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

44Then it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came’; and when it comes, it finds it unoccupied, swept, and put in order. 45Then it goes and brings along with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they come in and live there; and the last condition of that person becomes worse than the first. That is the way it will also be with this evil generation.” While He was still speaking to the crowds, behold, His mother and brothers were standing outside, seeking to speak to Him. 47[Someone said to Him, “Look, Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, seeking to speak to You.”] 48But Jesus replied to the one who was telling Him and said, “Who is My mother, and who are My brothers?”

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

• While He was stillἔτιeti · stillG2089
• speakingλαλέωlaleō · to speakG2980
• to the crowdsὄχλοςochlos · crowdG3793
• beholdἰδούidou · look!G2400
• motherμήτηρmētēr · motherG3384
• brothersἀδελφόςadelphos · brotherG80
• were standingἵστημιhistēmi · to standG2476
• outsideἔξωexō · out/outside(r)G1854
• seekingζητέωzēteō · to seekG2212

Cross-references for Matthew 12:46

• Mark 2:21“No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; otherwise, the patch pulls away from it, the new from the old, and a worse tear results.
• Mark 3:31Then His mother and His brothers came, and while standing outside they sent word to Him, calling for Him.
• Luke 8:10And He said, “To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to the rest they are told in parables, so that while seeing they may not see, and while hearing they may not understand.
• Matthew 13:55Is this not the carpenter’s son? Is His mother not called Mary, and His brothers, James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas?
• Mark 6:3Is this not the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James, Joses, Judas, and Simon? And are His sisters not here with us?” And they took offense at Him.
• John 2:12After this He went down to Capernaum, He and His mother, and His brothers and His disciples; and they stayed there a few days.
• John 7:3So His brothers said to Him, “Move on from here and go into Judea, so that Your disciples also may see Your works which You are doing.
• Acts 1:14All these were continually devoting themselves with one mind to prayer, along with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers.
• 1 Corinthians 9:5Do we not have a right to take along a believing wife, even as the rest of the apostles and the brothers of the Lord, and Cephas?
• Galatians 1:19But I did not see another one of the apostles except James, 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