Luke 8:2 · Bible study
Luke 8:2 Commentary: Mary Magdalene's Healing from Seven Demons
Greek · 9 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Explore Luke 8:2: Mary Magdalene's deliverance from seven demons, the women who supported Jesus' ministry, and correcting the unfounded tradition connecting her
Research Summary
- Meaning: Jesus heals a group of women, including Mary Magdalene (delivered from severe demonic possession), who then support his ministry materially.
- Key words: “Healed” (therapeuō), physical/spiritual restoration; “demons” (daimonia), evil spirits; “seven” (hepta), symbolic completeness or intensity.
- Main debate: Whether Mary Magdalene should be identified with the sinful woman of Luke 7; most commentators reject this based on the text.
- Theological theme: Healing leads to generous discipleship; Jesus welcomes and empowers women in public ministry.
- Best use: As a counterpoint to popular misconceptions about Mary Magdalene, and as a text on tithing/service from those who have experienced deliverance.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
as well as some women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out,
WEB World English Bible 2000
and certain women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary who was called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out;
KJV King James Version 1769
And certain women, which had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary called Magdalene, out of whom went seven devils,
ASV American Standard Version 1901
and certain women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary that was called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out,
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
and certain women, who were healed of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary who is called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone forth,
Darby Darby Bible 1890
and certain women who had been healed of wicked spirits and infirmities, Mary who was called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out,
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
And certain women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary who is called Magdalen, out of whom seven devils were gone forth,
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Y algunas mujeres que habían sido curadas de malos espíritus y de enfermedades: María, que se llamaba Magdalena, de la cual habían salido siete demonios,
e algumas mulheres que haviam sido curadas de espíritos malignos e de enfermidades: Maria, chamada Madalena, da qual saíram sete demônios;
Les douze étaient avec lui et quelques femmes qui avaient été guéries d’ esprits malins et de maladies: Marie, dite de Magdala, de laquelle étaient sortis sept démons,
dazu etliche Weiber, die er gesund hatte gemacht von den bösen Geistern und Krankheiten, nämlich Maria, die da Magdalena heißt, von welcher waren sieben Teufel ausgefahren,
En sommige vrouwen, die van boze geesten en krankheden genezen waren, namelijk Maria, genaamd Magdalena, van welke zeven duivelen uitgegaan waren;
e con lui erano i dodici e certe donne che erano state guarite da spiriti maligni e da infermità: Maria, detta Maddalena, dalla quale erano usciti sette demoni,
I niektóre niewiasty, które był uzdrowił od duchów złych i od niemocy ich, jako Maryja, którą zwano Magdaleną, z której było siedm dyjabłów wyszło;
и некоторые женщины, которых Он исцелил от злых духов и болезней: Мария, называемая Магдалиною, из которой вышли семь бесов,
還有 被惡 鬼所附、 被疾病所累、已經治好 的幾個 婦女，內中有稱為 抹大拉 的馬利亞（曾有七 個鬼 從 她 身上趕出來），
And certain women who had been made free from evil spirits and diseases, Mary named Magdalene, from whom seven evil spirits had gone out,
Verse in Context
Original Language (Koine Greek)
New Testament · Koine Greek · Luke 8:2
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
The verse introduces women followers who had been healed by Jesus, with Mary Magdalene listed first as an example. Commentators broadly agree on three points. First, the phrase “seven demons” describes a severe, real demonic affliction, not a symbolic reference to sin. Barnes calls the number “an indefinite number” meaning many demons, while Clarke says it likely expresses “the superlative degree.” Second, these women are not identified as prostitutes or sinners; the text only mentions physical and spiritual healing. Clarke insists: “neither from this passage, nor from any other of the New Testament, can such a supposition be legitimately drawn.” Barnes, Gill, and Jamieson-Fausset-Brown concur, calling the traditional identification a “great wrong” to Mary. Third, the women’s role as financial supporters of Jesus’ itinerant mission is historically remarkable. The Cambridge Bible notes that Luke alone highlights this detail, consistent with his interest in the dignity of women. The consensus is clear: Mary Magdalene was a woman delivered from severe demonic oppression who became a devoted, generous disciple.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Literal demonic possession: Gill, Barnes, and others take 'seven demons' as real spirits cast out by Jesus, consistent with other exorcisms (Mark 16:9, Luke 8:30).
- Figurative for extreme sin or illness: Cambridge notes Jewish colloquial usage where possession language described disease or vice; some early writers (Ambrose, Augustine) linked the seven demons to the seven deadly sins.
- Identification with the sinner of Luke 7: Gregory the Great tradition, based on thematic parallels of love and forgiveness; still held in some popular piety and art.
- Separate figure from the sinner: Origen, modern commentators, and many church traditions: the text gives no grounds for the conflation; the women are distinct and Mary’s devotion stems from deliverance from demons, not sexual sin.
