Jesus' mother living at the time of the New Testament
Mary, the mother of Jesus and wife of Joseph, was a virgin when she conceived by the Holy Spirit.
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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).
Part of: John the Baptist's Circle · Bethany and the Women Around Jesus · Jesus and His Family Circle
The angel tells Mary that Elizabeth is her relative (syngenis). Mary visited her for about three months, and the child in Elizabeth's womb leapt. The exact relationship is not stated.
Sources: Scripture
Mark lists Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the younger and Joses, and Salome watching from a distance and at the tomb. Luke adds Joanna. These women became the first witnesses of the empty tomb.
Sources: Scripture
John names either three or four women at the cross: "his mother's sister, Mary of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene" may be 3 or 4. If four, the sister is likely Salome, mother of Zebedee's sons, making James and John Jesus' first cousins.
Sources: Scripture
From the cross Jesus entrusts his mother to "the disciple whom he loved", who took her into his home. Tradition identifies this disciple with John son of Zebedee; the Gospel does not name him.
Sources: John 19:26-27 · John 21:20-24
Matthew and Luke agree that Mary was betrothed to Joseph of David's line and that he took her as his wife before Jesus' birth.
Sources: Matthew 1:18-25 · Luke 2:4-5
Matthew says Joseph's father was Jacob; Luke says Joseph was the son of Heli. Africanus reconciled this with a levirate marriage; others read Luke's line as Mary's and TIPNR lists Heli as Mary's father.
Sources: Matthew 1:16 · Luke 3:23 · Julius Africanus, Letter to Aristides (cited in Eusebius, Church History)
This reads the brothers as sons of Mary and Joseph after Jesus. Helvidius argued from the plain sense of "brothers" and Jesus as "firstborn"; Jerome wrote against him. Many Protestant scholars hold it today.
Sources: Jerome, Against Helvidius (c. AD 383) · Tertullian, On the Flesh of Christ (early 3rd c.)
John 19:25 lists the women at the cross; if "his mother's sister" is a separate person from Mary of Clopas, she could be Salome of Mark 15:40 or the mother of Zebedee's sons of Matthew 27:56. That would make James and John Jesus' first cousins.
Sources: John 19:25 · Mark 15:40 · Matthew 27:56
Reading John 19:25 as three women, "his mother's sister, Mary of Clopas" are one person. Jerome held it, with "sister" meaning a relative or sister-in-law, since two sisters named Mary is hard to credit.
Sources: Jerome, Against Helvidius (c. AD 383)
The angel tells Mary that her relative Elizabeth has conceived in old age, and Mary goes to visit her. Luke does not specify the degree of kinship.
Sources: Luke 1:36
Luke makes their mothers relatives. Tradition calls the two "cousins", though the word in Luke is general, and Elizabeth is a descendant of Aaron while Mary is associated with David's line.
Sources: Luke 1:36
Luke says Mary and Joseph returned to Nazareth after the infancy events, and Mark shows Jesus teaching in his home town among people who knew his mother, brothers and sisters.
Sources: Luke 2:39 · Mark 6:1-3
The Gospels show tension between Jesus and his family: relatives say he is out of his mind, and John says his brothers did not believe. Acts places them with the believers after the resurrection.
Sources: Mark 3:21 · John 7:5 · Acts 1:14
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20 verses in 4 books · English text: BSB (change it from the menu at the top) · Strong’s G3137
and Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.
This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged in marriage to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit.
But after he had pondered these things, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to embrace Mary as your wife, for the One conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.
On coming to the house, they saw the Child with His mother Mary, and they fell down and worshiped Him. Then they opened their treasures and presented Him with gifts of gold and frankincense and myrrh.
“Isnʼt this the carpenterʼs son? Isnʼt His motherʼs name Mary, and arenʼt His brothers James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas?
Isnʼt this the carpenter, the son of Mary and the brother of James, Joses, Judas, and Simon? Arenʼt His sisters here with us as well?” And they took offense at Him.
Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joseph saw where His body was placed.
to a virgin pledged in marriage to a man named Joseph, who was of the house of David. And the virginʼs name was Mary.
So the angel told her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.
“How can this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”
“I am the Lordʼs servant,” Mary answered. “May it happen to me according to your word.” Then the angel left her.
In those days Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judah,
When Elizabeth heard Maryʼs greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.
Then Mary said: “My soul magnifies the Lord,
Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned home.
He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to him in marriage and was expecting a child.
So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph and the Baby, who was lying in the manger.
But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.
Then Simeon blessed them and said to His mother Mary: “Behold, this Child is appointed to cause the rise and fall of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against,
With one accord they all continued in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers.
Names, family links and references: STEPBible TIPNR (Tyndale House Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). Short descriptions were drafted with AI assistance by STEPBible. Family links follow STEPBible’s scholarly decisions where genealogies are ambiguous.