With a crowd around, Jesus's brothers and mother call for him.
Mark 3:33 Who is my mother, or my brethren?
Mark 3:33 Who are my mother and my brothers?
Who is this mother of mine? and these [are] brothers of mine?
For those who don't realize Jesus's tendency for humor, this verse sounds very cold. This verse is a setup for the following verse which is its punchline. But to anyone familiar with how Jesus plays with words, it sounds like he is having fun. Perhaps his tone was mock philosophical. It might be self-deprecating, "someone is this mother of mine?" as if people thought he could have a mother. The "who" and "is" that begin this phrase is singular, referring only to the mother. So the second "brothers" part is a subject with no verb but the verb "to be" can be inserted between two words in the form of a subject, here "these" and "brothers". This creates the statement "And these are brothers of mine?"
Who doesn't joke about their relatives among friends?
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "the/this" before "mother" is not shown in the English translation.
- OS -- Outdated Source -- The Greek word translated as "or" existed in the KJV Greek source but not the source we use today.
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "the/these" before "brethren" is not shown in the English translation.
- WN --Wrong Number- The word "are" is translated as plural but the Greek word is singular.
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "the/this" before "mother" is not shown in the English translation.
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "the/these" before "brothers" is not shown in the English translation.
Who -- The Greek word translated as "who" in the singular means "anyone," "someone," "something," and "anything." The same forms are used both for the masculine or feminine so "anyone" works best for a person. In the plural, it means "everyone," "some," "they," and "those." It is often translated as "who," "what," or even "why" in questions but the sense is "someone is?" Or "something is?" Here it is singular in a form that can be either masculine or feminine.
is -- The verb "is" here is the common form of "to be" in Greek. It means to have a certain characteristic or remain in a certain condition. It also equates terms or assigns characteristics. The word also means "to exist" and where it doesn't connect to characteristics or conditions.
my -- "My" is the first-person possessive singular pronoun. This pronoun follows the noun so "of mine."
missing "the/this" -- (MW) The untranslated word is the Greek definite article," the," which usually precedes a noun and, without a noun, takes the meaning of "the one." The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," and "those"). See this article for more.
mother, "Mother" is the common Greek word for "mother" and "grandmothers," but it also means "the source" or "origin" of something.
or-- (OS) The Greek word in today's source translated as "or" is used is the conjunction "and," but in the KJV source it was the Greek "or.
my -- There no "my" in the source I use today but it does exist in more Greek sources (see this link).
missing "the/these" -- (MW) The untranslated word is the Greek definite article," the," which usually precedes a noun and, without a noun, takes the meaning of "the one." The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," and "those"). See this article for more.
brethren? The word translated as "brother" means a biological brother, any kinsmen, and more broadly and friend or associate.
Who -- The Greek word translated as "who" in the singular means "anyone," "someone," "something," and "anything." The same forms are used both for the masculine or feminine so "anyone" works best for a person. In the plural, it means "everyone," "some," "they," and "those." It is often translated as "who," "what," or even "why" in questions but the sense is "someone is?"\ Here it is singular in a form that can be either masculine or feminine.
are -- (WN) The verb "are" here is the common form of "to be" in Greek. It means to have a certain characteristic or remain in a certain condition. It also equates terms or assigns characteristics. The word also means "to exist" and where it doesn't connect to characteristics or conditions. It is singular not plural.
my -- "My" is the first-person possessive singular pronoun. This pronoun follows the noun so "of mine."
missing "the/this" -- (MW) The untranslated word is the Greek definite article," the," which usually precedes a noun and, without a noun, takes the meaning of "the one." The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," and "those"). See this article for more.
mother, "Mother" is the common Greek word for "mother" and "grandmothers," but it also means "the source" or "origin" of something.
and -- The Greek word translated as "and" is used as the conjunction "and," but it also is used to add emphasis ("also"). In a series, it can be translated as "not only...but also." After words implying sameness "as."
my -- There no "my" in the source I use today but it does exist in more Greek sources (see this link).
missing "the/these" -- (MW) The untranslated word is the Greek definite article," the," which usually precedes a noun and, without a noun, takes the meaning of "the one." The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," and "those"). See this article for more.
brothers? The word translated as "brother" means a biological brother, any kinsmen, and more broadly and friend or associate.
Τίς [252 verses](pron sg fem/masc nom ) "Who" is tis, which can mean "someone," "something," "any one," "everyone," "they [indefinite]," "many a one," "whoever," "anyone," "anything," "some sort," "some sort of," "each," "any," "the individual," "such," and so on. In a question, it can mean "who," "why," or "what." Plural, "who are" is τίνες ἐόντες. It has specific meanings with certain prepositions, διὰ τί; for what reason? ἐκ τίνος; from what cause? ἐς τί; to what point? to what end?
ἐστίν [614 verses](3rd sg pres ind act) "Is" is eimi, which means "to be," "to exist," "to be the case," of circumstance and events "to happen," and "is possible." With the genitive object, the sense is "belongs to." With the dative, it means "have" where the subject and object are reversed.
ἡ [821 verses](article sg fem nom) Untranslated is the Greek definite article, hos, ("the"). -
μήτηρ [27 verses](noun sg fem nom) "Mother" is meter, which means "mother," "grandmother," "mother hen," "source," and "origin." -- "Mother" is the common Greek word for "mother" and "grandmothers," but it also means "the source" of something.
μου [239 verses](adj sg masc gen) "My" is from mou (emou), which means "me," and "mine." As a genitive object means movement away from something or a position away from something else.
καὶ [1089 verses](conj/adv) "And" is kai, which is the conjunction joining phrases and clauses, "and," or "also." After words implying sameness, "as" (the same opinion as you). Used in series, joins positive with negative "Not only...but also." Also used to give emphasis, "even," "also," and "just."
οἱ [821 verses](article pl masc nom) Untranslated is the Greek definite article, hos, ("the"). - missing "the/this"
ἀδελφοί;[37 verses](noun pl masc nom) "Brother" is adelphos, which means "son of the same mother," "kinsman," "colleague," "associate," and "brother." -- The word translated as "brother" means a biological brother, any kinsmen, and more broadly and friend or associate.
μου [239 verses](adj sg masc gen) "My" is from mou (emou), which means "me," and "mine." As a genitive object means movement away from something or a position away from something else.