Life and Relationships

Did Jesus Have a Wife?

No biblical passage says that Jesus was married. The New Testament presents Him as unmarried and never names a wife.

Published 2026-09-13 · Updated 2026-09-27

Written and reviewed by the Word Oasis Editorial Team. Read our editorial policy.

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Biblical explanation

The Gospels identify Jesus' mother, brothers, sisters, disciples, friends, and female followers, but never identify a wife. Mary Magdalene is sometimes claimed to have been Jesus' wife, but Scripture provides no evidence for this. The Gospels actually present Mary Magdalene as a follower of Jesus and witness to His resurrection. . Jesus also used His relationship with His disciples and the church in terms of bridegroom imagery, but this is symbolic: “Can the children of the bridechamber mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them?” (). The New Testament later uses Christ as the bridegroom and the church as His bride. ; . There is no biblical evidence that Jesus had a human wife. Claims that He was secretly married to Mary Magdalene come from sources outside the canonical biblical account.

In brief

The Gospels identify Jesus' mother, brothers, sisters, disciples, friends, and female followers, but never identify a wife.

Bible references

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Editorial note

This answer is written and reviewed by the Word Oasis Editorial Team, and is presented with supporting references so you can examine each passage in context. If you notice an error or unclear statement, please suggest a correction.