Elizabeth was the wife of the priest Zechariah and the mother of John the Baptist. Both she and her husband were descendants of Aaron and therefore members of a priestly family. The couple, "advanced in years" (Luke 1:7), had no children, much to their sorrow. But one day while Zechariah was burning incense in the temple, an angel appeared to announce that a son who would "be great before the Lord" (Luke 1:15) would be born to Elizabeth. After Elizabeth conceived, "for five months she hid herself" (Luke 1:24).
In the sixth month of Elizabeth's pregnancy, her kinswoman Mary heard from the angel Gabriel that she, too, would bear a child, and the young virgin set out to visit the older woman. At the sight of Mary, Elizabeth cried out. "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! (Luke 1:42) As she heard Mary's words of greeting, the infant in her womb leaped for joy - perhaps the first stirring that confirmed life. When her son was born, Elizabeth's relatives and neighbors joined her in rejoicing but could not understand why she insisted that the baby be named John, saying "None of your kindred is called by this name" (Luke 1:61). After the temporarily dumb Zechariah endorsed the choice in writing, Elizabeth had her way. There is no further mention of Elizabeth or Zechariah in the New Testament; the cryptic note that their child "was in the wilderness till the day of his manifestation to Israel" (Luke 1:80) suggests to some that John was given over for raising to an austere religious sect, perhaps the Essenes.
Who's Who in the Bible Reader's Digest. (1994). Edited by Robert V. Huber. Reader's Digest Association, Inc.
Mary mother of Jesus:
https://www.christianity.com/wiki/holidays/who-was-mary-the-mother-of-jesus.html
Anna
https://www.gotquestions.org/Anna-the-prophetess.html
Martha and Mary
Phoebe
https://womenofscripture.com/phoebe-in-the-bible-romans-16-role-explained/
Priscilla
https://womenofscripture.com/priscilla-in-the-bible-role-ministry-aquila/
Junia (jo͞on-ē-ǝ)
In Paul's letter to the Romans, the name Junias appears for the only time in the Bible. Near the end of the letter, Paul sends greetings to Andronicus and Junias, "my kinsmen and my fellow prisoners; they are med of note among the apostles, and they were in Christ before me." Romans 16:7 Since the name Junias is otherwise unknown, scholars have suggested that Junias is actually Junia, a Jewish woman and possibly the wife of Andronicus, If so, she would be the only female apostle named in the New Testament. The masculine name Junias may have been created by medieval copyists as a means of explaining this unimaginable occurrence.
Who's Who in the Bible Reader's Digest. (1994). Edited by Robert V. Huber. Reader's Digest Association, Inc.
Herodias (hĭ-rō-dē-əs) and her Daughter Salome (sə-lō-mē)
A granddaughter of Herod the Great and the sister of Herod Agrippa I. Herodias married her paternal half uncle Herod II (whom Matthew and Mark call Philip, and seem to identify with Herod Philip the tetarch) and bore him a daughter, Salome. But she deserted her first husband to marry another half uncle, Herod Antipas. This union was condemned by John the Baptist, who said to Antipas, "It is not lawful for you to have her." (Matthew 14:4) Infuriated by the Baptist's accusation, Herodias sought to have John killed. But Antipas hesitated because of John's popularity. She got her wish, however as a result of a notorious incident at Antipas birthday feast. Antipas was so taken by Salome's dance at the banquet that he promised to give her whatever she wished. After consulting with her mother, Salome asked for the head of John the Baptist - which Antipas gave her and which she presented to her mother. The first -century A.D. Jewish historian Joesphus also held Antipas responsible for the death of John, but he did not mention the banquet scene of the complicity of Herodias and Salome.
Herodias encourage Antipas to go to Rome to seek advancement commensurate with that of her brother, Agrippa I. But instead of advancing him, the emperor Caligula deposed her husband and banished him to southern France in A.D. 39. Although the emperor offered to spare her, Herodias chose exile with her husband and there disappears from the pages of history.
Who's Who in the Bible Reader's Digest. (1994). Edited by Robert V. Huber. Reader's Digest Association, Inc.
Sapphira (sǝ-fī-rǝ)
https://womenofscripture.com/sapphira-in-the-bible-acts-5/
