Most historians and Bible scholars think Mary was a teenager when she gave birth to Jesus, probably in the range of about 13–16 years old.

Quick Scoop

  • The Bible never gives Mary’s exact age at Jesus’ birth.
  • In first‑century Jewish culture, girls commonly became betrothed in their early teens, sometimes around 12–14.
  • Using those cultural norms, many scholars estimate Mary was roughly mid‑teens (often suggested 14–16) when Jesus was born.

What the Bible Says (and Doesn’t)

Scripture focuses on who Jesus is, not on Mary’s exact age. The Gospels call her a “virgin” who is betrothed to Joseph, which, in that culture, implies a young unmarried woman, typically in her teens.

Historical and Scholarly Estimates

Modern historical research looks at typical ages for betrothal and marriage in ancient Jewish society, plus life expectancy and social customs. From that background:

  • Common scholarly consensus: roughly 12–14 at betrothal, about 13–16 at Jesus’ birth.
  • Many Christian writers narrow this to “around 15–16 years old” as a reasonable working estimate.

These are educated guesses, not provable numbers, so any precise age you see (like “exactly 14”) is still speculative.

Different Traditions and Views

Some later Christian and apocryphal writings (like the Protoevangelium of James) picture Mary as betrothed around 12 and giving birth in mid‑teens, but these texts aren’t considered authoritative Scripture. Popular art sometimes shows Mary as older (early twenties), yet this reflects later artistic choices more than historical data.

TL;DR: We can’t know Mary’s exact age, but using first‑century Jewish customs, most scholars think she was a very young teenager, likely somewhere between 13 and 16 years old when she gave birth to Jesus.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.