What Does Mark 3:33 Mean in the King James?

And he answered them, saying, Who is my mother, or my brethren?

Mark 3:33 · KJV

The analysis reads the King James wording.

King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.

THE KEY

This question loosens family from shared birth before the next verse names the bond that gathers Jesus’ family.

THE MEANING

This question brings inherited definitions of family into view without leaving them as the final boundary of belonging. Jesus’ next line gathers his family around whoever does God’s will, so his kinship reaches beyond shared blood.

WHAT THIS UNDOES

The belief that bloodline alone determines who belongs to Jesus’ family is undone.

THE ROOT

ἀδελφοί

adelphoi

GROWS FROM

δελφύς

delphys

Womb; ⁨ἀδελφός⁩ is commonly traced to the idea of being born from the same womb.

The word translated “brethren” carries shared birth inside it. Jesus asks who counts as his mother and siblings, then the next verse opens that kinship around doing God’s will.

ALSO GROWS

adelphos: Brother; sibling born from the same womb.

ἀδελφός

This is the singular form behind “brethren,” making shared birth part of the word’s background.

adelphē: Sister; female sibling.

ἀδελφή

The related feminine form shows that the same family language extends across brothers and sisters.

THE PATTERN

God forms a family whose belonging reaches beyond bloodline and inherited divisions.

God setteth the solitary in families: he bringeth out those which are bound with chains: but the rebellious dwell in a dry land.

Psalm 68:6 · KJVGod places the solitary within families, making belonging something God establishes.

But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:

John 1:12 · KJVThe family of God opens to those who receive him, not only to those born into a particular household.

There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.

Galatians 3:28 · KJVShared life in Christ gathers people across divisions that otherwise define who belongs.

THE THREAD

For whosoever shall do the will of God, the same is my brother, and my sister, and mother.

Mark 3:35 · KJV

The next verse answers the question by naming a bond beyond shared birth: doing God’s will. The passage moves from the language of the same womb to a family gathered around shared response to God.

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