὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• to the peopleὄχλοςochlos · crowdG3793
• beholdὁράωhoraō · to see: seeG3708
• motherμήτηρmētēr · motherG3384
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• brethrenἀδελφόςadelphos · brotherG80
• stoodἵστημιhistēmi · to standG2476
• withoutἔξωexō · out/outside(r)G1854
• desiringζητέωzēteō · to seekG2212

Cross-references for Matthew 12:46

• Mark 2:21Then Jesus said, ‘Nobody uses a piece of new cloth to mend an old coat. If he does, the new cloth will cause the old cloth to tear again. It will make a bigger hole than before.
• Mark 3:31Then, Jesus' mother and his brothers arrived and they stood outside the house. They sent someone into the house with a message. They wanted Jesus to come out to speak to them.
• Luke 8:10Jesus replied, ‘God has let you know what these stories mean. You understand how God rules in the lives of his people. But other people only listen to my stories. They look, but they do not really see clearly. They hear the words, but they do not really understand.’
• Matthew 13:55We know who he is. He is the son of the carpenter here. Mary is his mother. We also know his brothers, James, Joseph, Simon and Judas.
• Mark 6:3We know he is an ordinary man. He is the carpenter. He is the son of Mary and the brother of James, Joses, Simon and Judas. His sisters live here in the town among us. Isn't that true?’ So the people there turned against Jesus.
• John 2:12After this, Jesus went to a town called Capernaum. His mother, his brothers and his disciples went with him. They stayed there for a few days.
• John 7:3So Jesus' brothers said to him, ‘You should leave this place and you should go to Judea. Then your disciples will see the great things that you do.
• Acts 1:14All these apostles often met together to pray. Mary who was Jesus' mother, other women and Jesus' brothers also met with them.
• 1 Corinthians 9:5If we have a Christian wife, we should take her with us as we travel. The other apostles do this. So do the Lord's brothers, and also Peter. We have the same authority that they have.
• Galatians 1:19I did not see any other apostles, except James, who is the Lord's brother.

Commentaries on Matthew 12:46

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 46His mother and his brethren - These are supposed to have been the cousins of our Lord, as the word brother is frequently used among the Hebrews in this sense. But there are others who believe Mary had other children beside our Lord and that these were literally his brothers, who are spoken of here. And, although it be possible that these were the sons of Mary, the wife of Cleopas or Alpheus, his mother's sister, called his relations, Mark 3:31; yet it is…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 46-50Verses 46-50 See also Mark 3:31-35; Luke 8:19-21. His brethren - There has been some difference of opinion about the persons who are referred to here, some supposing that they were children of Mary his mother, others that they were the children of Mary, the wife of Cleophas or Alpheus, his “cousins,” and called “brethren” according to the customs of the Jews. The natural and obvious meaning is, however, that they were the children of Mary his mother. See…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 46-50Verses 46-50 Christ's preaching was plain, easy, and familiar, and suited to his hearers. His mother and brethren stood without, desiring to speak with him, when they should have been standing within, desiring to hear him. Frequently, those who are nearest to the means of knowledge and grace are most negligent. We are apt to neglect that which we think we may have any day, forgetting that to-morrow is not ours. We often meet with hinderances in our work…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 4646. While he yet talked to the people, behold, his mother and his brethren--(See on Mt 13:55, 56). stood without, desiring to speak with him--"and could not come at Him for the press" (Lu 8:19). For what purpose these came, we learn from Mr 3:20, 21. In His zeal and ardor He seemed indifferent both to food and repose, and "they went to lay hold of Him" as one "beside Himself." Mark (Mr 3:32) says graphically, "And the multitude sat about Him"--or "around…Read the comment

Topics related to Matthew 12:46

• Mary
• Parents

In the dictionaries

• Adulterous
• Brother
• Condemn
• Desolation
• Idle
• Judgment
• Mary
• Restore
• Sin
• Wither

Commentaries on Matthew 12

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Catena Aurea
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• John Lightfoot Commentary
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings