Lectionary Calendar
Saturday, December 20th, 2025
the Third Week of Advent
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Read the Bible

Good News Translation

Luke 8:19

Jesus' mother and brothers came to him, but were unable to join him because of the crowd.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Jesus, the Christ;   Mary;   Thompson Chain Reference - Popularity of Christ;   Thronged, Christ;   The Topic Concordance - Family;   Hearing;   Obedience;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - James;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Mary;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Communion (2);   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Flesh;   Marriage;   Mary, the Virgin;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Evangelism;   James;   Luke, Gospel of;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Appreciation (of Christ);   Crowd;   Family (Jesus);   James ;   James, the Lord's Brother;   Luke;   Multitude;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Chief parables and miracles in the bible;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Brethren of the Lord;   Joseph, Husband of Mary;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Then his mother and brothers came to him, but they could not meet with him because of the crowd.
King James Version (1611)
Then came to him his mother and his brethren, and could not come at him for the prease.
King James Version
Then came to him his mother and his brethren, and could not come at him for the press.
English Standard Version
Then his mother and his brothers came to him, but they could not reach him because of the crowd.
New American Standard Bible
Now His mother and brothers came to Him, and they were unable to get to Him because of the crowd.
New Century Version
Jesus' mother and brothers came to see him, but there was such a crowd they could not get to him.
Amplified Bible
Then Jesus' mother and His brothers came up toward Him, but they could not reach Him because of the crowd.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
And His mother and brothers came to Him, and they were unable to get to Him because of the crowd.
Legacy Standard Bible
And His mother and brothers came to Him, and they were unable to get to Him because of the crowd.
Berean Standard Bible
Then Jesus' mother and brothers came to see Him, but they were unable to reach Him because of the crowd.
Contemporary English Version
Jesus' mother and brothers went to see him, but because of the crowd they could not get near him.
Complete Jewish Bible
Then Yeshua's mother and brothers came to see him, but they couldn't get near him because of the crowd.
Darby Translation
And his mother and his brethren came to him, and could not get to him because of the crowd.
Easy-to-Read Version
Jesus' mother and brothers came to visit him. But they could not get close to him, because there were so many people.
Geneva Bible (1587)
Then came to him his mother and his brethren, and could not come neere to him for the preasse.
George Lamsa Translation
And there came to him his mother and his brothers, and they were not able to speak to him because of the crowd.
Lexham English Bible
Now his mother and brothers came to him, and they were not able to meet with him because of the crowd.
Literal Translation
And His mother and His brothers came to Him, and were not able to come up with Him through the crowd.
American Standard Version
And there came to him his mother and brethren, and they could not come at him for the crowd.
Bible in Basic English
And his mother and his brothers came to him, and they were not able to get near him because of the great number of people.
Hebrew Names Version
His mother and brothers came to him, and they could not come near him for the crowd.
International Standard Version
His mother and his brothers came to him, but they couldn't get near him because of the crowd.Matthew 12:46; Mark 3:31;">[xr]
Etheridge Translation
Now came to him his mother and his brethren, and could not speak with him on account of the assembly.
Murdock Translation
And his mother and his brothers came to him, and they could not speak with him, because of the multitude.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Then came to hym his mother and his brethren, and coulde not come at hym for prease.
English Revised Version
And there came to him his mother and brethren, and they could not come at him for the crowd.
World English Bible
His mother and brothers came to him, and they could not come near him for the crowd.
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
Then came toward him his mother and his brethren, but could not come to him for the croud.
Weymouth's New Testament
Then came to Him His mother and His brothers, but could not get near Him for the crowd.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And his modir and britheren camen to hym; and thei myyten not come to hym for the puple.
Update Bible Version
And there came to him his mother and brothers, and they could not come at him for the crowd.
Webster's Bible Translation
Then came to him [his] mother and his brethren, and could not come near to him for the crowd.
New English Translation
Now Jesus' mother and his brothers came to him, but they could not get near him because of the crowd.
New King James Version
Matthew 12:46-50; Mark 3:31-35">[xr] Then His mother and brothers came to Him, and could not approach Him because of the crowd.
New Living Translation
Then Jesus' mother and brothers came to see him, but they couldn't get to him because of the crowd.
New Life Bible
The mother of Jesus and His brothers came to Him. They could not get near Him because of so many people.
New Revised Standard
Then his mother and his brothers came to him, but they could not reach him because of the crowd.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And his mother and brethren came near unto him, and were unable to reach him, because of the multitude.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And his mother and brethren came unto him: and they could not come at him for the crowd.
Revised Standard Version
Then his mother and his brothers came to him, but they could not reach him for the crowd.
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
Then came to him his mother and his brethren and coulde not come at him for prease.
Young's Literal Translation
And there came unto him his mother and brethren, and they were not able to get to him because of the multitude,
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
There wente vnto him his mother and his brethren, and coude not come at him for the people.
Mace New Testament (1729)
One day the mother of Jesus, and his brethren came to speak with him, but could not get near by reason of the crowd.
THE MESSAGE
His mother and brothers showed up but couldn't get through to him because of the crowd. He was given the message, "Your mother and brothers are standing outside wanting to see you."
Simplified Cowboy Version
Then Jesus's mom and brothers came to see him, but they couldn't get close because of the big crowd.

Contextual Overview

4 People kept coming to Jesus from one town after another; and when a great crowd gathered, Jesus told this parable: 5 "Once there was a man who went out to sow grain. As he scattered the seed in the field, some of it fell along the path, where it was stepped on, and the birds ate it up. 6 Some of it fell on rocky ground, and when the plants sprouted, they dried up because the soil had no moisture. 7 Some of the seed fell among thorn bushes, which grew up with the plants and choked them. 8 And some seeds fell in good soil; the plants grew and bore grain, one hundred grains each." And Jesus concluded, "Listen, then, if you have ears!" 9 His disciples asked Jesus what this parable meant, 10 and he answered, "The knowledge of the secrets of the Kingdom of God has been given to you, but to the rest it comes by means of parables, so that they may look but not see, and listen but not understand. 11 "This is what the parable means: the seed is the word of God. 12 The seeds that fell along the path stand for those who hear; but the Devil comes and takes the message away from their hearts in order to keep them from believing and being saved. 13 The seeds that fell on rocky ground stand for those who hear the message and receive it gladly. But it does not sink deep into them; they believe only for a while but when the time of testing comes, they fall away.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Matthew 12:46-50, Mark 3:21, Mark 3:31-35

Reciprocal: John 7:3 - brethren

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Then came to him his mother and his brethren,.... It was when Christ was preaching in an house at Capernaum, that Mary his mother, and some of his near kinsmen with her, came from Nazareth to him: these brethren of his were relations according to the flesh, either by Joseph, or his mother's side: who they were, cannot be said with certainty: it may be they were Joses and Simon; for as for James and Judas, they were among the twelve apostles, and with him; and these are the four only persons that are mentioned by name, as his brethren, Matthew 13:55 though there were others that were so called, who did not believe in him, John 7:5

and could not come at him for the press; the multitude of people that were about him, who were so thick, that there was no coming near him, much less was there an opportunity of speaking privately, with him. The Syriac version renders it, "they could not speak unto him for the multitude".

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

See the notes at Matthew 12:46-50.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Luke 8:19. His mother and brethren — See the notes on Matthew 12:46, &c., and on Mark 3:31, &c.


 
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