Reference: Brother
American
Signifies in Scripture the son of the same parent or parents, Mt 1:2; Lu 6:14; a cousin or near kinsman, Ge 13:8; 14:16; Joh 7:3; Ac 1:14; one of the same stock or country, Mt 5:47; Ac 3:22; Heb 7:5; a fellow-man, and equal, Mt 5:23; 7:3; one beloved, 2Sa 1:26; Christians, as sons of God, Ac 9:30; 11:29. In Mt 12:46-50; 13:55-56; Mr 3:31-35, the brothers of Christ are so mentioned, in connection with his mother and sisters, as almost to require us to believe they were children of Joseph and Mary, younger than Jesus. Yet this is not quite certain, as it may be that the James, Joses, and Judas in Mt 13:55, are the nephews of Christ alluded to in Mt 27:56; Lu 6:15-16; Joh 19:25; Cleophas and Alphaeus being probably the same.
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So Abram said to Lot, "Please let there be no strife between you and me, nor between my herdsmen and your herdsmen, for we are brothers.
He brought back all the goods, and also brought back his relative Lot with his possessions, and also the women, and the people.
"I am distressed for you, my brother Jonathan; You have been very pleasant to me. Your love to me was more wonderful Than the love of women.
Abraham was the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers.
"Therefore if you are presenting your offering at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you,
"If you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same?
"Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?
While He was still speaking to the crowds, behold, His mother and brothers were standing outside, seeking to speak to Him. Someone said to Him, "Behold, Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside seeking to speak to You." read more. But Jesus answered the one who was telling Him and said, "Who is My mother and who are My brothers?" And stretching out His hand toward His disciples, He said, "Behold My mother and My brothers! "For whoever does the will of My Father who is in heaven, he is My brother and sister and mother."
"Is not this the carpenter's son? Is not His mother called Mary, and His brothers, James and Joseph and Simon and Judas?
"Is not this the carpenter's son? Is not His mother called Mary, and His brothers, James and Joseph and Simon and Judas? "And His sisters, are they not all with us? Where then did this man get all these things?"
Among them was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of the sons of Zebedee.
Then His mother and His brothers arrived, and standing outside they sent word to Him and called Him. A crowd was sitting around Him, and they said to Him, "Behold, Your mother and Your brothers are outside looking for You." read more. Answering them, He said, "Who are My mother and My brothers?" Looking about at those who were sitting around Him, He said, "Behold My mother and My brothers! "For whoever does the will of God, he is My brother and sister and mother."
Simon, whom He also named Peter, and Andrew his brother; and James and John; and Philip and Bartholomew; and Matthew and Thomas; James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon who was called the Zealot; read more. Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.
Therefore His brothers said to Him, "Leave here and go into Judea, so that Your disciples also may see Your works which You are doing.
Therefore the soldiers did these things. But standing by the cross of Jesus were His mother, and His mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene.
These all with one mind were continually devoting themselves to prayer, along with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers.
"Moses said, 'THE LORD GOD WILL RAISE UP FOR YOU A PROPHET LIKE ME FROM YOUR BRETHREN; TO HIM YOU SHALL GIVE HEED to everything He says to you.
But when the brethren learned of it, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him away to Tarsus.
And in the proportion that any of the disciples had means, each of them determined to send a contribution for the relief of the brethren living in Judea.
And those indeed of the sons of Levi who receive the priest's office have commandment in the Law to collect a tenth from the people, that is, from their brethren, although these are descended from Abraham.
Easton
(1.) In the natural and common sense (Mt 1:2; Lu 3:1,19).
(2.) A near relation, a cousin (Ge 13:8; 14:16; Mt 12:46; Joh 7:3; Ac 1:14; Ga 1:19).
(3.) Simply a fellow-countryman (Mt 5:47; Ac 3:22; Heb 7:5).
(4.) A disciple or follower (Mt 25:40; Heb 2:11-12).
(5.) One of the same faith (Am 1:9; Ac 9:30; 11:29; 1Co 5:11); whence the early disciples of our Lord were known to each other as brethren.
