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Mary, by the way, is hardly off of the screen, when in fact she is seldom mentioned in the Gospel accounts.

How often do you want??

Isaiah 7:14
   Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.

Matthew 1:16
   and Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.

Matthew 1:18-25
18. This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit.
19. Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.
20. But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.
21. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins."
22. All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet:
23. "The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel" --which means, "God with us."
24. When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife.
25. But he had no union with her until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.

Matthew 2:11
   On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh.

Matthew 13:55
   "Isn't this the carpenter's son? Isn't his mother's name Mary, and aren't his brothers James, Joseph, Simon and Judas?

Mark 6:3
Isn't this the carpenter? Isn't this Mary's son and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon? Aren't his sisters here with us?" And they took offense at him.

Luke 1:26-49
26. In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee,
27. to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin's name was Mary.
28. The angel went to her and said, "Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you."
29. Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be.
30. But the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God.
31. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus.
32. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David,
33. and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end."
34. "How will this be," Mary asked the angel, "since I am a virgin?"
35. The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.
36. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month.
37. For nothing is impossible with God."
38. "I am the Lord's servant," Mary answered. "May it be to me as you have said." Then the angel left her.
39. At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea,
40. where she entered Zechariah's home and greeted Elizabeth.
41. When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.
42. In a loud voice she exclaimed: "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear!
43. But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
44. As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy.
45. Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished!"
46. And Mary said: "My soul glorifies the Lord
47. and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
48. for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed,
49. for the Mighty One has done great things for me-- holy is his name.

Luke 1:56
   Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned home.

Luke 2:5
   He went there to register with Mary , who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child.

Luke 2:16
So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger.

Luke 2:19

But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.

Luke 2:22
When the time of their purification according to the Law of Moses had been completed, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord

Luke 2:34-35
34. Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: "This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against,
35. so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too."

Luke 2:39
When Joseph and Mary had done everything required by the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee to their own town of Nazareth.

Luke 2:48-52
48. When his parents saw him, they were astonished. His mother said to him, "Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you."
49. "Why were you searching for me?" he asked. "Didn't you know I had to be in my Father's house?"
50. But they did not understand what he was saying to them.
51. Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But his mother treasured all these things in her heart.
52. And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.

John 2:1-12

1. On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus' mother was there,
2. and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding.
3. When the wine was gone, Jesus' mother said to him, "They have no more wine."
4. "Dear woman, why do you involve me?" Jesus replied. "My time has not yet come."
5. His mother said to the servants, "Do whatever he tells you."
6. Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons.
7. Jesus said to the servants, "Fill the jars with water"; so they filled them to the brim.
8. Then he told them, "Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet."   They did so,
9. and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside
10. and said, "Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now."
11. This, the first of his miraculous signs, Jesus performed at Cana in Galilee. He thus revealed his glory, and his disciples put their faith in him.
12. After this he went down to Capernaum with his mother and brothers and his disciples. There they stayed for a few days.

John 19:25-27
25. Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene.
26. When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, "Dear woman, here is your son,"
27. and to the disciple, "Here is your mother." From that time on, this disciple took her into his home.

Acts 1:14
   They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.

(You can see that OTHER women were ALSO close by in Christ's ministry.)

Matthew 27:55-56
55. Many women were there, watching from a distance. They had followed Jesus from Galilee to care for his needs.
56. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of Zebedee's sons.

Mark 15:40-41
40. Some women were wa tching from a distance. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joses, and Salome.
41. In Galilee these women had followed him and cared for his needs. Many other women who had come up with him to Jerusalem were also there.