Luke 2 · Verse 49

Luke 2:49

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

Luke 2:49, King James Version

Luke 2:49 in other translations

BSB	“Why were you looking for Me?” He asked. “Did you not know that I had to be in My Father’s house?”
WEB	He said to them, “Why were you looking for me? Didn’t you know that I must be in my Father’s house?”
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?
YLT	And he said unto them, ‘Why is it that ye were seeking me? did ye not know that in the things of my Father it behoveth me to be?'
DARBY	And he said to them, Why is it that ye have sought me? did ye not know that I ought to be occupied in my Father's business?
BBE	And he said to them, Why were you looking for me? was it not clear to you that my right place was in my Father's house?
Webster	And he said to them, How is it that ye sought me? knew ye not that I must be about my Father's business?

What does Luke 2:49 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

49. about my Father's business--literally, "in" or "at My Fathers," that is, either "about My Father's affairs," or "in My Father's courts"--where He dwells and is to be found--about His hand, so to speak. This latter shade of meaning, which includes the former, is perhaps the true one, Here He felt Himself at home, breathing His own proper air. His words convey a gentle rebuke of their obtuseness in requiring Him to explain this. "Once here, thought ye I should so readily hasten away? Let ordinary worshippers be content to keep the feast and be gone; but is this all ye have learnt of Me?" Methinks we are here let into the holy privacies of Nazareth; for what He says they should have known, He must have given them ground to know. She tells Him of the sorrow with which His father and she had sought Him. He speaks of no Father but one, saying, in effect, My Father has not been seeking Me; I have been with Him all this time; "the King hath brought me into His chambers ... His left hand is under my head, and His right hand doth embrace me" (So 1:4; 2:6). How is it that ye do not understand? (Mr 8:21).

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes

Verse 49. How is it, &c. Why have ye sought me with so much anxiety? Mary should have known that the Son of God was safe; that his heavenly Father would take care of him, and that he could do nothing amiss.

Wist ye not. Know ye not. You had reason to know. You knew my design in coming into the world, and that design was superior to the duty of obeying earthly parents, and they should be willing always to give me up to the proper business for which I live.

My Father's business. Some think that this should be translated "in my Father's house" -- that is, in the temple. Jesus reminded them here that he came down from heaven; that he had a higher Father than an earthly parent; and that, even in early life, it was proper that he should be engaged in the work for which he came. He did not enter, indeed, upon his public work for eighteen years after this; yet still the work of God was his work, and always, even in childhood, it was proper for him to be engaged in the great business for which he came down from heaven.

(z) Jn 5:17, 9:4

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 49 How is it that ye sought me? - Is not this intended as a gentle reproof? Why had ye me to seek? Ye should not have left my company, when ye knew I am constantly employed in performing the will of the Most High. My Father's business? - Εν τοις του πατρος μου, My Father's concerns. Some think that these words should be translated, In my Father's house; which was a reason that they should have sought him in the temple only. As if he had said, Where should a child be found, but in his father's house? This translation is defended by Grotius, Pearce, and others; and is the reading of the Syriac, later Persic, and Armenian versions. Our Lord took this opportunity to instruct Joseph and Mary concerning his Divine nature and mission. My Father's concerns. This saying, one would think, could not have been easily misunderstood. It shows at once that he came down from heaven. Joseph had no concerns in the temple; and yet we find they did not fully comprehend it. How slow of heart is man to credit any thing that comes from God!

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Luke 2:41-52

It is for the honour of Christ that children should attend on public worship. His parents did not return till they had stayed all the seven days of the feast. It is well to stay to the end of an ordinance, as becomes those who say, It is good to be here. Those that have lost their comforts in Christ, and the evidences of their having a part in him, must bethink themselves where, and when, and how they lost them, and…

Read the full comment on Luke 2:41-52 →

Luke 2:49 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

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

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Luke 2:49

John 6:38
For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.
John 8:29
And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him.
Malachi 3:1
Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the Lord of hosts.
Psalms 40:8
I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart.
John 4:34
Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.
Luke 2:48
And when they saw him, they were amazed: and his mother said unto him, Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us? behold, thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing.
John 5:17
But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work.
Matthew 21:12
And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves,
John 9:4
I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.
John 2:16-17
And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father’s house an house of merchandise. And his disciples remembered that it was written, The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

my.
48; Ps 40:8; Mal 3:1; Mt 21:12; Joh 2:16,17; 4:34; 5:17; 6:38; 8:29
Joh 9:4

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

Luke 2:48
And when they saw him, they were amazed: and his mother said unto him, Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us? behold, thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing.
Luke 2:49
And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father’s business?
Luke 2:50
And they understood not the saying which he spake unto them.

Read all of Luke 2

Luke 2:49 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Entonces él les dice: ¿Qué hay? ¿por qué me buscabais? ¿No sabíais que en los negocios de mi Padre me conviene estar?
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	Et il leur dit: Pourquoi me cherchiez-vous? Ne saviez-vous pas qu’il me faut être aux affaires de mon Père?
German Elberfelder 1871	Und er sprach zu ihnen: Was ist es, daß ihr mich gesucht habt? Wußtet ihr nicht, daß ich in dem sein muß, was meines Vaters ist?
Latin Clementine Vulgate	Et ait ad illos: Quid est quod me quærebatis? nesciebatis quia in his quæ Patris mei sunt, oportet me esse?