Luke 8:21 kjv
And he answered and said unto them, My mother and my brethren are these which hear the word of God, and do it.
Luke 8:21 nkjv
But He answered and said to them, "My mother and My brothers are these who hear the word of God and do it."
Luke 8:21 niv
He replied, "My mother and brothers are those who hear God's word and put it into practice."
Luke 8:21 esv
But he answered them, "My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it."
Luke 8:21 nlt
Jesus replied, "My mother and my brothers are all those who hear God's word and obey it."
Luke 8 21 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Mt 12:49-50 | Pointing to His disciples, He said, "Here are My mother and My brothers!...who does the will of My Father..." | Parallel account, redefines family by obedience. |
| Mk 3:34-35 | Looking around at those seated in a circle... "Whoever does God's will is My brother and sister and mother." | Parallel account, emphasizes doing God's will. |
| Jas 1:22 | But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. | Directly emphasizes doing over just hearing. |
| Jas 1:23-25 | For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man... | Consequences of only hearing the Word. |
| Mt 7:24-27 | Everyone then who hears these words of Mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock... | Parable of the two builders; foundation on doing God's word. |
| Lk 6:46-49 | "Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you? Everyone who comes to Me and hears My words and does them..." | Emphasizes obedience as a mark of true discipleship. |
| Jn 13:17 | If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them. | Blessings follow practical application of truth. |
| Jn 1:12-13 | But to all who did receive Him...were given the right to become children of God, who were born...of God. | Spiritual birth over physical lineage for divine kinship. |
| Gal 3:26-29 | For in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith...there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus... | In Christ, distinctions based on flesh diminish, all are God's children. |
| Eph 2:19-22 | So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God... | Believers become part of God's household/family. |
| Heb 2:11 | For both He who sanctifies and those who are sanctified are all of one origin. That is why He is not ashamed to call them brothers. | Jesus considers believers His brothers and sisters. |
| Rom 8:14 | For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. | Sonship is defined by spiritual guidance and obedience. |
| Jn 14:15 | "If you love Me, you will keep My commandments." | Love for Christ expressed through obedience. |
| Jn 14:21 | Whoever has My commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves Me. | Love and obedience are intrinsically linked. |
| Jn 14:23 | If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word, and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him. | Mutual dwelling through obedience. |
| 1 Jn 2:3 | And by this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments. | Proof of knowing God is keeping His commandments. |
| Ps 119:105 | Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. | The necessity and guidance of God's Word. |
| Deut 6:6-7 | "These words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children..." | Importance of internalizing and transmitting God's commands. |
| Jos 1:8 | This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night...Then you will make your way prosperous... | Prosperity linked to constant engagement with and obedience to the Law. |
| Isa 55:11 | So shall My word be that goes out from My mouth; it shall not return to Me empty... | The power and efficacy of God's Word. |
| 2 Tim 3:16-17 | All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof...that the man of God may be competent... | Sufficiency and purpose of God's Word. |
| 1 Jn 5:3 | For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome. | Love for God expressed in joyous obedience. |
Luke 8 verses
Luke 8 21 Meaning
Luke 8:21 communicates Jesus' radical redefinition of true kinship, asserting that His closest familial relationship is not based on bloodline or physical proximity, but on spiritual obedience. He declares that His true "mother and brothers" are those who attentively hear God's revealed word and actively put it into practice in their lives. This establishes a profound spiritual family bound by devotion and active faith.
Luke 8 21 Context
This verse occurs immediately after Jesus' earthly mother and brothers arrive, seeking to speak with Him, as mentioned in Lk 8:19-20. The crowd reports their presence to Jesus. Rather than physically attending to His biological family at that moment, Jesus seizes the opportunity to deliver a profound teaching. This scene closely follows the Parable of the Sower (Lk 8:4-15), which vividly describes different responses to "the word of God," culminating in the "good soil" representing those who "hear the word and keep it, and bear fruit with patience" (Lk 8:15). Therefore, Jesus' statement in Lk 8:21 directly reiterates and reinforces the spiritual principle taught in the parable: the true test and proof of receiving God's word is actively living it out. The historical and cultural context highlights the significance of this statement: in Jewish society, physical family and lineage were of paramount importance, shaping identity and inheritance. Jesus' words present a counter-cultural truth, elevating spiritual allegiance and active obedience to God's will above natural kinship ties, indicating a new, divinely ordained family based on faith rather than blood. This subtly acts as a polemic against any notion that salvation or favored status comes purely by physical descent (e.g., Abraham's lineage) rather than a personal, obedient relationship with God.
