en_bc/articles/familyjesus.md

# Family of Jesus

Jesus had an earthly family. Mary was his mother. The Holy Spirit came upon Mary and made her pregnant with Jesus. However, Mary’s husband, Joseph, raised Jesus in the same way a father raised a son. Jesus also had brothers and sisters.

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Jesus’ mother, Mary, was a virgin when she gave birth to him (see: Matthew 1:18, 25). Later, Mary had other sons and daughters with her husband, Joseph (see: Matthew 12:46-50). The sons of Mary and Joseph were named James, Joses, Judas, and Simon. The Bible did not write the names of the daughters of Mary and Joseph or how many daughters they had (see: Mark 6:3). 

The sons of Mary and Joseph did not believe in Jesus before he died (see: John 7:5). However, they became Christians after Jesus died (see: Acts 1:14). Later, James, the son of Mary and Joseph, was the leader of the church in Jerusalem (see: Galatians 1:19; Acts 15:13,19).

Jesus was also related to John the Baptist because their mothers were related to each other. The angel Gabriel told Mary about her relative Elizabeth being pregnant. He told this to Mary immediately after he told her she would be pregnant with Jesus (see: Luke 1:36).

Some scholars think Jesus’ brothers and sisters were actually his cousins. But other scholars think Jesus’ brothers and sisters were the children Joseph had from another marriage before he married Mary. That is, these scholars think Joseph’s first wife died before he married Mary. These scholars say these things because they think Mary was a virgin all her life, even when she was Joseph’s wife. However, more scholars think that Mary was a virgin when Jesus was born, but she did not remain a virgin her whole life (see: Matthew 1:25).

See: [Virgin](../articles/virgin.md); [Apostle](../articles/apostle.md); [Family of God](../articles/familyofgod.md); [Children of God](../articles/childrenofgod.md)