Bible Strands
John 7:5
For even His own brothers did not believe in Him.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — The narrator records that Jesus’ brothers did not believe in Him while He was still in Galilee, following their suggestion that He should go to Judea to reveal Himself publicly.
The words — The Greek phrase οὐδὲ ἀδελφοὶ αὐτοῦ ἐπίστευον εἰς αὐτὸν (oude adelphoi autou episteuon eis auton) literally translates to “not even His brothers were believing in Him.”
The thread — This unbelief parallels the rejection recorded in John 1:11, where His own people did not receive Him, and echoes the familial distrust described in Micah 7:5.
Why it lands — The text states that Jesus’ brothers did not believe in Him despite their familial relationship. This requires a reader to recognize that proximity to Jesus does not guarantee faith, and to examine whether their own trust rests on personal conviction rather than social or relational association.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Greek words
King James Version
For neither did his brethren believe in him.
Cross-references
- Mark 3:21 When His family heard about this, they went out to take custody of Him, saying, “He is out of His mind.”
- John 1:11 He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him.
- Micah 7:5 Do not rely on a friend; do not trust in a companion. Seal the doors of your mouth from her who lies in your arms.
- John 7:3 So Jesus’ brothers said to Him, “Leave here and go to Judea, so that Your disciples there may see the works You are doing.
- John 7:10 But after His brothers had gone up to the feast, He also went—not publicly, but in secret.