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Luke 2:49

“Why were you looking for Me?” He asked. “Did you not know that I had to be in My Father’s house?”

BSB

Parallel translations (2) ▾

ASV

And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? knew ye not that I must be in my Father’s house?

KJV

And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father’s business?

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Commentary

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Hebraic traditional view

Why a boy from Galilee was in Jerusalem

The Law asked every Israelite male to appear in Jerusalem three times a year, Passover chief among them (Deuteronomy 16:16). Galilean families like Joseph's traveled in large caravans of relatives and neighbors: several days on the road each way. That is why Jesus' parents could travel a full day assuming He was “in the company”: a caravan was a moving village. The Mishnah's tractate on the festival visit opens with exactly who was obligated to make this trip (Chagigah 1:1): men were bound, women and children came freely, and Mary came.

Sources: Deuteronomy 16:16 (the pilgrimage command) · Mishnah Chagigah 1:1 (who must appear)

Original language & word study

19 tagged words
OriginalTransliterationMeaningWord study
ΚαὶKaiAndG2532 →
εἶπενeipenHe saidG2036 →
πρὸςprostoG4314 →
αὐτούς·autousthem;G846 →
τίtiWhy [is it]G5101 →
ὅτιhotiforG3754 →
ἐζητεῖτέezēteiteyou were seekingG2212 →
με;meMe?G3165 →
οὐκoukSurelyG3756 →
ᾔδειτεēdeiteyou knewG1492 →
ὅτιhotithatG3754 →
ἐνeninG1722 →
τοῖςtoisthe [house]G3588 →
τοῦtouof theG3588 →
πατρόςpatrosFatherG3962 →
μουmouof MineG3165 →
δεῖdeiit behoovesG1163 →
εἶναίeinaito beG1511 →
με;meMe?G3165 →

The walk

Related verses

18 strongest cross-references

The gold bar shows how strongly the cross-reference sources tie the two verses together: a long bar means many compiled references make the connection, a short one means few.

John 6:38For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but to do the will of Him who sent Me.John 8:29He who sent Me is with Me. He has not left Me alone, because I always do what pleases Him.”Malachi 3:1“Behold, I will send My messenger, who will prepare the way before Me. Then the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to His temple—the Messenger of the covenant, in whom you delight—see, He is coming,” says the LORD of Hosts.Psalms 40:8I delight to do Your will, O my God; Your law is within my heart.”John 4:34Jesus explained, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to finish His work.Luke 2:48When His parents saw Him, they were astonished. “Child, why have You done this to us?” His mother asked. “Your father and I have been anxiously searching for You.”John 5:17But Jesus answered them, “To this very day My Father is at His work, and I too am working.”Matthew 21:12Then Jesus entered the temple courts and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those selling doves.John 2:16To those selling doves He said, “Get these out of here! How dare you turn My Father’s house into a marketplace!”John 2:16–17To those selling doves He said, “Get these out of here! How dare you turn My Father’s house into a marketplace!”John 9:4While it is daytime, we must do the works of Him who sent Me. Night is coming, when no one can work.Mark 1:38But Jesus answered, “Let us go on to the neighboring towns so I can preach there as well, for that is why I have come.”Psalms 26:8O LORD, I love the house where You dwell, the place where Your glory resides.Mark 3:33But Jesus replied, “Who are My mother and My brothers?”John 4:4Now He had to pass through Samaria.Matthew 12:48But Jesus replied, “Who is My mother, and who are My brothers?”Exodus 34:29And when Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the Testimony in his hands, he was unaware that his face had become radiant from speaking with the LORD.John 2:4“Woman, why does this concern us?” Jesus replied. “My hour has not yet come.”

Featured studies on this passage

Expulsion of the Money-changers from the Temple (Scrovegni Chapel) — Giotto

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The Cleansing of the Temple — John 2 · Matthew 21

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On Luke 2:49

The Silent Years, MannaFest

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The Defeat of Sennacherib — Peter Paul Rubens

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Archaeology and the Bible (the Evidence Ledger), MannaFest

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Jesus Among the Doctors — Albrecht Dürer

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Jesus at Twelve (Luke 2), MannaFest

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The Annunciation (Prado version) — Fra Angelico

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Mary of Nazareth · MannaFest

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Rome, MannaFest

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About Luke

The Return of the Prodigal Son — Gustave Doré (engraving, public domain)
The Return of the Prodigal Son — Gustave Doré (engraving, public domain)
Luke: the study guide →Read chapter 2 →The featured study →
Continue: Luke 2 →