Who was Mary in the Bible?
Jesus' mother, in the New Testament era
Mary, the mother of Jesus, was a young Jewish woman from Nazareth betrothed to Joseph, a descendant of David. She was likely a sister of Salome (see Jhn.19.25 and Gosple of Thomas but contra Diatessaron). Mary appears in 37 verses across 5 books of the Bible.
The Bible uses the name Mary for 3 different people. All 3 are below, each with its own passages.
Mary, mother of Jesus
Mary, the mother of Jesus, was a young Jewish woman from Nazareth betrothed to Joseph, a descendant of David. She was likely a sister of Salome (see Jhn.19.25 and Gosple of Thomas but contra Diatessaron). Before their marriage, an angel appeared to Mary, announcing that she would conceive a child by the Holy Spirit and name Him Jesus. Mary humbly accepted this divine plan, and the virgin birth of Jesus fulfilled the prophecy of the Messiah (Mat.1.16, 18, 20; Luk.1.26-38). After Jesus' birth in Bethlehem, Mary and Joseph presented Him at the temple, where Simeon prophesied that a sword would pierce her soul (Luk.2.5, 16, 19, 34). Mary treasured these events in her heart. She and Joseph raised Jesus in Nazareth, and He was known as the son of Mary (Mat.13.55; Mrk.6.3). During Jesus' crucifixion, Mary stood near the cross with other women, including her sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene (Mat.27.56, 61; Mrk.15.40, 47). After Jesus' resurrection, Mary was among the women who went to the tomb and later informed the disciples (Mat.28.1; Mrk.16.1; Luk.24.10). In the early church, Mary joined the disciples in prayer as they awaited the coming of the Holy Spirit (Act.1.14).
Definition text: STEPBible · Tyndale House Cambridge. Licensed CC BY 4.0. Lightly edited for length and formatting.
Compiled by Protos: the verse list on this page. Where one name belongs to more than one person or place, each of them gets a separate entry.
Mary of Bethany
Mary was a woman from Bethany, the sister of Martha and Lazarus, and a close friend of Jesus. When Jesus visited their home, Mary sat at His feet, listening intently to His teachings, while her sister Martha was busy serving. When Martha complained that Mary was not helping, Jesus commended Mary for choosing the better part by focusing on His words (Luk.10.39, 42). After the death of Lazarus, Mary fell at Jesus' feet, expressing her grief and faith in Him. Jesus was deeply moved by her sorrow and wept with her before raising Lazarus from the dead (Jhn.11.1-44). Later, during a meal at their home, Mary took a pound of expensive perfume and anointed Jesus' feet, wiping them with her hair. This act of devotion and love was criticized by Judas Iscariot, but Jesus defended her, stating that she had anointed Him for His burial (Jhn.12.3-8).
11 verses: John 11:1, John 11:2, John 11:19, John 11:20, John 11:28, John 11:31, John 11:32, John 11:45, John 12:3, Luke 10:39, Luke 10:42
Definition text: STEPBible · Tyndale House Cambridge. Licensed CC BY 4.0. Lightly edited for length and formatting.
Mary, wife of Cleopas
Mary, the wife of Cleopas (or 'Alphaeus'), was one of the women present at the crucifixion of Jesus. She stood near the cross along with Jesus' mother, Mary, and Mary Magdalene. This brief mention in John's Gospel provides insight into the group of faithful women who witnessed Jesus' suffering and death (Jhn.19.25). In Catholic theology, where Mary the mother of Jesus remains a virgin, Mary the wife of Cleopas is the mother of Jesus' brothers, so her sons James and Joses are identical to the James and Joses who are listed as 'brothers' of Jesus along with Simon and Judas who are therefore also her sons (Mat.13.55
7 verses: John 19:25, Luke 24:10, Matthew 27:56, Matthew 27:61, Matthew 28:1, Mark 15:40, Mark 16:1
Definition text: STEPBible · Tyndale House Cambridge. Licensed CC BY 4.0. Lightly edited for length and formatting.
Where does Mary appear in the Bible?
Mary is referenced in 37 verses across 5 books. Every passage below is about this one, not just every verse the word turns up in.
- Acts 1:14
- Luke 1:27
- Luke 1:30
- Luke 1:34
- Luke 1:38
- Luke 1:39
- Luke 1:41
- Luke 1:46
- Luke 1:56
- Luke 2:5
- Luke 2:16
- Luke 2:19
- Luke 2:34
- Matthew 1:16
- Matthew 1:18
- Matthew 2:11
- Matthew 13:55
- Mark 6:3
- Mark 15:47
Showing the first 19 of 37.
Open all 37 references in ProtosWhat else appears in these passages?
These turn up in the same passages as Mary.
Common questions
How many people in the Bible are called Mary?
Mary refers to 3 different people in the Bible: Mary, mother of Jesus; Mary of Bethany; Mary, wife of Cleopas.
How many times does the Bible mention Mary?
Mary appears in 37 verses across 5 books, most often in Luke, which accounts for 15 of them.
Which books of the Bible mention Mary?
Luke, John, Matthew, Mark, Acts.
Where can I read every verse about Mary?
This page lists 19 of them. Protos carries all 37, and opens this entry on the verse you are reading rather than in a separate tab.
