6:3a–b

In Greek, 6:3a–b is one sentence. The Berean Standard Bible follows the Greek structure and keeps it as one sentence. The New International Version divides this into two sentences:

Isn’t this the carpenter? Isn’t this Mary’s son and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon?

The meaning of this sentence can be expressed with one question, or with two as in the New International Version. You should divide this section in the way that is most clear and natural in your language.

See the General Comment on 6:2d–3c after 6:3c and the General Comment on 6:3a–d after 6:3d for additional ways to divide and order this sentence.

6:3a

Isn’t this the carpenter: This is a rhetorical question. It implies the answer “Yes, of course it is.” It functions as a strong statement that expresses surprise, displeasure, and contempt. The people were surprised and resentful that someone whom they knew only as a carpenter had such extraordinary wisdom and power. There are at least three ways to translate this:

• As a rhetorical question. For example, the NET Bible says:

Isn’t this the carpenter…?

• As a statement. For example, the New Century Version says:

He is just the carpenter….

• As a statement with a tag question. For example:

He is only a carpenter, right?

Use whichever form is most natural to express this surprise and resentment in your language.

this: Again the people used the expression “this one,” as in 6:2d. See the note on “this man” there. Here in 6:3a it again shows their lack of regard for Jesus.

carpenter: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as carpenter refers to a builder. This person made things with materials such as wood or stone. Use a general term that refers to that kind of person.

6:3b

the son of Mary and the brother of James, Joses, Judas, and Simon?: This is a rhetorical question. It implies the answer “Yes, of course he is!” It functions as a strong statement. It also expresses surprise and contempt.

The people of Nazareth all knew Jesus’ mother and brothers. They knew Jesus as just an ordinary person. They were offended that he had returned as a religious teacher and that he performed miracles. They did not welcome him. Instead, they took offense and refused to accept him.

There are at least three ways to translate this:

• As a rhetorical question. For example, the Good News Bible says:

Isn’t he…the son of Mary, and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas, and Simon?

• As a statement. For example, the New Living Translation, 1996 edition says:

He’s…the son of Mary and brother of James, Joseph, Judas, and Simon.

• As a statement with a tag question. For example:

He is just/only Mary’s son and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas, and Simon, isn’t he?

Use whichever form is most natural to express this surprise, displeasure, and offense in your language.

the brother of James, Joses, Judas, and Simon: Jesus was the older brother of these four men. If your language has separate words for older brother and younger brother, you should use older brother to refer to Jesus.

If your language does not have separate words for brother and sister, then you may use a term such as sibling. It is clear in this context that Jesus and the siblings mentioned here were men, so you may not need to specify male sibling.

6:3c

Aren’t His sisters here with us as well?: This is also a rhetorical question. It implies the answer “Yes, of course they are!” It functions as a strong statement of fact expressing surprise, displeasure, and offense. There are at least three ways to translate this rhetorical question:

• As a rhetorical question. For example, the Good News Bible says:

Aren’t his sisters living here?

• As a statement. For example, the New Century Version says:

And his sisters are here with us.

• As a statement with a tag question. For example:

Even his sisters are living here with us, are they not?

Use whichever form is most natural to express this surprise and offense in your language.

sisters: If your language has separate words for “younger sisters” and “older sisters,” you should use the term for “younger sisters” here. All of Jesus’ brothers and sisters were younger than he was.

If your language does not have separate words for brother and sister, then you may use a term such as sibling. In this context you will need to specify that these were female younger-siblings.

General Comment on 6:2d–3c

In some languages, it may be natural to translate all of the rhetorical questions in Greek as questions. In other languages, it may be more natural to translate some of the rhetorical questions as questions and others as statements. For example, the New Century Version says:

2cMany people heard him and were amazed, saying, 2d“Where did this man get these teachings? 2eWhat is this wisdom that has been given to him? 2fAnd where did he get the power to do miracles? 3aHe is just the carpenter, 3bthe son of Mary and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas, and Simon. 3cAnd his sisters are here with us.”

6:3d

And they took offense at Him: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as took offense means “rejected,” or “stopped believing.” In this context it is also implied that the people were angry, upset or resentful.

Here are some other ways to translate this:

they would not accept him (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
they were angry and rejected him
-or-
they turned against him (Revised English Bible)
-or-
They were deeply offended and refused to believe in him. (New Living Translation)

General Comment on 6:3a–d

If you translate 6:3a–c using rhetorical questions, check to see whether readers understand that they are not real questions. Some people might wrongly think that the people in Jesus’ hometown asked these questions in order to identify Jesus. The real reason they asked these questions was to scoff at Jesus. One way to avoid this misunderstanding is to change the order, so that the statement about their attitude in 6:3d comes first. For example:

3dThey took offense at him, saying 3a“Isn’t this only the carpenter? 3bIsn’t this only Mary’s son? Isn’t this just the brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon, whom we all know 3cDon’t his sisters live here among us?”

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