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242 articles

People of the Bible & Church History

Biblical figures, church fathers, reformers and the surrounding world's rulers — who they were, what they did, and what the record outside Scripture says about them.

• Simon PeterApostle
• Pontius PilateRoman Prefect of Judea
• Jesus of NazarethGod the Son, Savior of the World
• Mary, mother of JesusMother of Jesus
• PaulApostle and missionary
• John the ApostleApostle
• John the BaptistProphet and forerunner of Jesus
• Judas IscariotApostle who betrayed Jesus
• Mary MagdaleneDisciple and witness to the resurrection
• Herod the GreatKing of Judea (Roman client king)
• James, brother of JesusLeader of the Jerusalem Church
• BarnabasMissionary and early church leader
• AndrewApostle
• James, son of ZebedeeApostle
• Philip the ApostleApostle
• Bartholomew (Nathanael)Apostle
• ThomasApostle
• James, son of AlphaeusApostle
• Thaddaeus (Judas, son of James)Apostle
• Simon the ZealotApostle
• Matthew (Levi)Apostle, tax collector
• Mark (John Mark)Missionary companion, traditional Gospel author
• LukePhysician, missionary companion, traditional Gospel and Acts author
• TimothyMissionary, Paul's protégé and delegate
• TitusMissionary, Paul's delegate to Crete
• SilasMissionary, Paul's companion
• PriscillaTentmaker, teacher, church leader
• AquilaTentmaker, church leader
• ApollosTeacher, preacher
• NicodemusPharisee, member of the Sanhedrin
• Joseph of ArimatheaWealthy Sanhedrin member who buried Jesus
• Martha of BethanySister of Mary and Lazarus; host and friend of Jesus
• Lazarus of BethanyMan raised from the dead by Jesus after four days in the tomb
• ZacchaeusChief tax collector of Jericho
• CaiaphasHigh priest who presided over the plot to kill Jesus
• Herod AntipasTetrarch of Galilee and Perea; executed John the Baptist
• Herod Agrippa IKing of Judea who persecuted the early church
• Herod Agrippa IILast Herodian king; heard Paul's defense
• Antonius FelixRoman governor of Judea who imprisoned Paul for two years
• Porcius FestusRoman governor of Judea who sent Paul to Rome
• ElizabethMother of John the Baptist
• ZechariahPriest, father of John the Baptist
• Joseph, husband of MaryHusband of Mary, legal father of Jesus
• SimeonDevout elderly man at the Jerusalem temple
• StephenOne of the first seven deacons; first Christian martyr
• Mary of BethanySister of Martha and Lazarus
• AnnaProphetess at the Jerusalem temple
• CorneliusRoman centurion; first clearly Gentile convert
• Ananias of DamascusDisciple in Damascus who restored Saul's sight
• Ananias and SapphiraMarried couple in the early Jerusalem church
• Ananias the High PriestHigh Priest Who Prosecuted Paul
• Simon MagusSamaritan Sorcerer
• GamalielPharisee and Rabbi of the Sanhedrin
• OnesimusEnslaved Man, Later a Brother in Christ
• PhilemonChristian Host in Colossae
• EpaphroditusMessenger of the Philippian Church
• Lydia of ThyatiraDealer in Purple Cloth
• Dorcas (Tabitha)Disciple Known for Charity
• Philip the EvangelistOne of the seven deacons; evangelist to Samaria and the Ethiopian eunuch
• The Ethiopian EunuchCourt Official of the Ethiopian Queen
• Sergius PaulusRoman Proconsul of Cyprus
• DrusillaJewish Princess, Wife of Governor Felix
• BerniceSister of Herod Agrippa II
• RhodaServant girl in the house of Mary, mother of John Mark
• MalchusServant of the High Priest
• Simon of CyreneMan compelled to carry Jesus's cross
• Simon the PhariseePharisee who hosted Jesus for dinner
• Mary, mother of James the LessFollower of Jesus and witness to the crucifixion and empty tomb
• SalomeFollower of Jesus, witness to the crucifixion and empty tomb
• JoannaFollower of Jesus; wife of Herod's household manager
• CleopasDisciple on the road to Emmaus
• DemasCo-worker of Paul who later deserted him
• Erastus of CorinthCity Official and Co-Worker of Paul
• CrispusSynagogue Ruler Turned Believer
• SosthenesSynagogue Ruler, Possibly Later Co-Sender of 1 Corinthians
• Publius of MaltaChief Man of Malta
• DiotrephesDomineering Local Church Leader
• JuniaApostle Greeted by Paul
• PhoebeDeacon and Patron of the Church
• ChloeHousehold Whose Report Reached Paul
• Simon the LeperHost in Bethany
• TheophilusAddressee of Luke and Acts
• AdamThe first human being, formed by God from the dust of the ground
• EveThe first woman, formed by God from Adam's rib and named 'mother of all living'
• CainFirstborn son of Adam and Eve; a farmer who became the first murderer