(6.) A colleague in office (Ezr 3:2; 1Co 1:1; 2Co 1:1).
(7.) A fellow-man (Ge 9:5; 19:7; Mt 5:22-23,24; 7:5; Heb 2:17).
(8.) One beloved or closely united with another in affection (2Sa 1:26; Ac 6:3; 1Th 5:1). Brethren of Jesus (Mt 1:25; 12:46,50; Mr 3:31-32; Ga 1:19; 1Co 9:5, etc.) were probably the younger children of Joseph and Mary. Some have supposed that they may have been the children of Joseph by a former marriage, and others that they were the children of Mary, the Virgin's sister, and wife of Cleophas. The first interpretation, however, is the most natural.
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"Surely I will require your lifeblood; from every beast I will require it. And from every man, from every man's brother I will require the life of man.
So Abram said to Lot, "Please let there be no strife between you and me, nor between my herdsmen and your herdsmen, for we are brothers.
He brought back all the goods, and also brought back his relative Lot with his possessions, and also the women, and the people.
"I am distressed for you, my brother Jonathan; You have been very pleasant to me. Your love to me was more wonderful Than the love of women.
Then Jeshua the son of Jozadak and his brothers the priests, and Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and his brothers arose and built the altar of the God of Israel to offer burnt offerings on it, as it is written in the law of Moses, the man of God.
Thus says the LORD, "For three transgressions of Tyre and for four I will not revoke its punishment, Because they delivered up an entire population to Edom And did not remember the covenant of brotherhood.
Abraham was the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers.
but kept her a virgin until she gave birth to a Son; and he called His name Jesus.
"But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court; and whoever says to his brother, 'You good-for-nothing,' shall be guilty before the supreme court; and whoever says, 'You fool,' shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery hell. "Therefore if you are presenting your offering at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, read more. leave your offering there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and present your offering.
"If you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same?
"You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye.
While He was still speaking to the crowds, behold, His mother and brothers were standing outside, seeking to speak to Him.
While He was still speaking to the crowds, behold, His mother and brothers were standing outside, seeking to speak to Him.
"For whoever does the will of My Father who is in heaven, he is My brother and sister and mother."
"The King will answer and say to them, 'Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.'
Then His mother and His brothers arrived, and standing outside they sent word to Him and called Him. A crowd was sitting around Him, and they said to Him, "Behold, Your mother and Your brothers are outside looking for You."
Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and Herod was tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip was tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias was tetrarch of Abilene,
But when Herod the tetrarch was reprimanded by him because of Herodias, his brother's wife, and because of all the wicked things which Herod had done,
Therefore His brothers said to Him, "Leave here and go into Judea, so that Your disciples also may see Your works which You are doing.
These all with one mind were continually devoting themselves to prayer, along with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers.
"Moses said, 'THE LORD GOD WILL RAISE UP FOR YOU A PROPHET LIKE ME FROM YOUR BRETHREN; TO HIM YOU SHALL GIVE HEED to everything He says to you.
"Therefore, brethren, select from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may put in charge of this task.
But when the brethren learned of it, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him away to Tarsus.
And in the proportion that any of the disciples had means, each of them determined to send a contribution for the relief of the brethren living in Judea.
But I did not see any other of the apostles except James, the Lord's brother.
But I did not see any other of the apostles except James, the Lord's brother.
Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy our brother,
Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy our brother,
For both He who sanctifies and those who are sanctified are all from one Father; for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren, saying, "I WILL PROCLAIM YOUR NAME TO MY BRETHREN, IN THE MIDST OF THE CONGREGATION I WILL SING YOUR PRAISE."
Therefore, He had to be made like His brethren in all things, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.
And those indeed of the sons of Levi who receive the priest's office have commandment in the Law to collect a tenth from the people, that is, from their brethren, although these are descended from Abraham.