What is clear: Mary Magdalene was healed by Jesus from a severe demonic affliction (seven demons) and became a faithful, materially supportive follower, consistently present in the passion and resurrection narratives.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Mary Magdalene's demonic possession | Christians agree she had been possessed by demons and Jesus delivered her. | Some understand 'seven demons' as literal multiple spirits (Gill, Cambridge); others think seven is an idiomatic number for 'many' or extreme severity (Barnes, Clarke). |
| Identification with the sinner of Luke 7 | All agree the text does not explicitly connect Mary Magdalene to the sinful woman who anointed Jesus' feet. The gospels never call her a prostitute. | Western church tradition (especially since Gregory the Great, d. 604) often conflates the two women. Early fathers like Origen rejected the identification, and Augustine, Jerome were doubtful. Some Christians today accept the tradition; others see it as an unfounded conflation. |
| Women as financial supporters of Jesus | All agree these women used their own resources to support Jesus' itinerant ministry, a historically unusual detail. | No significant debate; the passage is taken at face value across traditions. |
Historical & Cultural Context
First-century Jewish women were generally expected to remain in domestic roles, but Jesus repeatedly crossed those boundaries. In Luke 8:1, 3 we see women traveling with him and the twelve, something virtually unheard of for a rabbi. The Cambridge Bible highlights this as a “most remarkable circumstance” that Luke alone records, probably reflecting the witness of women among his sources.
Magdala, Mary’s hometown, sat on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee, a prosperous fishing and trade center. She is called “Magdalene” to distinguish her from other Marys, a naming convention tied to place of origin (see also “Jesus of Nazareth”). Galilee in this period was a region of social and religious ferment, where Jewish piety mixed with Greco-Roman influences. Demon possession in Jewish thought was seen as an affliction by unclean spirits causing physical, mental, or spiritual harm, not necessarily linked to personal sin.
The number seven carried symbolic weight in Jewish culture as the number of completion or fullness. Gill and Barnes note that “seven demons” could indicate an intense or especially severe case of possession, similar to the “Legion” of demons in Luke 8:30. This is not unique to Mary; elsewhere Jesus casts out multiple demons from one person. The Greek verb exelēluthei (had gone out) is in the pluperfect tense, showing the deliverance was complete and already accomplished at the time Luke writes: her healing was not ongoing but finished.
That these women “served them from their possessions” (v.3) indicates they were likely from families of means. Joanna was the wife of Herod’s steward Chuza, placing her in the upper class. Their support funded Jesus’ preaching tours, showing that women played a vital economic role in the early movement. Luke’s Gospel repeatedly elevates the faithful presence of women at Jesus’ crucifixion, burial, and resurrection; this passage lays the groundwork for those scenes.
Textual Notes
The supplied commentaries and cross-references note no significant textual variants for Luke 8:2. The only minor variation in the immediate context is the pronoun in verse 3 (“ministered unto him” vs. “ministered unto them”), which does not affect this verse. The reading of “seven demons” and “had gone out” is stable across all major manuscripts.
Reception History
Luke 8:2 has been read most often through the lens of Mary Magdalene’s identity. In the early church, Origen (third century) maintained that the sinful woman of Luke 7 was not Mary Magdalene; Ambrose, Augustine, and Jerome were doubtful. The decisive shift came with Pope Gregory the Great in a 591 homily, where he conflated the three figures: the sinful woman, Mary of Bethany, and Mary Magdalene. This identification became standard in Western piety, art and liturgy for over a millennium. Mary Magdalene was portrayed as the repentant prostitute, and the term “Magdalen” entered common vocabulary for shelters for reformed sex workers. Eastern Orthodox tradition never fully accepted the conflation, and modern scholarship has largely rejected it, returning to the simpler view of the text: Mary was a woman delivered from severe demonic possession, whose faithful discipleship culminated in being the first witness to the resurrection (Mark 16:9, John 20:11, 18).
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The women Jesus healed became his supporters. They had been set free from evil spirits and diseases, and their gratitude took practical shape: they provided for Jesus and the disciples out of their own resources. Healing and generosity are linked.
- Mary Magdalene’s deliverance was deep and complete. The expulsion of seven demons points to a severe affliction that only Jesus could resolve. Her faithful presence at the cross and empty tomb shows that Jesus’ most broken patients often become his most loyal followers.
- Jesus redefined who belongs in the family of God. By welcoming women as disciples and patrons, he rejected the cultural marginalization of half the population and invited all to serve, give, and witness.
Five-point outline
- Jesus moves through Galilee preaching the Kingdom (v.1).
- He is accompanied not only by the Twelve but by a circle of healed women (v.2).
- Mary Magdalene is named first as one delivered from seven demons.
