Luke 8:2 Meaning: Mary Magdalene
and certain women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary who was called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out;
And certain women, which had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary called Magdalene, out of whom went seven devils,
and certain women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary that was called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out,
and certain women, who were healed of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary who is called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone forth,
and certain women who had been healed of wicked spirits and infirmities, Mary who was called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out,
Meaning in one sentence
Luke 8:2 introduces Mary Magdalene, healed from seven demons. The verse shows women supporting Jesus and corrects a common misidentification.
Context
Jesus is on the road again. He moves through towns and villages in Galilee, preaching and telling people about God’s Kingdom. The twelve disciples travel with him, but they are not alone. A group of women also accompanies them, women Jesus had healed. Luke, the only gospel writer to mention this, lists them by name. Among them is Mary, called Magdalene after her hometown Magdala on the Sea of Galilee. The text says nothing about her being a prostitute or a notorious sinner. It simply says seven demons had gone out of her. Jesus had set her free from something real and terrible. And now she and the other women use their own resources to support Jesus and his disciples. This verse opens a small window into how Jesus’ healing power created a community of grateful followers, both men and women.
Key Words
The Greek word behind “healed” here is therapeuō, which can mean to serve or to cure. There is a beautiful link: Mary had been healed by Jesus, and now she serves him with her substance. Her healing and her service are two sides of the same coin.
The word “infirmities” translates astheneia, a plain word for weakness or sickness. It carries no moral blame. These women suffered physically, not as punishment for sin, but as part of life in a broken world.
And “demons” (daimonion) points to spiritual oppression. The number seven, used often in Scripture to suggest completeness or severity, tells us Mary’s condition was extreme. Yet Jesus’ power was greater. The verb “had gone out” (exerchomai in the pluperfect) means it was finished, a deliverance already complete. Jesus does not just manage our brokenness; he removes it.
How Christians Read This Verse
Christians have long debated who Mary Magdalene really was. A tradition beginning with Pope Gregory the Great (c. AD 600) identified her with the sinful woman who wept at Jesus’ feet in Luke 7. Many churches still hold this view, seeing Mary as a picture of extravagant forgiveness.
Yet the text itself does not support that identification. The commentators Clarke, Barnes, Cambridge, and Jamieson-Fausset-Brown all argue that there is no evidence in Scripture for calling Mary a prostitute. Origen rejected the idea. Augustine and Jerome were doubtful. Luke presents her simply as a woman freed from demonic oppression. Both readings remind us that Jesus restores people profoundly. The disagreement invites humility about how we read our own assumptions into the text.
A common misunderstanding
Many people assume Mary Magdalene was a prostitute before meeting Jesus. That belief has shaped art, books, and even the word “Magdalene” as a label for repentant sex workers. But the Bible never says this. Luke 8:2 only says she had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities, and that seven demons had gone out of her. The association with prostitution comes from a tradition that started centuries later, not from Scripture itself.
Living This Out
This week, pay attention to the labels we put on people. Mary Magdalene has carried a false reputation for nearly fifteen hundred years. Somebody you know may be carrying a story that isn’t theirs either. Jesus didn't define Mary by her past suffering, he freed her and invited her into his work. You might ask yourself: is there someone I have written off based on rumors or assumptions? Could I learn their real story? And if you carry a label that doesn’t fit, remember that what Jesus says about you is the truest thing.
Main takeaway: Jesus heals people no one else can fix, and the ones he sets free become his most faithful followers.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
Jesus healed Mary Magdalene from very bad sickness. After that, she loved Him so much that she helped Him with her own money. You can help Jesus too by being kind and sharing.
For ages 9, 12
Mary Magdalene is one of the most misunderstood people in the Bible. Some people think she was a bad woman, but the Bible never says that. It says she had seven demons and Jesus set her free from them. After that, she followed Jesus faithfully and even helped pay for his ministry. She was the first person to see Jesus after he rose from the dead. Don’t believe everything you hear about someone, let the Bible tell the real story.
Questions People Ask
Who was Mary Magdalene?
Mary Magdalene was a woman from Magdala, a town on the Sea of Galilee. She was one of several women who followed Jesus and supported his ministry with their own money. The Bible says Jesus had cast seven demons out of her. She was present at the crucifixion and burial, and she was the first person to see the risen Jesus.
Was Mary Magdalene a prostitute?
The Bible never says that. Luke 8:2 only mentions that she had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities, and that seven demons had gone out of her. The idea that she was a prostitute came from a tradition that began about six hundred years after Jesus. Many Bible commentators, including Adam Clarke and Albert Barnes, argue there is no biblical evidence for this claim.
What does “seven demons” mean?
In the Bible, the number seven often represents completeness or a severe degree. Saying Mary had seven demons suggests she was suffering from intense spiritual oppression. The point is not the exact count but the magnitude of her torment and the power of Jesus to deliver her completely.
Why does Luke list these women by name?
Luke is the only gospel writer who gives us the names of the women who supported Jesus financially. It matches his pattern of highlighting people the culture often overlooked. He may have received this information from the women themselves or from those who knew them. The names give us a glimpse of the real, ordinary people who invested in Jesus’ mission.
How did Mary Magdalene serve Jesus?
Luke 8:3 says she and the other women “served them from their possessions.” That means they used their own money and resources to provide for Jesus and the twelve disciples. She later stayed with Jesus through his crucifixion when most of the men had fled, and she went to his tomb to anoint his body.
For pastors & researchers
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