Bible
Mary Magdalene in the Bible
Last updated: May 31, 2026
Written by Blake Boege
Mary Magdalene was a key female disciple of Jesus of Nazareth, mentioned prominently in all four canonical Gospels. Described as a woman from whom Jesus cast out seven demons, she became a dedicated follower who helped support His ministry financially. Mary Magdalene was present at the crucifixion, stayed at the tomb after others fled, and is historically recognized as the first witness to the resurrection of Jesus, earning her the traditional title of apostle to the apostles. Researchers and readers search for this topic to analyze the role of women in early Christianity, separate scriptural facts from medieval folklore, and study New Testament resurrection accounts.
Mary Magdalene was a Galilean follower of Jesus, delivered by him from demonic affliction, named in all four Gospels at the crucifixion and the empty tomb, and given the first encounter with the risen Christ in John 20.
Quick Answer
Mary Magdalene was a prominent disciple of Jesus who traveled with Him, witnessed His crucifixion, and was the first person to see and proclaim the risen Christ on Easter morning.
Direct answer
Mary Magdalene was a Galilean follower of Jesus from the town of Magdala, delivered by him from seven demons (Luke 8:2). She was present at the cross and the burial and was the first person to see the risen Jesus on Easter morning (John 20:11-18).
The Bible nowhere calls her a prostitute and nowhere says she was married to Jesus. Both claims are later traditions or modern fiction, not biblical statements.
Examples
Delivered from demons
Luke 8:2
Supported Jesus's ministry
Luke 8:3
At the cross
Matthew 27:55-56, John 19:25
At the empty tomb
Matthew 28:1, John 20:1
First to see the risen Jesus
John 20:11-18
First messenger of the resurrection
John 20:17-18
How it works
The page surveys what the four Gospels actually say about Mary Magdalene and corrects three popular myths that are not from the Bible. References are KJV.
Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master.John 20:16, KJV
Where Mary Magdalene came from
Mary is identified as 'Magdalene' from Magdala, a town on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee. Luke 8:2 introduces her: 'And certain women, which had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary called Magdalene, out of whom went seven devils.' From that point she travels with Jesus and the Twelve and helps support the ministry from her own resources (Luke 8:3).
At the cross
Mary Magdalene is named at the crucifixion in all four Gospels. She is one of the women standing at a distance watching (Matthew 27:55-56; Mark 15:40). John places her at the foot of the cross with Mary the mother of Jesus and others (John 19:25). She remains with the body and watches the burial (Matthew 27:61).
First witness of the resurrection
All four Gospels place Mary Magdalene at the empty tomb on Easter morning. John 20:11-18 gives the longest account: she stands weeping outside the tomb, sees two angels, and turns to see Jesus, whom she at first mistakes for the gardener. He calls her by name: 'Mary.' She answers 'Rabboni.' Jesus then sends her to tell his brethren that he is ascending to his Father. She runs to the disciples and announces: 'I have seen the Lord.'
Correcting the common myths
Three popular myths about Mary Magdalene are not in the Bible. (1) The Bible never says she was a prostitute. The association with the sinful woman of Luke 7 was a late traditional conflation. (2) The Bible never says she was married to Jesus or had a child with him. This is a modern fiction. (3) The Bible never says she was a peripheral figure in the Gospels. She is named consistently in all four accounts of the cross and resurrection, and John gives her the first encounter with the risen Christ.
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Frequently asked questions
Mary Magdalene was a Galilean woman from Magdala (a town on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee) who became a follower of Jesus after he cast seven demons out of her (Luke 8:2). She traveled with Jesus and the Twelve, helped support his ministry from her own resources (Luke 8:3), was present at his crucifixion and burial (Matthew 27:55-61), and was the first person to see him after the resurrection (John 20:11-18).
The Bible never calls Mary Magdalene a prostitute. The association comes from a later church tradition (often traced to a 6th-century sermon by Pope Gregory the Great) that conflated her with the unnamed sinful woman in Luke 7:36-50 and with Mary of Bethany. Modern Catholic and Protestant scholarship widely rejects that identification. Luke introduces Mary Magdalene in Luke 8:2 by saying that seven devils had been cast out of her, not by describing her as a prostitute.
No. The Bible nowhere says Jesus was married, and it nowhere says he was married to Mary Magdalene. The idea is a modern fictional invention with no support in the four canonical Gospels. Mary Magdalene is consistently portrayed as a devoted disciple, the first witness of the resurrection, and an early evangelist of the resurrection news, not as Jesus's wife.
In all four Gospels she is named at the crucifixion and at the empty tomb. John 20:11-18 records her personal encounter with the risen Jesus, when he calls her by name and she answers 'Rabboni' (Master). Jesus then sends her to tell the disciples, making her the first messenger of the resurrection. The church has sometimes called her 'the apostle to the apostles' for this reason.
No. The Gospels distinguish multiple women named Mary: Mary the mother of Jesus, Mary Magdalene (from Magdala), Mary of Bethany (the sister of Martha and Lazarus, John 11-12), Mary the mother of James and Joses (Mark 15:40), and Mary the wife of Clopas (John 19:25). The later conflation of Mary Magdalene with Mary of Bethany or with the sinful woman in Luke 7 is a tradition, not a biblical claim.
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