Matthew 12:50
For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.
Study Note
Study Note
Jesus' redefinition of family — 'whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother' — redefines kinship around covenantal obedience rather than biological descent. The occasion (his mother and brothers waiting outside while he teaches, vv. 46–49) creates a dramatic contrast between the household of origin and the community gathered around his teaching as the new family of God. The criterion 'the will of my Father' is the same standard as Matthew 7:21 ('he that doeth the will of my Father shall enter the kingdom'), demonstrating that kingdom entrance and Jesus-family membership are coextensive. The passage had profound social implications for early Christians whose conversion created tensions with biological families, providing dominical authorization for the community as the primary family.
Other Translations
For whosoever shall do the will of my Father who is in heaven, he is my brother, and sister, and mother.
for whoever may do the will of my Father who is in the heavens, he is my brother, and sister, and mother.'
For whoever does the pleasure of my Father in heaven, he is my brother, and sister, and mother.
Cross References
I will declare thy name unto my brethren: in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee.
Thou hast ravished my heart, my sister, my spouse; thou hast ravished my heart with one of thine eyes, with …
How fair is thy love, my sister, my spouse! how much better is thy love than wine! and the smell …
A garden inclosed is my sister, my spouse; a spring shut up, a fountain sealed.
I am come into my garden, my sister, my spouse: I have gathered my myrrh with my spice; I have …
I sleep, but my heart waketh: it is the voice of my beloved that knocketh, saying, Open to me, my …
Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth …
While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, …
And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it …