• AbelSecond son of Adam and Eve; a shepherd whose offering pleased God, killed by his brother…
• NoahRighteous man chosen by God to build the ark and preserve life through the great flood
• AbrahamPatriarch called by God out of Mesopotamia to Canaan; father of the Hebrew nation and…
• SarahWife of Abraham and matriarch of Israel; mother of Isaac, the child of promise
• HagarEgyptian servant of Sarah, given to Abraham as a surrogate wife; mother of Ishmael
• IsaacSon of Abraham and Sarah, the long-promised child; father of Jacob and Esau
• RebekahWife of Isaac, mother of Jacob and Esau; chosen at a well by Abraham's servant
• MelchizedekKing of Salem and Priest of God Most High
• EnochAntediluvian Patriarch Who Did Not Die
• JacobPatriarch of Israel; father of the twelve tribes
• EsauElder son of Isaac; ancestor of the Edomites
• RachelYounger wife of Jacob; mother of Joseph and Benjamin
• LeahElder wife of Jacob; mother of six of his sons and a daughter
• Joseph, son of JacobFavored son of Jacob; second-in-command of Egypt
• Judah, son of JacobFourth son of Jacob and Leah; ancestor of the tribe of Judah and the royal Davidic line
• Tamar, daughter-in-law of JudahWidow of Judah's sons; mother of Perez, ancestor of the Davidic and Messianic line
• MosesProphet, lawgiver, and deliverer of Israel from Egyptian slavery
• AaronFirst high priest of Israel; brother and spokesman of Moses
• MiriamProphetess; elder sister of Moses and Aaron
• JoshuaSuccessor to Moses; military and political leader of Israel during the conquest and…
• CalebOne of the twelve spies of Canaan; tribal leader of Judah during the conquest and…
• BalaamNon-Israelite seer/diviner from Mesopotamia hired to curse Israel
• RahabJericho innkeeper/prostitute who sheltered Israelite spies and became an ancestor of…
• DeborahJudge and prophetess of Israel; military strategist in the defeat of the Canaanite…
• GideonJudge of Israel who defeated the Midianites with a force reduced to 300 men
• SamsonNazirite judge of Israel famed for superhuman strength and conflict with the Philistines
• DelilahPhilistine woman who discovered and betrayed the secret of Samson's strength
• RuthMoabite widow whose loyalty to her mother-in-law Naomi and marriage to Boaz made her an…
• NaomiBethlehemite widow and mother-in-law of Ruth; orchestrates Ruth's marriage to Boaz
• BoazWealthy landowner of Bethlehem, kinsman-redeemer, great-grandfather of King David
• SamuelProphet, judge, and priest who anointed Israel's first two kings
• Saul (King of Israel)First king of Israel
• DavidSecond king of Israel, unifier of the kingdom, ancestor of the messianic line
• BathshebaWife of David, mother of Solomon, queen mother of Israel
• Nathan (Prophet)Court prophet under David and Solomon
• SolomonThird king of Israel, builder of the Temple, renowned for wisdom and wealth
• ElijahProphet who confronted the prophets of Baal and the royal house of Ahab
• ElishaProphet and successor to Elijah, known for numerous miracles
• JezebelPhoenician-born queen of Israel, wife of King Ahab, promoter of Baal worship
• HezekiahKing of Judah
• IsaiahProphet of Judah
• JeremiahProphet of Judah
• EzekielProphet and priest among the Babylonian exiles
• DanielJudean exile, royal official, and prophet in Babylon and Persia
• EstherQueen of Persia
• MordecaiJewish official in the Persian court; cousin and guardian of Esther
• NehemiahCupbearer to the Persian king; governor of Judah
• EzraPriest and scribe; leader of a return from Babylonian exile
• Zechariah (Prophet)Prophet and priest of the return from exile
• JobRighteous man tested by suffering
• God the FatherFirst Person of the Trinity
• The Holy SpiritThe Spirit of God, present and active from creation through the present day
• MichaelArchangel; Israel's Guardian Prince
• GabrielAngel Who Delivers God's Most Significant Announcements
• SatanAdversary and tempter, opposed to God and God's people
• PerezSon of Judah and Tamar; ancestor of David and Jesus
• ZerahSon of Judah and Tamar; twin brother of Perez
• HezronAncestor in the genealogy of David and Jesus
• RamAncestor in the genealogy of David and Jesus
• AmminadabAncestor in the genealogy of David and Jesus; father-in-law of Aaron
• NahshonTribal leader of Judah during the Exodus; ancestor of David
• SalmonFather of Boaz; ancestor of David and Jesus
• ObedSon of Boaz and Ruth; grandfather of David
• JesseFather of King David; Bethlehemite
• Uriah the HittiteOne of David's mighty men; husband of Bathsheba
