'Brothers' in the Bible

Abraham became the father of Isaac, and Isaac became the father of Jacob, and Jacob became the father of Judah and his brothers,

and Josiah became the father of Jechoniah and his brothers, at the time of the deportation to Babylon.

Now [as he] was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew, throwing a casting net into the sea (for they were fishermen).

And going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James the [son] of Zebedee and his brother John, in the boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets, and he called them.

And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing that is remarkable? Do not the Gentiles also do the same?

And [while] he was still speaking to the crowds, behold, his mother and brothers were standing there outside, desiring to speak to him.

And someone told him, "Behold, your mother and your brothers are standing there outside desiring to speak to you."

But he answered [and] said to the one who told him, "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!

Is not this one the son of the carpenter? Is not his mother called Mary and his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas?

And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or fields on account of my name will receive a hundred times as much, and will inherit eternal life.

And [when] the ten heard [this], they were indignant concerning the two brothers.

Now there were seven brothers with us. And the first died [after] getting married, and [because he] did not have descendants, he left his wife to his brother.

But you are not to be called 'Rabbi,' because one is your teacher, and you are all brothers,

And the king will answer [and] say to them, 'Truly I say to you, in as much as you did [it] to one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did [it] to me.'

Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid! Go tell my brothers that they should go to Galilee, and there they will see me."

And his mother and his brothers arrived, and standing outside, they sent [word] to him to summon him.

And a crowd was sitting around him, and they told him, "Behold, your mother and your brothers [are] outside looking for you."

And he answered them [and] said, "Who is my mother or my brothers?"

And looking around at those who were sitting around him in a circle, he said, "Behold, my mother and my brothers!

Jesus said, "Truly I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields on account of me and on account of the gospel

{who will not} receive a hundred times as much now in this time--houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and fields, together with persecutions--and in the age to come, eternal life.

There were seven brothers, and the first took a wife. And [when he] died, he did not leave descendants.

Now his mother and brothers came to him, and they were not able to meet with him because of the crowd.

And it was reported to him, "Your mother and your brothers are standing outside wanting to see you."

But he answered [and] said to them, "These are my mother and my brothers--the ones who hear the word of God and do [it].

And he also said to the one who had invited him, "When you give a dinner or a banquet, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or wealthy neighbors, lest they also invite you [in return], and repayment come to you.

"If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, and furthermore, even his own life, {he cannot be} my disciple.

for I have five brothers, so that he could warn them, in order that they also should not come to this place of torment!'

And he said to them, "Truly I say to you that there is no one who has left house or wife or brothers or parents or children on account of the kingdom of God,

Now there were seven brothers, and the first took a wife [and] died childless,

And you will be handed over even by parents and brothers and relatives and friends, and they will put to death [some] of you.

but I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail. And you, [when] once you have turned back, strengthen your brothers."

After this he went down to Capernaum, and his mother and brothers and his disciples, and they stayed there {a few} days.

So his brothers said to him, "Depart from here and go to Judea, so that your disciples also can see your works that you are doing.

(For not even his brothers believed in him.)

But when his brothers had gone up to the feast, then he also went up, not openly, but (as it were) in secret.

Jesus said to her, "Do not touch me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and tell them, 'I am ascending to my Father and your Father, and my God and your God.'"

So this saying went out to the brothers that that disciple would not die. But Jesus did not say to him that he would not die, but "If I want him to remain until I come, what [is that] to you?"

All these were busily engaged with one mind in prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus and with his brothers.

And in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the brothers (and it was a crowd of persons of about one hundred twenty at the same [place]) [and] said,

"Men [and] brothers, it was necessary [that] the scripture be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit proclaimed beforehand through the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus,

"Men [and] brothers, it is possible to speak with confidence to you about the patriarch David, that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us until this day.

Now [when they] heard [this], they were pierced to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, "What should we do, men [and] brothers?"

And now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, just as your rulers did also.

Moses said, 'The Lord God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your brothers. You will listen to him in everything that he says to you.

So, brothers, select from among you seven men {of good reputation}, full of the Spirit and wisdom, whom we will put in charge of this need.

So he said, "Men--brothers and fathers--listen: The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham [while he] was in Mesopotamia, before he settled in Haran,

And on the second [visit] Joseph was made known to his brothers, and the family of Joseph became known to Pharaoh.

"But when {he was forty years old}, it entered in his heart to visit his brothers, the sons of Israel.

And he thought his brothers would understand that God was granting deliverance to them by his hand, but they did not understand.

And on the following day, he made an appearance to them [while they] were fighting and was attempting to reconcile them in peace, saying, 'Men [and] brothers, why are you doing wrong to one another?'

"This is the Moses who said to the sons of Israel, 'God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your brothers.'

And [when] the brothers found out, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him away to Tarsus.

So he invited them in [and] entertained them as guests, and on the next day he got up [and] went away with them. And some of the brothers from Joppa accompanied him.

Now the apostles and the brothers who were throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had accepted the word of God.

And the Spirit told me to accompany them, not hesitating [at all]. So these six brothers also went with me, and we entered into the man's house.

So from the disciples, {according to their ability to give}, each one of them determined to send [financial aid] for support to the brothers who lived in Judea,

But motioning to them with [his] hand to be silent, he related to them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he said, "Report these [things] to James and to the brothers," and he departed [and] went to another place.

