Luke 8:19
What does Luke 8:19 mean?
A plain-English look at Luke 8:19 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Luke 8:19 means
Luke 8:19 reports that Jesus’ mother and brothers came to see him but could not reach him because of the crowd. The detail signals the tension between family ties and public ministry. It shows Jesus’ ministry was so intense that even his family struggled to gain access. The verse sets up a teaching moment about spiritual kinship: physical family cannot substitute for obedience to God’s word. It also humanizes Jesus by showing his familial relationships and the ordinary constraints of crowds on ministry activity.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000And there came to him his mother and brethren, and they could not come at him for the crowd.
KJV
King James Version · 1611Then came to him his mother and his brethren, and could not come at him for the press.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901And there came to him his mother and brethren, and they could not come at him for the crowd.
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949And his mother and his brothers came to him, and they were not able to get near him because of the great number of people.
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862And there came unto him his mother and brethren, and they were not able to get to him because of the multitude,
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752And his mother and brethren came unto him: and they could not come at him for the crowd.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890And his mother and his brethren came to him, and could not get to him because of the crowd.
Context
This verse shifts from didactic material to narrative events that demonstrate the teaching’s implications. The mention of family interrupts the parables and miracles sequence and prepares the brief exchange where Jesus redefines family in terms of obedience — linking communal belonging to hearing and doing the word.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Mark 3:21
And when his friends heard it, they went out to lay hold on him: for they said, He is beside himself.
- Matthew 12:46
While he was yet speaking to the multitudes, behold, his mother and his brethren stood without, seeking to speak to him.
- Mark 3:31
And there come his mother and his brethren; and, standing without, they sent unto him, calling him.
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