Matthew 12:47 kjv
Then one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee.
Matthew 12:47 nkjv
Then one said to Him, "Look, Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, seeking to speak with You."
Matthew 12:47 niv
Someone told him, "Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to speak to you."
Matthew 12:47 nlt
Someone told Jesus, "Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, and they want to speak to you."
Matthew 12 47 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Matt 12:48 | But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren? | Jesus questions natural family. |
| Matt 12:49 | And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren! | Spiritual family identified. |
| Matt 12:50 | For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother. | Doing God's will defines spiritual kinship. |
| Mk 3:31 | There came then his brethren and his mother, and, standing without, sent unto him, calling him. | Parallel account, seeking Jesus. |
| Mk 3:32 | And the multitude sat about him, and they said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren without seek for thee. | Parallel account, messenger. |
| Mk 3:33-35 | And he answered them, saying, Who is my mother, or my brethren? ... Whosoever shall do the will of God, the same is my brother, and my sister, and mother. | Mark's version of Jesus' response. |
| Lk 8:19 | Then came to him his mother and his brethren, and could not come at him for the press. | Parallel account, unable to reach Jesus. |
| Lk 8:20-21 | And it was told him by certain which said, Thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to see thee... My mother and my brethren are these which hear the word of God, and do it. | Luke's version emphasizing hearing/doing. |
| Matt 13:55 | Is not this the carpenter's son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas? | Identifies Jesus' physical brothers. |
| Mk 6:3 | Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us? | Lists Jesus' siblings. |
| Jn 7:5 | For neither did his brethren believe in him. | Highlights initial unbelief of His brothers. |
| Acts 1:14 | These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren. | Brothers eventually became believers. |
| 1 Cor 9:5 | Have we not power to lead about a sister, a wife, as well as other apostles, and as the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas? | Refers to the Lord's brothers traveling. |
| Gal 1:19 | But other of the apostles saw I none, save James the Lord's brother. | James, a leader in the early church. |
| Jn 4:34 | Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work. | Jesus' priority: doing God's will. |
| Ps 40:8 | I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart. | OT foreshadowing of delight in God's will. |
| Heb 10:7-9 | Then said I, Lo, I come... to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second. | Christ came to fulfill God's will. |
| Lk 14:26 | If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. | Discipleship requires radical prioritization. |
| Gal 6:10 | As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith. | Emphasizes the community of believers. |
| Eph 2:19 | Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; | Believers are part of God's household. |
Matthew 12 verses
Matthew 12 47 Meaning
Matthew 12:47 acts as a narrative interjection, reporting to Jesus that His earthly mother and brothers are present outside, seeking to communicate with Him. This information directly sets the stage for Jesus' profound teaching in the subsequent verses (Matthew 12:48-50) regarding the true nature of His spiritual family. The verse itself conveys a simple message delivery but serves as a crucial catalyst for Jesus' redefinition of kinship.
Matthew 12 47 Context
Matthew 12:47 occurs within a significant portion of Matthew's Gospel where Jesus is actively engaged in controversy and teaching about the nature of His ministry and kingdom. Immediately preceding this verse, in Matthew 12:46, the arrival of Jesus' mother and brothers is mentioned. Verse 47 can be seen as an immediate report delivered to Jesus, confirming their presence and request while He is in the midst of teaching the crowd. This report follows several challenging interactions where Jesus defended His actions (casting out demons by God's Spirit, not Beelzebul) and rebuked the Pharisees for their hardened hearts, warning them against blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. He had just delivered a parable about an unclean spirit returning to an empty house (Matthew 12:43-45), perhaps highlighting the spiritual emptiness of those who reject Him.
Historically and culturally, family ties were paramount in Jewish society, often defining a person's identity and loyalty. For Jesus' mother and brothers to "stand without, desiring to speak with thee" suggests they wished for a private conversation, or perhaps even to draw Him away, as some parallels imply (Mk 3:21 suggests they thought Him "beside himself"). This interruption sets up a direct challenge to the societal emphasis on physical family. Jesus' response, therefore, profoundly elevates spiritual relationship through obedience to God's will above natural kinship, creating a subtle but clear contrast to conventional social structures of the time.
Matthew 12 47 Word analysis
- Then (δὲ - de): A post-positive conjunction, functioning here as a transitional particle, indicating a natural continuation of the narrative. It subtly shifts the focus from Jesus' ongoing discourse to an external interruption.
- one (τις - tis): An indefinite pronoun, referring to an unnamed individual. The anonymity underscores that the message's content is more important than the messenger's identity. This person acts as a relay for the information from outside the building.
- said (εἶπεν - eipen): A straightforward aorist active indicative verb, indicating a completed past action of speaking directly to Jesus.