So after the reading from the law and the prophets, the rulers of the synagogue sent [word] to them, saying, "Men [and] brothers, if there is any message of exhortation by you for the people, say [it]."

"Men [and] brothers, sons of the family of Abraham and those among you who fear God--to us the message of this salvation has been sent!

"Therefore let it be known to you, men [and] brothers, that through this one forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, and from all [the things] from which you were not able to be justified by the law of Moses,

But the Jews who were disobedient stirred up and {poisoned the minds} of the Gentiles against the brothers.

And some men came down from Judea [and] began teaching the brothers, "Unless you are circumcised according to the custom [prescribed] by Moses, you cannot be saved."

So they were sent on their way by the church, [and] passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria, telling in detail the conversion of the Gentiles and bringing great joy to all the brothers.

And [after] there was much debate, Peter stood up [and] said to them, "Men [and] brothers, you know that in the early days God chose among you through my mouth [that] the Gentiles should hear the message of the gospel and believe.

And after they had stopped speaking, James answered, saying, "Men [and] brothers, listen to me!

Then it seemed best to the apostles and the elders, together with the whole church, to send men chosen from among them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas--Judas who was called Barsabbas and Silas, men [who were] leaders among the brothers--

writing [this letter] {to be delivered by them}: The apostles and the elders, brothers. To the brothers [who are] from among the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia. Greetings!

Both Judas and Silas, who were also prophets themselves, encouraged and strengthened the brothers by a long message.

And [after] spending [some] time, they were sent away in peace from the brothers to those who had sent them.

And after some days, Paul said to Barnabas, "Come then,[let us] return [and] visit the brothers in every town in which we proclaimed the word of the Lord, [to see] how they are [doing]."

but Paul chose Silas [and] departed, [after] being commended to the grace of the Lord by the brothers.

who was well spoken of by the brothers in Lystra and Iconium.

And [when they] came out of the prison, they went to Lydia and [when they] saw [them], they encouraged the brothers and departed.

And [when they] did not find them, they dragged Jason and some brothers before the city officials, shouting, "These [people] who have stirred up trouble [throughout] the world have come here also,

Now the brothers sent away both Paul and Silas at once, during the night, to Berea. {They} went into the synagogue of the Jews [when they] arrived.

So then the brothers sent Paul away at once to go to the sea, and both Silas and Timothy remained there.

So Paul, [after] remaining many days longer, said farewell to the brothers [and] sailed away to Syria, and with him Priscilla and Aquila. He shaved [his] head at Cenchrea, because he had [taken] a vow.

And [when] he wanted to cross over to Achaia, the brothers encouraged [him] [and] wrote to the disciples to welcome him. [When he] arrived, {he} assisted greatly those who had believed through grace.

And [when] we had completed the voyage from Tyre, we arrived at Ptolemais. And [after we] greeted the brothers, we stayed one day with them.

And [when] we came to Jerusalem, the brothers welcomed us gladly.

"Men--brothers and fathers--listen to my defense to you now!"

as indeed the high priest and the whole council of elders can testify about me, from whom also I received letters to the brothers in Damascus, [and] was traveling [there] to lead away those who were there also tied up to Jerusalem so that they could be punished.

And looking intently at the Sanhedrin, Paul said, "Men [and] brothers, I have lived my life in all good conscience before God to this day."

And Paul said, "I did not know, brothers, that he was high priest. For it is written, 'You must not speak evil [of] a ruler of your people.'"

Now [when] Paul realized that one part were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, he shouted out in the Sanhedrin, "Men [and] brothers! I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees! I am being judged concerning the hope and the resurrection of the dead!"

where we found brothers, [and] were implored to stay with them seven days. And in this way we came to Rome.

And from there the brothers, [when they] heard the [news] about us, came to meet us as far as the Forum of Appius and Three Taverns. [When he] saw them, Paul gave thanks to God [and] took courage.

Now it happened that after three days, he called together those who were the most prominent of the Jews. And [when] they had assembled, he said to them, "Men [and] brothers, [although] I had done nothing against [our] people or the customs of our fathers, from Jerusalem I was delivered [as] a prisoner into the hands of the Romans,

And they said to him, "We have received no letters about you from Judea, nor has any of the brothers come [and] reported or spoken anything evil about you.

Now I do not want you to be ignorant, brothers, that often I intended to come to you, and was prevented until now, in order that I might have some fruit among you also, just as also among the rest of the Gentiles.

Or do you not know, brothers (for I am speaking to those who know the law), that the law is master of a person for as long a time [as] he lives?

So then, my brothers, you also were brought to death with respect to the law through the body of Christ, so that you may belong to another, to the one who was raised from the dead, in order that we may bear fruit for God.

So then, brothers, we are obligated not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh.

because [those] whom he foreknew, he also predestined [to be] conformed to the image of his Son, so that he should be the firstborn among many brothers.

For I could wish myself to be accursed from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my fellow countrymen according to the flesh,

Brothers, the desire of my heart and my prayer to God on behalf of them [is] for [their] salvation.

For I do not want you to be ignorant, brothers, of this mystery, so that you will not be wise {in your own sight}, that a partial hardening has happened to Israel, until the full number of the Gentiles has come in,

Therefore I exhort you, brothers, through the mercies of God, to present your bodies [as] a living sacrifice, holy [and] pleasing to God, [which is] your reasonable service.