3:33

In Greek, this verse begins with the phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as “he asked.” The Berean Standard Bible puts the phrase at the end of the verse. In many languages it may be more natural to follow the Greek and put it at the beginning of 3:33. Use an appropriate place for this phrase in your language. For suggestions on how to translate it, see the note on “he asked” at the end of this verse.

But Jesus replied: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates here as But Jesus replied is literally “and having answered them Jesus says.” This phrase introduces a rhetorical question that Jesus asked the people who were sitting around him. In some languages it may be more natural to use a different verb like “answered” or “said.” For example:

He answered them and said, “Who are my mother and my brothers?” (NET Bible)
-or-
And he replied, “Who are my mother and my brothers?” (Revised Standard Version)

Who are My mother and My brothers?: Jesus already knew who his physical mother and brothers were. This is a rhetorical question that Jesus used to introduce a new idea. The new idea is that people who do the will of God are Jesus’ true family.

There are at least two ways to translate this rhetorical question:

• As a question. For example:

And who are really my mother and my brothers? (Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English)
-or-
Who are truly my mother and my brothers?

• As a statement. For example:

I will tell you who my mother and my brothers are.
-or-
Let me tell you who is like a mother and a brother to me.

Use the appropriate way in your language to introduce this new idea.

Be careful that your translation does not imply that Jesus or the other people did not know who his physical family was.

General Comment on 3:33

Since Jesus was introducing a new idea, it may be more natural in some languages to express it as an indirect quotation. For example:

Then Jesus told them who his real mother and brothers were.
-or-
Jesus answered by asking them who his real mother and brothers were.

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