• RehoboamKing of Judah
• Abijah, King of JudahKing of Judah
• AsaKing of Judah
• JehoshaphatKing of Judah
• Joram, King of IsraelKing of Israel
• Joram, King of JudahKing of Judah
• Hoshea, King of IsraelLast king of Israel
• UzziahKing of Judah
• Jotham, King of JudahKing of Judah
• AhazKing of Judah
• Manasseh, King of JudahKing of Judah (not to be confused with Manasseh, son of Joseph)
• Amon, King of JudahKing of Judah (not to be confused with the Egyptian deity Amun/Amon)
• JosiahKing of Judah
• JeconiahKing of Judah
• ShealtielSon of the exiled king Jeconiah; father of Zerubbabel
• ZerubbabelGovernor of Judah; leader of the return from Babylonian exile
• AbiudAncestor in the genealogy of Jesus, son of Zerubbabel
• EliakimAncestor in the genealogy of Jesus, son of Abiud
• AzorAncestor in the genealogy of Jesus, son of Eliakim
• ZadokAncestor in the genealogy of Jesus, son of Azor
• AchimAncestor in the genealogy of Jesus, son of Zadok
• EliudAncestor in the genealogy of Jesus, son of Achim
• EleazarAncestor in the genealogy of Jesus, son of Eliud
• MatthanAncestor in the genealogy of Jesus, father of Jacob
• Jacob, father of JosephAncestor in the genealogy of Jesus, father of Joseph (Mary's husband)
• Herod ArchelausEthnarch of Judea, Samaria, and Idumea
• Mark AntonyRoman Triumvir
• Caesar AugustusRoman Emperor
• QuiriniusRoman Governor of Syria
• Tiberius CaesarRoman Emperor
• Claudius CaesarRoman Emperor
• Nero CaesarRoman Emperor
• Philip the TetrarchTetrarch of Iturea and Trachonitis
• LysaniasTetrarch of Abilene
• GallioRoman Proconsul of Achaia
• PhariseesJewish religious/political movement (sect)
• SadduceesJewish aristocratic/priestly religious-political party
• MagiForeign priestly-astrologer visitors (Zoroastrian/Persian or Babylonian tradition)
• Constantine the GreatRoman Emperor
• Athanasius of AlexandriaBishop of Alexandria, defender of Nicene orthodoxy
• AriusPresbyter of Alexandria, originator of Arianism
• Eusebius of CaesareaBishop of Caesarea, historian of the early church
• JeromeBiblical scholar, translator of the Vulgate
• Augustine of HippoBishop of Hippo, theologian
• Ambrose of MilanBishop of Milan
• John ChrysostomArchbishop of Constantinople, preacher
• Benedict of NursiaFounder of Western monasticism
• Gregory the GreatPope
• Patrick of IrelandMissionary bishop to Ireland
• CharlemagneKing of the Franks, Holy Roman Emperor
• Photius of ConstantinoplePatriarch of Constantinople
• Anselm of CanterburyArchbishop of Canterbury, theologian
• Bernard of ClairvauxCistercian abbot, preacher
• Francis of AssisiFounder of the Franciscan order
• Dominic de GuzmánFounder of the Dominican order
• Thomas AquinasDominican theologian and philosopher
• Peter WaldoFounder of the Waldensian movement
• John WycliffeOxford theologian, Bible translator
• Jan HusCzech reformer and priest
• Johannes GutenbergInventor of the printing press
• Martin LutherGerman Reformer
• Huldrych ZwingliSwiss Reformer
• John CalvinFrench Reformer, theologian of Geneva
• Thomas CranmerArchbishop of Canterbury, architect of English Reformation liturgy
• Henry VIIIKing of England
• Ignatius of LoyolaFounder of the Society of Jesus
• Teresa of ÁvilaCarmelite mystic and reformer
• John of the CrossCarmelite mystic and poet
• Menno SimonsAnabaptist leader
• John KnoxScottish Reformer
• John WesleyFounder of Methodism
• Charles WesleyMethodist hymn writer
• George WhitefieldEvangelist of the Great Awakening
• Jonathan EdwardsNew England theologian and revival preacher
• William CareyMissionary to India, "father of modern missions"
• David LivingstoneMissionary explorer of Africa
• William WilberforceBritish abolitionist parliamentarian
• Charles SpurgeonEnglish Baptist preacher
• Hudson TaylorFounder of the China Inland Mission
• Fanny CrosbyAmerican hymn writer
• William J. SeymourLeader of the Azusa Street Revival
• Aimee Semple McPhersonPentecostal evangelist, founder of the Foursquare Church
• Karl BarthSwiss Reformed theologian
• Dietrich BonhoefferGerman pastor, theologian, and anti-Nazi resister
• C. S. LewisBritish writer and Christian apologist
• Billy GrahamAmerican evangelist
• Mother TeresaFounder of the Missionaries of Charity
• Pope John XXIIIPope who convened the Second Vatican Council
• Pope John Paul IIPope
• Desmond TutuSouth African Anglican archbishop and anti-apartheid leader
• Martin Luther King Jr.Baptist minister and civil rights leader
• JonahProphet Sent to Nineveh