✨ Bible Verses About Mary & Martha
1. Jesus Visits Mary and Martha in Bethany
📖 Luke 10:38-39
"As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said."
➡️ Martha opens her home to Jesus, while Mary chooses to sit at His feet, listening to His teaching.
2. Martha’s Concern About Serving
📖 Luke 10:40
"But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, 'Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!'"
➡️ Martha is busy with the tasks of serving, feeling overwhelmed and frustrated that her sister Mary is not helping her.
3. Jesus’ Response to Martha
📖 Luke 10:41-42
"Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her."
➡️ Jesus gently rebukes Martha, reminding her that listening to His words is of greater importance than getting caught up in the details of serving.
4. Mary Anoints Jesus with Expensive Perfume
📖 John 12:1-3
"Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. Here a dinner was given in Jesus’ honor. Martha served, while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him. Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume."
➡️ Mary demonstrates great devotion to Jesus by anointing His feet with expensive perfume, showing her love and gratitude for what He had done for her brother, Lazarus.
5. Jesus Raises Lazarus from the Dead – Martha’s Faith
📖 John 11:21-22
"Lord, Martha said to Jesus, 'If you had been here, my brother would not have died. But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.'"
➡️ Martha expresses her faith in Jesus, even in the face of her brother’s death, believing that Jesus can still do something miraculous.
6. Jesus’ Conversation with Martha about Resurrection
📖 John 11:23-26
"Jesus said to her, 'Your brother will rise again.'
Martha answered, 'I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.'
Jesus said to her, 'I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?'"
➡️ Jesus reassures Martha, revealing His identity as the resurrection and the life, and calling her to a deeper faith in Him.
7. Jesus Comforts Martha and Raises Lazarus
📖 John 11:32-34
"When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, 'Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.' When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. 'Where have you laid him?' he asked. 'Come and see, Lord,' they replied."
➡️ Both sisters express their sorrow at the death of Lazarus, and Jesus shares in their grief, showing His compassionate nature.
8. Jesus Raises Lazarus from the Dead
📖 John 11:43-44
"When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, 'Lazarus, come out!' The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face. Jesus said to them, 'Take off the grave clothes and let him go.'"
➡️ This is the powerful moment when Jesus demonstrates His power over death, raising Lazarus to life in response to Martha’s faith.
9. The Sisters’ Different Ways of Serving Jesus
📖 Luke 10:38-42 and John 12:1-3
- In Luke 10, Martha is focused on the task of serving, while Mary sits at Jesus’ feet.
- In John 12, Martha serves while Mary demonstrates love and devotion by anointing Jesus’ feet with expensive perfume.
➡️ These accounts illustrate the different ways the two sisters express their love and faith in Jesus—through active service or through deep devotion and worship.
Summary of Mary & Martha’s Character
- Martha: Practical, active, and servant-hearted, yet occasionally distracted and anxious about tasks. She learns to prioritize Jesus’ teaching over busyness.
- Mary: Reflective, devoted, and worshipful, choosing to focus on Jesus and listen to His words.
- Both women were deeply loved by Jesus and expressed their faith and devotion in different ways, showing that God values both service and worship.
Lessons from Mary & Martha’s Story
- The Importance of Prioritizing Jesus: Martha’s story teaches us to focus on the essential—listening to Jesus—even in the midst of busyness.
- Service and Worship: Both service (Martha) and worship (Mary) are important expressions of faith, and God values them equally when done with the right heart.
- Jesus Understands Our Grief: Jesus’ interaction with both sisters shows His compassion and willingness to meet us in our moments of sorrow and need.
- Faith in Jesus’ Power: Martha’s conversation with Jesus highlights the importance of believing in Jesus as the resurrection and the life, and trusting Him in all circumstances.
The stories of Mary and Martha reveal that following Jesus can take different forms, and each approach—whether through serving or worshiping—has value in God’s eyes when rooted in love and faith.