Luke 8 21 Word analysis
- He replied: Indicates a direct response, a deliberate teaching moment from Jesus, not a casual remark.
- My mother and brothers: Refers to Jesus' physical family, establishing the immediate context and the point of contrast for His redefinition.
- are those: Defines the category or group of people who truly belong to this spiritual family.
- who hear: Greek: ἀκούοντες (akouontes), a present participle, signifying an ongoing state or characteristic of "listening attentively" or "perceiving" the word. It implies more than passive hearing; it suggests understanding and receptiveness. This echoes the parable of the sower where the quality of hearing determines fruitfulness (Lk 8:15).
- God's word: Greek: τὸν λόγον τοῦ Θεοῦ (ton logon tou Theou). "Logos" (Word) signifies not merely spoken words but divine communication, revelation, and God's express will. It is inherently authoritative and living (Heb 4:12). This refers to the entirety of God's revealed truth, specifically Jesus' own teachings (Jn 8:31, 14:23).
- and: A crucial conjunction linking the act of hearing with the act of doing, emphasizing that both are essential for true kinship. It indicates causality and completeness.
- put it into practice: Greek: ποιοῦντες (poiountes), also a present participle, meaning "doing," "making," "obeying." This signifies active, volitional obedience and application of what has been heard. It implies that true reception of God's Word must culminate in action, demonstrating authentic faith (Jas 1:22). It aligns directly with the "good soil" in the Parable of the Sower, which represents those who, "hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patience" (Lk 8:15).
Words-group by words-group analysis data:
- "My mother and brothers are those": This phrase fundamentally redefines kinship. It moves beyond conventional, earthly ties to a new, spiritual order established by Jesus. It highlights that the most significant relationship with Christ is spiritual, not biological.
- "who hear God's word and put it into practice": This combined phrase outlines the two inseparable components of true discipleship and membership in God's spiritual family: receptive hearing of divine truth and active, obedient living based on that truth. One without the other is incomplete or futile. Hearing without doing leads to deception (Jas 1:22), while doing without hearing God's specific word can be misguided zeal.
Luke 8 21 Bonus section
- The profound implication of this verse is that even Jesus' own biological family was not automatically granted spiritual kinship or favor. Their belonging to His spiritual family would also depend on their personal "hearing and doing" of God's word. This principle underlines that salvation and intimate relationship with Christ are open to all who fulfill this spiritual criterion, irrespective of their earthly connections or advantages.
- This passage lays foundational theology for the Church, presenting it as a spiritual family, united by common faith and obedience to Christ's teachings, rather than by ethnic, national, or familial lines (Gal 3:28). This inclusive spiritual community transcends societal divisions, welcoming all who live out the word.
- The connection to the "Parable of the Sower" in Lk 8:4-15 is critical. Jesus clarifies what "good soil" entails: those who not only hear the Word but "keep it, and bear fruit with patience" (Lk 8:15). Luke 8:21 is a direct application and personification of this fruitful hearing and doing.
Luke 8 21 Commentary
Luke 8:21 presents a cornerstone of Jesus' teaching on spiritual priorities. When confronted with His physical family, Jesus transcends the earthly notion of kinship, declaring a higher, spiritual family bond based on obedient relationship with God. This verse reveals that closeness to Jesus, and indeed membership in His true family, is determined not by physical lineage or association, but by a twofold spiritual act: truly hearing God's Word, and then diligently putting that Word into practice. The emphasis on "doing" (obeying, living out) what is heard elevates faith beyond mere intellectual assent or emotional reception. It signifies that true discipleship is characterized by practical obedience, aligning one's life with the revealed will of God. This teaching ensures that everyone, regardless of background, has the opportunity to be part of Christ's most intimate family by actively responding to divine truth. It reminds us that our highest calling is not just to know God's Word, but to embody it daily.