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Portrait of Mary, Mother of JesusPortrait · Mary, Mother of Jesus

Gospels · New Testament

Mary, Mother of Jesus

Mother of the Messiah

Name meaning
Bitter or beloved; debated
Name origin
Hebrew: מִרְיָם (Miryam); Greek: Μαρία (Maria), etymology debated

Quick facts

Occupation
  • Mother
  • Wife of a carpenter
Birthplace
Nazareth (in Galilee, traditionally)
Modern-day location
Traditionally Nazareth in Galilee, present-day northern Israel.
Family
  • Wife of Joseph the carpenter
  • Mother of Jesus
  • Kinswoman of Elizabeth
  • Mother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon (per Matthew 13:55)
First mention
Matthew 1:16; Luke 1:26-38
Last mention
Acts 1:14
Key artifacts
  • Angel Gabriel's visit
  • Manger
  • Cross and upper room

Key verses

  • “Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word.”

    Luke 1:38

  • “My soul doth magnify the Lord,”

    Luke 1:46

  • “But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.”

    Luke 2:19

Biography

Early Life

Mary was a young woman in Nazareth betrothed to Joseph when the angel Gabriel announced she would bear a son by the Holy Spirit who would be called the Son of the Most High.

Defining Biblical Moments

Mary visited Elizabeth, gave birth in Bethlehem, presented Jesus at the Temple where Simeon and Anna spoke, and later stood near the cross and prayed with the disciples after the resurrection.

Strengths

Mary is portrayed as humble, obedient, ponderous and worshipful, treasuring God's words in her heart.

Weaknesses & Lessons

At times she did not fully understand Jesus' mission, showing that even close family must learn to follow him as disciple, not merely as kin.

Life Lessons for Today

Willingness to say "be it unto me" opens a life to God's purposes; pondering and worship sustain faith through both wonder and sorrow.

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Mary, Mother of Jesus appears in Women of the Bible: Profiles in Courage & Faith, alongside more profiles like this one.

Page #39 in Women of the Bible: Profiles in Courage & Faith

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Women whose courage shaped Scripture

Vivid profiles of the women of the Bible whose faith, wisdom, and quiet courage carried them through extraordinary moments.

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