Fausets
Includes, besides sons of the same parents, cousins and near relatives, as a nephew (Ge 13:8; 14:16; De 25:5-6 margin). One of the same tribe (2Sa 19:12). Of the same or a kindred people (Ex 2:11; Nu 20:14). A friend (Job 6:15). A fellow man (Le 19:17). "A brother to (i.e. a fellow on a level with) the dragons" or "jackals" (Job 30:29). As the outer pagan world knew believers by the name "Christian," so they know one another by the name "brethren" (Ac 11:26; 26:28; 1Pe 4:16; compare Mt 25:40; Ac 11:29). The Jews distinguished a "brother" as an Israelite by birth, and a "neighbor" a proselyte, and allowed neither title to the Gentiles. But Christ applied "brother" to all Christians, and "neighbor" to all the world (1Co 5:11; Lu 10:29-30). The arguments for the "brethren" of Jesus (James, Joses, Simon, and Judas) mentioned in Mt 13:56 being literally His brothers, born of Joseph and Mary, are:
(1) their names are always connected with Mary, "His brethren" is the phrase found nine times in the Gospels, once in Acts (Ac 1:14);
(2) nothing is said to imply that the phrase is not to be taken literally. But:
(1) "My brethren" is found in the wide sense (Mt 28:10; Joh 20:17).
(2) If Joseph had been their father, they would have been some one time at least designated in the usual mode "sons of Joseph." The statement that. His "brethren did not believe in Him" (Joh 7:5) may refer to His near relations generally, excepting the two apostles James (who is expressly called "the Lord's brother," Ga 1:19) and Jude (Jg 1:1). In Ac 1:14 His "brethren," as distinct from the apostles, may refer to Simon and Joses and other near relatives. It is not likely there would be two pairs of brothers named alike, of such eminence; James and Jude. His brethren are, most probably, the writers of the epistles.
(3) It is expressly stated that Mary, wife of Cleophas and sister of the Virgin Mary (Joh 19:25), had sons, of whom James and Joses are named (Mt 27:56; Mr 15:40). How unlikely that two mothers of the same name, Mary the Virgin and her sister, should have sons also bearing the same names.
(4) If the Virgin had had sons of her own, Jesus would not have given her in charge to John (Joh 19:26), who was not a relative.
(5) It is a fitting thing that in Jesus the line of David should have its final consummation. The naming of Jesus' brethren with His virgin mother so often may be because Jesus and she took up their abode at the home of Mary, the Virgin's sister, after Joseph's death; for that he soon died appears from his name being never mentioned after Luke 2. Hence the cousins would grow up as brothers. The very difficulty implies the absence of collusion or mythical origin in the gospel narrative.
Firstborn son (Mt 1:25) does not imply that any sons were born of the Virgin afterwards, but that none were born before Him. Ex 13:2 defines "the firstborn" "whatsoever openeth the womb": whether other children followed or not. "Knew her not until" does not necessarily imply he even then knew her; compare Ge 28:15, "I will not leave thee until I have done," not meaning He would leave Jacob even then. The main truth asserted is the virginity of Mary up to Jesus' birth. What was afterward is not dearly revealed, being of less consequence to us.
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So Abram said to Lot, "Please let there be no strife between you and me, nor between my herdsmen and your herdsmen, for we are brothers.
So Abram said to Lot, "Please let there be no strife between you and me, nor between my herdsmen and your herdsmen, for we are brothers.
He brought back all the goods, and also brought back his relative Lot with his possessions, and also the women, and the people.
He brought back all the goods, and also brought back his relative Lot with his possessions, and also the women, and the people.
"Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you."
"Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you."
Now it came about in those days, when Moses had grown up, that he went out to his brethren and looked on their hard labors; and he saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his brethren.
Now it came about in those days, when Moses had grown up, that he went out to his brethren and looked on their hard labors; and he saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his brethren.
"Sanctify to Me every firstborn, the first offspring of every womb among the sons of Israel, both of man and beast; it belongs to Me."
"Sanctify to Me every firstborn, the first offspring of every womb among the sons of Israel, both of man and beast; it belongs to Me."
'You shall not hate your fellow countryman in your heart; you may surely reprove your neighbor, but shall not incur sin because of him.
