Luke 2:49

New Century Version

Jesus said to them, "Why were you looking for me? Didn't you know that I must be in my Father's house?"

Parallel Translations

Easy-to-Read Version
Jesus said to them, "Why did you have to look for me? You should have known that I must be where my Father's work is."

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
And he sayde vnto the: how is it yt ye sought me? Wist ye not that I must goo aboute my fathers busines?

Hebrew Names Version
He said to them, "Why were you looking for me? Didn't you know that I must be in my Father's house?"

International Standard Version
He said to them, "Why were you looking for me? Didn't you know that I had to be in my Father's house?"about my Father's work">[fn]John 2:16;">[xr]

New American Standard Bible
And He said to them, "Why is it that you were looking for Me? Did you not know that I had to be in My Father's house?"

Update Bible Version
And he said to them, How is it that you sought me? did you not know that I must be in my Father's house?

Webster's Bible Translation
And he said to them, How is it that ye sought me? knew ye not that I must be about my Father's business?

Amplified Bible
And He answered, "Why did you have to look for Me? Did you not know that I had to be in My Father's house?"

English Standard Version
And he said to them, "Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father's house?"

World English Bible
He said to them, "Why were you looking for me? Didn't you know that I must be in my Father's house?"

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
And he said to them, Why sought ye me? Knew ye not, that I must be about my Father's business?

Weymouth's New Testament
"Why is it that you have been searching for me?" He replied; "did you not know that it is my duty to be engaged upon my Father's business?"

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And he seide to hem, What is it that ye souyten me? wisten ye not that in tho thingis that ben of my fadir, it behoueth me to be?

English Revised Version
And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be in my Father's house?

Berean Standard Bible
"Why were you looking for Me?" He asked. "Did you not know that I had to be in My Father's house?"

Contemporary English Version
Jesus answered, "Why did you have to look for me? Didn't you know that I would be in my Father's house?"

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

Bible in Basic English
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?

Complete Jewish Bible
He said to them, "Why did you have to look for me? Didn't you know that I had to be concerning myself with my Father's affairs?"

Darby Translation
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?

Etheridge Translation
He saith to them, Why have you sought me (elsewhere) ? Knew you not that (in) the house of my Father it behoveth me to be ?

Murdock Translation
He said to them: Why did ye seek me? Do ye not know, that it behooveth me to be in my Father's house?

King James Version (1611)
And he said vnto them, How is it that ye sought me? Wist yee not that I must bee about my fathers businesse?

New Living Translation
"But why did you need to search?" he asked. "Didn't you know that I must be in my Father's house?"

New Life Bible
He said to them, "Why were you looking for Me? Do you not know that I must be in My Father's house?"

New Revised Standard
He said to them, "Why were you searching for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father's house?"

Geneva Bible (1587)
Then said he vnto them, Howe is it that ye sought me? knewe ye not that I must goe about my Fathers busines?

George Lamsa Translation
He said to them, Why were you looking for me? did you not know that I would be in the house of my Father?

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And he said unto them - Why was it that ye were seeking me? Perceived ye not, that, in the courts of my Father, I must needs be?

Douay-Rheims Bible
And he said to them: How is it that you sought me? Did you not know that I must be about my father’s business?

Revised Standard Version
And he said to them, "How is it that you sought me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father's house?"

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And he sayde vnto them: Howe is it that ye sought me? Wyste ye not, that I must go about my fathers businesse?

Good News Translation
He answered them, "Why did you have to look for me? Didn't you know that I had to be in my Father's house?"

Christian Standard Bible®
“Why were you searching for me?”

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

Lexham English Bible
And he said to them, "Why were you searching for me? Did you not know that it was necessary for me to be in the house of my Father?"

Literal Translation
And He said to them, Why did you look for me? Did you not know that I must be busy in the affairs of My Father?

Young's Literal Translation
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?'

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And he sayde vnto them: What is it, that ye haue sought me? Wyst ye not, yt I must go aboute my fathers busynes?

Mace New Testament (1729)
Jesus replied, why were ye so sollicitous about me? don't you know that 'tis my business to be in my father's house?

