According to the Gospels, Jesus was known as a carpenter before his public ministry.
Mark 6:3 calls Jesus “the carpenter,” while Matthew 13:55 describes him as the son of a carpenter. The Greek term tekton can refer to a craftsperson or builder working with wood, stone, or other materials, so “carpenter” is the traditional English translation rather than a complete description of his trade.
The references occur when people in Nazareth react to Jesus’ teaching and question how someone from their community could speak with such authority. The passages therefore provide a glimpse of his working life before the ministry described in the Gospels.
A common mistake is to identify Jesus as a fisherman because several apostles worked as fishermen. The Gospel texts associate that occupation with disciples such as Peter and Andrew, not with Jesus himself.