- unto him (αὐτῷ - autō): A dative singular pronoun referring directly to Jesus, specifying the recipient of the message.
- Behold (ἰδού - idou): A strong interjection meaning "look!" or "see!" It draws immediate attention to the upcoming revelation. It indicates a sudden, important, or noteworthy observation being made known.
- thy mother (ἡ μήτηρ σου - hē mētēr sou): Refers to Mary, Jesus' earthly mother. Her presence alongside His brothers indicates a unified family effort.
- and (καὶ - kai): A simple conjunction connecting two elements of the family.
- thy brethren (οἱ ἀδελφοί σου - hoi adelphoi sou): Refers to Jesus' siblings (most commonly understood as biological brothers: James, Joses, Simon, and Judas mentioned in Matt 13:55). Their inclusion is crucial as it emphasizes the natural family unit seeking contact.
- stand (ἑστήκασιν - hestēkasin): A perfect active indicative verb, meaning "they have stood" or "they are standing." This denotes a current, ongoing state of being positioned outside, awaiting access.
- without (ἔξω - exō): An adverb indicating external location, "outside." It literally signifies their physical separation from where Jesus was teaching, suggesting a boundary or difficulty in reaching Him directly amidst the crowd.
- desiring (ζητοῦντές - zētountes): A present active participle meaning "seeking" or "desiring" or "wishing for." This describes their continuous action and intent: they are not just present, but actively attempting to initiate something.
- to speak (λαλῆσαι - lalēsai): An aorist active infinitive expressing purpose. Their objective in being there and desiring to communicate is to engage in verbal exchange with Jesus.
- with thee (σοι - soi): A dative singular pronoun again referring to Jesus, specifying with whom they wish to converse.
Words-group analysis:
- "Then one said unto him": This phrase establishes the immediate relay of information. The anonymous messenger emphasizes that the situation is being directly brought to Jesus' attention. It indicates a specific moment within the flow of Jesus' teaching where an external matter interrupts.
- "Behold, thy mother and thy brethren": The use of "Behold" heightens the significance of who has arrived. This group represents Jesus' earthly family, those traditionally understood to have claims and intimate access to Him. This statement draws a sharp distinction between His immediate audience and those seeking Him from the outside.
- "stand without, desiring to speak with thee": This part clarifies the family's physical state and intent. "Stand without" conveys their position on the periphery, physically separated from Jesus and His disciples. "Desiring to speak with thee" communicates their purpose, implying an urgent or specific matter they wish to discuss, setting up the anticipation for Jesus' reaction.
Matthew 12 47 Bonus section
It's important to note the textual critical considerations for Matthew 12:47. In some highly regarded ancient manuscripts (like Codex Sinaiticus, Vaticanus, and Bezae), this verse is absent. This suggests that some early copyists or scribal traditions did not include it. However, it is present in other significant manuscripts, especially those representing the Byzantine textual tradition (the basis for the Textus Receptus and KJV). Most modern English translations often omit it, bracket it, or place a footnote regarding its authenticity. If omitted, Matthew 12:48 flows directly from Matthew 12:46, with Jesus' response being a reaction to the initial information that "his mother and his brethren stood without, desiring to speak with him." If included, verse 47 acts as a dramatic interjection by a messenger who draws specific attention to the situation. Regardless of its inclusion, the essential narrative point remains: Jesus is informed of His family's presence, leading to His teaching on true spiritual kinship. Its presence emphasizes the direct, spoken relay of this information within the narrative flow, creating a distinct moment of interruption.
Matthew 12 47 Commentary
Matthew 12:47 serves as a brief but vital narrative hinge in the Gospel of Matthew. It's not a standalone teaching, but rather the catalyst for one of Jesus' most revolutionary statements concerning His identity and the nature of discipleship. The mere act of this anonymous person informing Jesus about His biological family waiting outside seems unremarkable on the surface, yet its placement is deeply strategic. Following intense confrontations with religious leaders and profound teachings on the Holy Spirit and the condition of the human heart, this verse brings a domestic interlude, juxtaposing earthly concerns with heavenly truths.
This interruption immediately sets up the profound distinction Jesus will make between familial bonds defined by blood and those defined by spiritual obedience. His response (Matt 12:48-50) is a radical redefinition of "family" from an ethnocentric, familial perspective to one based on shared spiritual commitment—doing the will of the Father in heaven. This event underscores that discipleship often necessitates a reordering of priorities, placing devotion to God above all other allegiances, even the most cherished family ties. It also implicitly reveals that, at this stage of His ministry, even Jesus' own family did not fully grasp the divine nature of His mission, prompting Him to draw this crucial theological line in the sand. This seemingly small verse provides the necessary context for Jesus' declaration that spiritual relationship with God's will is the highest form of kinship.