THE MESSAGE
He said, "Why were you looking for me? Didn't you know that I had to be here, dealing with the things of my Father?" But they had no idea what he was talking about.

New English Translation
But he replied, "Why were you looking for me? Didn't you know that I must be in my Father's house?"

New King James Version
And He said to them, "Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father's business?"

Simplified Cowboy Version
Jesus calmly replied, "Why did you look frantically? Didn't you know I would be at my Father's House and learning his work?"

New American Standard Bible (1995)
And He said to them, "Why is it that you were looking for Me? Did you not know that I had to be in My Father's house?"

Legacy Standard Bible
And He said to them, "Why is it that you were searching for Me? Did you not know that I had to be in My Father's house?"

Contextual Overview

⁴¹ Every year Jesus' parents went to Jerusalem for the Passover Feast. ⁴² When he was twelve years old, they went to the feast as they always did. ⁴³ After the feast days were over, they started home. The boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but his parents did not know it. ⁴⁴ Thinking that Jesus was with them in the group, they traveled for a whole day. Then they began to look for him among their family and friends. ⁴⁵ When they did not find him, they went back to Jerusalem to look for him there. ⁴⁶ After three days they found Jesus sitting in the Temple with the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. ⁴⁷ All who heard him were amazed at his understanding and answers. ⁴⁸ When Jesus' parents saw him, they were astonished. His mother said to him, "Son, why did you do this to us? Your father and I were very worried about you and have been looking for you." ⁴⁹ Jesus said to them, "Why were you looking for me? Didn't you know that I must be in my Father's house?" ⁵⁰ But they did not understand the meaning of what he said.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

my: Luke 2:48, Psalms 40:8, Malachi 3:1, Matthew 21:12, John 2:16, John 2:17, John 4:34, John 5:17, John 6:38, John 8:29, John 9:4

Reciprocal: Exodus 34:29 - wist Psalms 26:8 - Lord Matthew 12:48 - Who is Mark 1:38 - for Mark 3:33 - Who John 2:4 - what John 4:4 - General

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And he said unto them, how is it that ye sought me?.... That is, with so much uneasiness and distress of mind, not trusting in the power and providence of God, to take care of him; and in other places, besides the temple, where they had been inquiring for him:

wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business? or "in my Father's house", as the Syriac and Persic versions render it; where, as soon as you missed me, you might, at once, have concluded I was, and not have put yourselves to so much trouble and pains in seeking for me. Christ seems to tax them with ignorance, or, at least, forgetfulness of his having a Father in heaven, whose business he came to do on earth; and which they should have thought in their own minds he was now about, and so have made themselves easy. The business that Christ came about was to preach the Gospel, and which he afterwards performed with great clearness and fulness, with much power, majesty, and authority, with great constancy and diligence, with much concern for the souls of men, arid with great awfulness; and in which he took great delight, though he went through many dangers and risks of life; as also to work miracles in proof of his deity and Messiahship, and for the good of the bodies of men, and in which he was very assiduous, going about every where doing good this way: but the main, and principal part of his business was, to work out salvation for his people, by fulfilling the law, making reconciliation and atonement for their sins, and obtaining eternal redemption: this was a business which neither angels nor men could do; was very toilsome and laborious, and yet he delighted in it; nor did he desist from it until it was accomplished: and this is called his Father's business, because he contrived and assigned it to him; he called him to it, and sent him to perform; he enjoined it to him as man and mediator, and the glory of his perfections was concerned in it, and secured by it: and it was a business that Christ must be about, be concerned in, and perform, because he engaged to do it from all eternity; and because it was the will of his Father, which must be done, and was necessary in order to show himself dutiful and obedient; and because it was foretold in prophecy again and again and promised that it should be done; and because it could not be done by another. Now our Lord's conversing with the doctors, and which was a branch of his prophetic office, and was, no doubt, with a view to the good of the souls of men, and nothing less than miraculous, was a show, a prelude of, and a sort of an entrance upon the business he came about.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

How is it ... - “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.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Luke 2:49. 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!