'You shall not hate your fellow countryman in your heart; you may surely reprove your neighbor, but shall not incur sin because of him.
From Kadesh Moses then sent messengers to the king of Edom: "Thus your brother Israel has said, 'You know all the hardship that has befallen us;
From Kadesh Moses then sent messengers to the king of Edom: "Thus your brother Israel has said, 'You know all the hardship that has befallen us;
"When brothers live together and one of them dies and has no son, the wife of the deceased shall not be married outside the family to a strange man. Her husband's brother shall go in to her and take her to himself as wife and perform the duty of a husband's brother to her.
"When brothers live together and one of them dies and has no son, the wife of the deceased shall not be married outside the family to a strange man. Her husband's brother shall go in to her and take her to himself as wife and perform the duty of a husband's brother to her. "It shall be that the firstborn whom she bears shall assume the name of his dead brother, so that his name will not be blotted out from Israel.
"It shall be that the firstborn whom she bears shall assume the name of his dead brother, so that his name will not be blotted out from Israel.
Now it came about after the death of Joshua that the sons of Israel inquired of the LORD, saying, "Who shall go up first for us against the Canaanites, to fight against them?"
Now it came about after the death of Joshua that the sons of Israel inquired of the LORD, saying, "Who shall go up first for us against the Canaanites, to fight against them?"
'You are my brothers; you are my bone and my flesh. Why then should you be the last to bring back the king?'
'You are my brothers; you are my bone and my flesh. Why then should you be the last to bring back the king?'
"My brothers have acted deceitfully like a wadi, Like the torrents of wadis which vanish,
"My brothers have acted deceitfully like a wadi, Like the torrents of wadis which vanish,
"I have become a brother to jackals And a companion of ostriches.
"I have become a brother to jackals And a companion of ostriches.
but kept her a virgin until she gave birth to a Son; and he called His name Jesus.
but kept her a virgin until she gave birth to a Son; and he called His name Jesus.
"And His sisters, are they not all with us? Where then did this man get all these things?"
"And His sisters, are they not all with us? Where then did this man get all these things?"
"The King will answer and say to them, 'Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.'
"The King will answer and say to them, 'Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.'
Among them was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of the sons of Zebedee.
Among them was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of the sons of Zebedee.
Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid; go and take word to My brethren to leave for Galilee, and there they will see Me."
Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid; go and take word to My brethren to leave for Galilee, and there they will see Me."
There were also some women looking on from a distance, among whom were Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the Less and Joses, and Salome.
There were also some women looking on from a distance, among whom were Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the Less and Joses, and Salome.
But wishing to justify himself, he said to Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?"
But wishing to justify himself, he said to Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?" Jesus replied and said, "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among robbers, and they stripped him and beat him, and went away leaving him half dead.
Jesus replied and said, "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among robbers, and they stripped him and beat him, and went away leaving him half dead.
For not even His brothers were believing in Him.
For not even His brothers were believing in Him.
Therefore the soldiers did these things. But standing by the cross of Jesus were His mother, and His mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene.
Therefore the soldiers did these things. But standing by the cross of Jesus were His mother, and His mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus then saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing nearby, He said to His mother, "Woman, behold, your son!"
When Jesus then saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing nearby, He said to His mother, "Woman, behold, your son!"
Jesus said to her, "Stop clinging to Me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, 'I ascend to My Father and your Father, and My God and your God.'"
Jesus said to her, "Stop clinging to Me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, 'I ascend to My Father and your Father, and My God and your God.'"
These all with one mind were continually devoting themselves to prayer, along with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers.
These all with one mind were continually devoting themselves to prayer, along with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers.
These all with one mind were continually devoting themselves to prayer, along with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers.
These all with one mind were continually devoting themselves to prayer, along with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers.
and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch And for an entire year they met with the church and taught considerable numbers; and the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.
and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch And for an entire year they met with the church and taught considerable numbers; and the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.
And in the proportion that any of the disciples had means, each of them determined to send a contribution for the relief of the brethren living in Judea.
And in the proportion that any of the disciples had means, each of them determined to send a contribution for the relief of the brethren living in Judea.