- Other women, Joanna, Susanna, and “many others”, also provide material support.
- This band of women becomes a pattern for faithful, sacrificial service within the Jesus movement.
Illustration hooks
- A person who was deeply addicted or mentally tormented, then set free through treatment and community support. Now that same person spends time and money helping others with similar struggles. Gratitude becomes vocation.
- A church member whose past includes serious mistakes and public shame. Years later they are one of the kindest, most dependable people in the congregation. The label they once carried no longer fits, because Jesus changed the story.
- Financial giving as an act of worship: these women paid for Jesus’ ministry. Imagine a modern-day small group pooling resources to cover a pastor’s salary or a community meal program.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Was Mary Magdalene a prostitute? Many have heard that, but does the Bible actually say so?
- If I have a past full of brokenness, mental illness, addiction, severe trauma, can Jesus still use me in significant ways?
- What does it mean to “minister to Christ” today with our money and time?
Leading a Discussion
This passage gives us a behind-the-scenes look at how Jesus’ ministry operated, supported by women whose own stories of healing are only hinted at. Mary Magdalene’s name often brings up a common misunderstanding. As you discuss, pay attention to what the text actually says, and what it does not say.
Discussion questions
- Read Luke 8:1, 3. What do you notice about the composition of Jesus’ traveling group? Is there anything surprising about the presence of women?
- Why do you think Luke mentions that these women had been “healed of evil spirits and infirmities”? How does that background shape the way they serve Jesus?
- The text says Mary Magdalene had seven demons cast out. What does the number seven communicate in this context? (If needed, compare with the “Legion” in Luke 8:30.)
- Many people assume Mary Magdalene was a prostitute, but the Bible never says that. Why do you think this tradition became so widespread? How does it change your view of her to see her as a woman delivered from demonic oppression rather than from a life of sexual sin?
- What does this passage teach about the role of women in Jesus’ ministry? How does it challenge the way we think about leadership, service, and financial support in the church today?
- The women supported Jesus from their own resources. What are some ways Christians today can give practical support to those who preach the gospel?
- Think of someone in your life whose past might be misunderstood or judged unfairly. How can this passage help you see them as Jesus sees them?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Matthew 27:55 | Many women were there watching from afar, who had followed Jesus from Galilee, serving him. |
| Matthew 27:56 | Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of the sons of Zebedee. |
| Mark 15:40 | There were also women watching from afar, among whom were both Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James the less and of Joses, and Salome; |
| Mark 15:41 | who, when he was in Galilee, followed him and served him; and many other women who came up with him to Jerusalem. |
| Mark 16:1 | When the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, that they might come and anoint him. |
| Mark 16:9 | Now when he had risen early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, from whom he had cast out seven demons. |
| Luke 8:30 | Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” He said, “Legion,” for many demons had entered into him. |
| Luke 23:27 | A great multitude of the people followed him, including women who also mourned and lamented him. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
9 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke insists that nothing in Scripture labels Mary Magdalene a prostitute. He argues the seven demons indicate a severe possession, not a sinful past, and that her devoted service to Jesus actually places her above other faithful women.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes challenges the common assumption that Mary Magdalene was a woman of immoral character, noting there is no evidence for that. He emphasizes she was simply a woman severely afflicted by evil spirits whom Jesus healed, and she became one of his most faithful followers, honored as the first witness to the risen Christ.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
Luke alone highlights the women who accompanied Jesus, showing his special interest in a class often neglected in that culture. The commentary notes uncertainty among early church fathers about linking Mary Magdalene with the sinful woman of the previous chapter, and explains that the seven demons do not rule out that possibility.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
And certaine women, which were healed of euill spirites, and infirmities, as Mary which was called Magdalene, out of whom went seuen deuils,
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill insists that the seven devils Jesus cast out of Mary Magdalene were literal demons, not a figurative description of vices or sins. He points to examples elsewhere in Scripture of multiple demons inhabiting one person as evidence that this happened in a straightforward, real sense.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB highlights Jesus' twofold claim on the women who followed Him: He healed both their bodies and souls. They responded by supporting His ministry from their own resources. He also insists Mary Magdalene's seven demons were a case of possession, not moral impurity, and rejects identifying her with the repentant prostitute of an earlier chapter.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange sees Jesus accepting women's material support as a deliberate act that elevates women's status. For him, this marks the beginning of women's service in the church and a decisive break from Jewish Rabbinic restrictions, foretelling a new order of love and equality in Christ.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Matthew Henry notes that Christ made preaching his constant, orderly business, traveling through every city and village so that none could plead ignorance. He emphasizes Christ's regular, itinerant method as a deliberate pattern, setting an example for his disciples to traverse the nations with the same glad tidings.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Mary Magdalene - Or Mary of Magdala, a town in Galilee: probably the person mentioned in the last chapter.