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Women of the Bible

Hear women’s accounts of faithfulness, discernment, learning and witness.

1. 1. Read and discover - Read lesson

   World English Bible

   Ruth 1:1-18

   ¹ In the days when the judges judged, there was a famine in the land. A certain man of Bethlehem Judah went to live in the country of Moab with his wife and his two sons.

   ² The name of the man was Elimelech, and the name of his wife Naomi. The names of his two sons were Mahlon and Chilion, Ephrathites of Bethlehem Judah. They came into the country of Moab and lived there.

   ³ Elimelech, Naomi’s husband, died; and she was left with her two sons.

   ⁴ They took for themselves wives of the women of Moab. The name of the one was Orpah, and the name of the other was Ruth. They lived there about ten years.

   ⁵ Mahlon and Chilion both died, and the woman was bereaved of her two children and of her husband.

   ⁶ Then she arose with her daughters-in-law, that she might return from the country of Moab; for she had heard in the country of Moab how the LORD had visited his people in giving them bread.

   ⁷ She went out of the place where she was, and her two daughters-in-law with her. They went on the way to return to the land of Judah.

   ⁸ Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, “Go, return each of you to her mother’s house. May the LORD deal kindly with you, as you have dealt with the dead and with me.

   ⁹ May the LORD grant you that you may find rest, each of you in the house of her husband.” Then she kissed them, and they lifted up their voices, and wept.

   ¹⁰ They said to her, “No, but we will return with you to your people.”

   ¹¹ Naomi said, “Go back, my daughters. Why do you want to go with me? Do I still have sons in my womb, that they may be your husbands?

   ¹² Go back, my daughters, go your way; for I am too old to have a husband. If I should say, ‘I have hope,’ if I should even have a husband tonight, and should also bear sons,

   ¹³ would you then wait until they were grown? Would you then refrain from having husbands? No, my daughters, for it grieves me seriously for your sakes, for the LORD’s hand has gone out against me.”

   ¹⁴ They lifted up their voices and wept again; then Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth stayed with her.

   ¹⁵ She said, “Behold, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her god. Follow your sister-in-law.”

   ¹⁶ Ruth said, “Don’t urge me to leave you, and to return from following you, for where you go, I will go; and where you stay, I will stay. Your people will be my people, and your God my God.

   ¹⁷ Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May the LORD do so to me, and more also, if anything but death parts you and me.”

   ¹⁸ When Naomi saw that she was determined to go with her, she stopped urging her.

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   Understanding the passage

   Bereavement and migration frame three women’s difficult decisions; Ruth chooses practical solidarity without erasing Naomi’s loss.

   Reflect

   • What does Ruth leave behind, and how does she choose to accompany Naomi?

   Put it into practice

   Offer practical help to someone facing a transition.

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2. 2. Mary’s response - Read lesson

   World English Bible

   Luke 1:26-38

   ²⁶ Now in the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth,

   ²⁷ to a virgin pledged to be married to a man whose name was Joseph, of David’s house. The virgin’s name was Mary.

   ²⁸ Having come in, the angel said to her, “Rejoice, you highly favored one! The Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women!”

   ²⁹ But when she saw him, she was greatly troubled at the saying, and considered what kind of salutation this might be.

   ³⁰ The angel said to her, “Don’t be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.

   ³¹ Behold, you will conceive in your womb and give birth to a son, and shall name him ‘Jesus.’

   ³² He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David,

   ³³ and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever. There will be no end to his Kingdom.”

   ³⁴ Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, seeing I am a virgin?”

   ³⁵ The angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore also the holy one who is born from you will be called the Son of God.

   ³⁶ Behold, Elizabeth your relative also has conceived a son in her old age; and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren.

   ³⁷ For nothing spoken by God is impossible.”

   ³⁸ Mary said, “Behold, the servant of the Lord; let it be done to me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.

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   Understanding the passage

   Mary hears an unexpected announcement, asks a question and responds; the account shows discernment and trust rather than an absence of questions.

   Reflect

   • What does Mary ask before responding?

   Put it into practice

   Ask an honest question before accepting a responsibility.

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3. 3. Martha, Mary and listening - Read lesson

   World English Bible

   Luke 10:38-42

   ³⁸ As they went on their way, he entered into a certain village, and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house.

   ³⁹ She had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus’ feet and heard his word.

   ⁴⁰ But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she came up to him, and said, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister left me to serve alone? Ask her therefore to help me.”

   ⁴¹ Jesus answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things,

   ⁴² but one thing is needed. Mary has chosen the good part, which will not be taken away from her.”

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   Understanding the passage

   Jesus attends to Martha’s worry and defends Mary’s listening; the passage does not declare practical care useless.

   Reflect

   • What is worrying Martha, and what does Jesus want her to notice?

   Put it into practice

   Make time for listening without dismissing caring tasks.

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4. 4. Mary Magdalene - Read lesson

   World English Bible

   John 20:1-18

   ¹ Now on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene went early, while it was still dark, to the tomb, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb.

