13:55–56a
All the questions about Jesus’ family (in 13:55–56a) are rhetorical questions. The people of Nazareth knew Jesus’ father, mother, brothers, and sisters. Using rhetorical questions implies that they believed that Jesus was an ordinary person like them and his family. Therefore, they doubted that Jesus could become someone important. The way you translate these rhetorical questions should not indicate that the people were unsure who Jesus’ family was.
13:55a
Isn’t this the carpenter’s son?: This is a rhetorical question. It expresses surprise and emphasizes that the people of Nazareth knew that Jesus was the son of a carpenter. The people doubted that Jesus could become someone important, because he was only the son of a carpenter.
Here are some other ways to translate this surprise, doubt, and emphasis:
• As a rhetorical question. For example:
Isn’t this ⌊person⌋ ⌊only⌋ the carpenter’s son?
-or-
This man is ⌊only⌋ the carpenter’s son, isn’t he?
• As a statement. For example:
He is just the son of a carpenter. (New Century Version)
Translate this surprise, emphasis, and doubt in a way that is natural in your language.
carpenter’s son: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as carpenter’s also can mean “builder’s.” Jesus’ father probably worked with wood, but he may have also made things with stone.
Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:
the son of a woodworker
-or-
the son of a builder
13:55b
Isn’t His mother’s name Mary…?: This is a rhetorical question. It expresses surprise and emphasizes that the people of Nazareth knew that Jesus was the son of Mary. The people doubted that Jesus could become someone important, because he was only the son of Mary. They did not see Mary as someone important, so they thought that her son could not be important either.
Here are some other ways to translate this surprise, doubt, and emphasis:
• As a rhetorical question. For example:
Isn’t his mother’s name Mary (New International Version)
-or-
His mother is ⌊only⌋ Mary, isn’t she?
• As a statement. For example:
His mother is ⌊only/just⌋ Mary!
-or-
His mother is Mary (New Century Version)
Translate this surprise, emphasis, and doubt in a way that is natural in your language.
Isn’t His mother’s name Mary: This clause means that Jesus’ mother is the woman whose name is Mary. For example:
Isn’t his mother named Mary? (NET Bible)
-or-
Is not his mother called Mary? (English Standard Version)
13:55c
and aren’t His brothers James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas?: This is a rhetorical question. It expresses surprise and emphasizes that the people of Nazareth knew that Jesus was a brother to James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas. The people doubted that Jesus could become someone important, because his brothers were not important people. So they thought that their brother Jesus could not become an important person either.
Here are some ways to translate this surprise, doubt, and emphasis:
• As a rhetorical question. For example:
Isn’t he ⌊only/just⌋ the ⌊older⌋ brother of James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas?
• As a statement. For example:
his brothers are James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas (New Century Version)
Translate this surprise, emphasis and doubt in a way that is natural in your language.
His brothers James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas: Jesus was the first-born and so he was the older brother of these four men. If your language has separate words for older brother and younger brother, you should use the word for younger brothers to refer to James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas.
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