Did Jesus have any siblings?
Yes, but they were half-siblings. Meaning, they were born of the same mother, but not the same father. God was Jesus’ Father. Joseph was the father of his half-siblings. And I do believe he had several. Jesus’ brothers are mentioned in several Bible verses. Matthew 12:46, Luke 8:19, and Mark 3:31 say that Jesus’ mother and brothers came to see Him. The Bible tells us that Jesus had four brothers: James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas (Matthew 13:55). The Bible also tells us that Jesus had sisters, but they are not named or numbered (Matthew 13:56). In John 7:1-10, His brothers go on to the festival while Jesus stays behind. In Acts 1:14, His brothers and mother are described as praying with the disciples. Later, in Galatians 1:19, it mentions that James was Jesus’ brother. The most natural conclusion of these passages is to interpret that Jesus had actual blood siblings. Some Roman Catholics claim that these “brothers” were actually Jesus’ cousins.
This is a matter of some contention. The 2002 discovery of a first century ossuary with the inscription “James, son of Joseph, brother of Jesus” recently rekindled the debate. As Cecil Adams of the Straight Dope explains, the answer depends on whether you’re Catholic or Protestant. The New Testament makes several references to “brothers” and “sisters” of Jesus. Matthew 13:55 lists four brothers by name: James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas. Passage 13:56 also mentions that Jesus had sisters, but does not offer their names. Here’s where the semantics get sticky. The New Testament, originally written in Greek, uses the words “adelphoi” for brothers and “adelphi” for sisters. The Catholic perspective