Agrippa replied to Paul, "In a short time you will persuade me to become a Christian."
Agrippa replied to Paul, "In a short time you will persuade me to become a Christian."
But actually, I wrote to you not to associate with any so-called brother if he is an immoral person, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or a swindler--not even to eat with such a one.
But actually, I wrote to you not to associate with any so-called brother if he is an immoral person, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or a swindler--not even to eat with such a one.
But I did not see any other of the apostles except James, the Lord's brother.
But I did not see any other of the apostles except James, the Lord's brother.
Hastings
Morish
Besides the ordinary use of the word in its literal sense, it is applied to cousins and nephews, Ge 14:14; Le 10:4; and to kinsmen generally. Ex 2:11; 2Ki 10:13; 2Ch 22:8. Also employed where there is a moral likeness. Job 30:29; Pr 18:9. See BRETHREN.
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When Abram heard that his relative had been taken captive, he led out his trained men, born in his house, three hundred and eighteen, and went in pursuit as far as Dan.
Now it came about in those days, when Moses had grown up, that he went out to his brethren and looked on their hard labors; and he saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his brethren.
Moses called also to Mishael and Elzaphan, the sons of Aaron's uncle Uzziel, and said to them, "Come forward, carry your relatives away from the front of the sanctuary to the outside of the camp."
"I have become a brother to jackals And a companion of ostriches.
He also who is slack in his work Is brother to him who destroys.
Smith
Brother.
The Hebrew word is used in various senses in the Old Testament, as,
1. Any kinsman, and not a mere brother; e.g. nephew,
husband,
2. One of the same tribe.
3. Of the same people,
or even of a cognate people.
4. An ally.
5. Any friend,
6. One of the same office.
7. A fellow man.
8. Metaphorically of any similarity, as in
The word adelphos has a similar range of meanings in the New Testament.
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So Abram said to Lot, "Please let there be no strife between you and me, nor between my herdsmen and your herdsmen, for we are brothers.
He brought back all the goods, and also brought back his relative Lot with his possessions, and also the women, and the people.
Now it came about in those days, when Moses had grown up, that he went out to his brethren and looked on their hard labors; and he saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his brethren.
'You shall not hate your fellow countryman in your heart; you may surely reprove your neighbor, but shall not incur sin because of him.
From Kadesh Moses then sent messengers to the king of Edom: "Thus your brother Israel has said, 'You know all the hardship that has befallen us;
"Say to Amasa, 'Are you not my bone and my flesh? May God do so to me, and more also, if you will not be commander of the army before me continually in place of Joab.'"
He said, "What are these cities which you have given me, my brother?" So they were called the land of Cabul to this day.
"But He saves from the sword of their mouth, And the poor from the hand of the mighty.
"He has cast me into the mire, And I have become like dust and ashes.
Watsons
BROTHER. 1. A brother by the same mother, a uterine brother, Mt 4:21; 20:2. A brother, though not by the same mother, Mt 2:3. A near kinsman, a cousin, Mt 13:55; Mr 6:3. Observe, that in Mt 13:55, James, and Joses, and Judas, are called the ???????, brethren, of Christ, but were most probably only his cousins by his mother's side; for James and Joses were the sons of Mary, Mt 27:56; and James and Judas, the sons of Alpheus, Lu 6:15-16; which Alpheus is therefore probably the same with Cleopas, the husband of Mary, sister to our Lord's mother, Joh 19:25.
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When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.
Going on from there He saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and He called them.
"Is not this the carpenter's son? Is not His mother called Mary, and His brothers, James and Joseph and Simon and Judas?
"Is not this the carpenter's son? Is not His mother called Mary, and His brothers, James and Joseph and Simon and Judas?
"When he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius for the day, he sent them into his vineyard.
Among them was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of the sons of Zebedee.
"Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? Are not His sisters here with us?" And they took offense at Him.
and Matthew and Thomas; James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon who was called the Zealot; Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.
Therefore the soldiers did these things. But standing by the cross of Jesus were His mother, and His mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene.