Bible Strands
Matthew 27:55
And many women were there, watching from a distance. They had followed Jesus from Galilee to minister to Him.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Matthew records this observation immediately after the centurion's confession and the earthquake, noting that many women remained at the crucifixion site. They had traveled from Galilee to provide practical care for Jesus.
The words — The Greek θεωροῦσαι (theōrousai) literally means "looking on" or "watching," describing the women's posture of observation from afar (μακρόθεν). Ἦσαν (Ēsan) simply states their continuous presence: "they were."
The thread — This pattern of women traveling from Galilee to support Jesus appears in Luke 8:2, where healed women are noted for their ministry. John 19:25 similarly places female followers near the cross, while Luke 23:48 records the broader crowd's reaction to the events.
Why it lands — The text requires the reader to acknowledge that Jesus' ministry included sustained, practical support from women who followed him to the end. It asks the reader to recognize the reality of faithful presence without embellishment.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Greek words
King James Version
And many women were there beholding afar off, which followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering unto him:
Cross-references
- Luke 8:2 as well as some women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out,
- Luke 23:48 And when all the people who had gathered for this spectacle saw what had happened, they returned home beating their breasts.
- John 19:25 Near the cross of Jesus stood His mother and her sister, as well as Mary the wife of Clopas and Mary Magdalene.
- Luke 23:27 A great number of people followed Him, including women who kept mourning and wailing for Him.