Luke 2:36

The Testimony of Anna

2:36 There was also a prophetess, Anna the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old, ¹  having been married to her husband for seven years until his death.

Luke 8:2

8:2 and also some women ²  who had been healed of evil spirits and disabilities: ³  Mary ⁴  (called Magdalene), from whom seven demons had gone out,

¹ tn Her age is emphasized by the Greek phrase here, “she was very old in her many days.”

² sn There is an important respect shown to women in this text, as their contributions were often ignored in ancient society.

³ tn Or “illnesses.” The term ἀσθένεια (asqeneia) refers to the state of being ill and thus incapacitated in some way – “illness, disability, weakness.” (L&N 23.143).

⁴ sn This Mary is not the woman mentioned in the previous passage (as some church fathers claimed), because she is introduced as a new figure here. In addition, she is further specified by Luke with the notation called Magdalene, which seems to distinguish her from the woman at Simon the Pharisee’s house.