   ² Therefore she ran and came to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have laid him!”

   ³ Therefore Peter and the other disciple went out, and they went toward the tomb.

   ⁴ They both ran together. The other disciple outran Peter and came to the tomb first.

   ⁵ Stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths lying there; yet he didn’t enter in.

   ⁶ Then Simon Peter came, following him, and entered into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying,

   ⁷ and the cloth that had been on his head, not lying with the linen cloths, but rolled up in a place by itself.

   ⁸ So then the other disciple who came first to the tomb also entered in, and he saw and believed.

   ⁹ For as yet they didn’t know the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead.

   ¹⁰ So the disciples went away again to their own homes.

   ¹¹ But Mary was standing outside at the tomb weeping. So as she wept, she stooped and looked into the tomb,

   ¹² and she saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head and one at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain.

   ¹³ They asked her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “Because they have taken away my Lord, and I don’t know where they have laid him.”

   ¹⁴ When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing, and didn’t know that it was Jesus.

   ¹⁵ Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Who are you looking for?” She, supposing him to be the gardener, said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.”

   ¹⁶ Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to him, “Rabboni!” which is to say, “Teacher!”

   ¹⁷ Jesus said to her, “Don’t hold me, for I haven’t yet ascended to my Father; but go to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’”

   ¹⁸ Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that he had said these things to her.

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   Understanding the passage

   Mary searches in tears and recognizes Jesus when he calls her; she receives a commission, not merely private comfort.

   Reflect

   • How does Mary Magdalene move from searching for Jesus to announcing that she has seen him?

   Put it into practice

   Value the voice of someone whose testimony is often overlooked.

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5. 5. Philippi - Read lesson

   World English Bible

   Acts 16:11-40

   ¹¹ Setting sail therefore from Troas, we made a straight course to Samothrace, and the day following to Neapolis;

   ¹² and from there to Philippi, which is a city of Macedonia, the foremost of the district, a Roman colony. We were staying some days in this city.

   ¹³ On the Sabbath day we went outside of the city by a riverside, where we supposed there was a place of prayer, and we sat down and spoke to the women who had come together.

   ¹⁴ A certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, one who worshiped God, heard us. The Lord opened her heart to listen to the things which were spoken by Paul.

   ¹⁵ When she and her household were baptized, she begged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house and stay.” So she persuaded us.

   ¹⁶ As we were going to prayer, a certain girl having a spirit of divination met us, who brought her masters much gain by fortune telling.

   ¹⁷ Following Paul and us, she cried out, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us a way of salvation!”

   ¹⁸ She was doing this for many days. But Paul, becoming greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her!” It came out that very hour.

   ¹⁹ But when her masters saw that the hope of their gain was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace before the rulers.

   ²⁰ When they had brought them to the magistrates, they said, “These men, being Jews, are agitating our city

   ²¹ and advocate customs which it is not lawful for us to accept or to observe, being Romans.”

   ²² The multitude rose up together against them and the magistrates tore their clothes from them, then commanded them to be beaten with rods.

   ²³ When they had laid many stripes on them, they threw them into prison, charging the jailer to keep them safely.

   ²⁴ Having received such a command, he threw them into the inner prison and secured their feet in the stocks.

   ²⁵ But about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.

   ²⁶ Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone’s bonds were loosened.

   ²⁷ The jailer, being roused out of sleep and seeing the prison doors open, drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped.

   ²⁸ But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, “Don’t harm yourself, for we are all here!”

   ²⁹ He called for lights, sprang in, fell down trembling before Paul and Silas,

   ³⁰ brought them out, and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”

   ³¹ They said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.”

   ³² They spoke the word of the Lord to him, and to all who were in his house.

   ³³ He took them the same hour of the night and washed their stripes, and was immediately baptized, he and all his household.

   ³⁴ He brought them up into his house and set food before them, and rejoiced greatly with all his household, having believed in God.

   ³⁵ But when it was day, the magistrates sent the sergeants, saying, “Let those men go.”

   ³⁶ The jailer reported these words to Paul, saying, “The magistrates have sent to let you go; now therefore come out and go in peace.”

   ³⁷ But Paul said to them, “They have beaten us publicly without a trial, men who are Romans, and have cast us into prison! Do they now release us secretly? No, most certainly, but let them come themselves and bring us out!”

   ³⁸ The sergeants reported these words to the magistrates, and they were afraid when they heard that they were Romans,

   ³⁹ and they came and begged them. When they had brought them out, they asked them to depart from the city.

   ⁴⁰ They went out of the prison and entered into Lydia’s house. When they had seen the brothers, they encouraged them, then departed.

   Read the full chapter

   Understanding the passage

   Lydia offers hospitality and the jailer receives care in a crisis; Paul also requests fair treatment after imprisonment.

   Reflect

   • What changes in Lydia’s and the jailer’s lives after meeting Paul?

   Put it into practice

   Meet an immediate need while honoring the person’s dignity.