Who was Susanna in the bible?

Susanna is a woman named in Luke’s Gospel among those who accompanied Jesus; her name is presented in Greek as Σουσάννα (Sousanna), a form noted as being of Hebrew origin. In Scripture she appears as one of “many others” who materially supported Jesus and his followers.

Susanna in Scripture

“Soon afterwards, he went about through cities and villages, preaching and bringing the good news of God’s Kingdom. With him were the twelve,” (Luke 8:1, WEB)

Luke places Susanna within a scene of public ministry in which Jesus travels widely—“through cities and villages”—with a defined group of close followers: “the twelve.” The narrative frame is Jesus’ preaching activity, described as “preaching and bringing the good news of God’s Kingdom,” and Susanna is introduced in the immediate description of those who were with him.

“and certain women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary who was called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out;” (Luke 8:2, WEB)

The account then expands beyond “the twelve” to include “certain women.” These women are characterized, at least in this immediate context, as people “who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities.” One named example is “Mary who was called Magdalene,” about whom Luke adds the specific detail, “from whom seven demons had gone out.” This sets a pattern in the passage: Luke identifies individuals by name and attaches distinguishing notes to some of them.

“and Joanna, the wife of Chuzas, Herod’s steward; Susanna; and many others; who served them from their possessions.” (Luke 8:3, WEB)

Susanna is named next, alongside “Joanna, the wife of Chuzas, Herod’s steward,” and then broadened out to an unnamed larger circle: “many others.” The statement that follows explains what these women (and the larger group) did in relation to Jesus and his companions: they were people “who served them from their possessions.” In this presentation, Susanna is not given a family connection or civic identifier like Joanna is (“the wife of Chuzas, Herod’s steward”), but she is explicitly counted among those who provided practical support.

Within Luke 8, Susanna’s appearance is brief but placed strategically: she is part of the list of companions and supporters at the outset of the chapter, immediately after Luke has described Jesus’ itinerant preaching and before Luke moves on to report Jesus teaching “by a parable.”

“When a great multitude came together, and people from every city were coming to him, he spoke by a parable.” (Luke 8:4, WEB)

After naming Susanna and others, Luke describes the public response to Jesus’ ministry: “a great multitude came together,” with “people from every city” coming to him. The narrative flow turns from the list of companions and supporters to Jesus’ teaching activity in parables.

“The farmer went out to sow his seed. As he sowed, some fell along the road, and it was trampled under foot, and the birds of the sky devoured it.” (Luke 8:5, WEB)

“Other seed fell on the rock, and as soon as it grew, it withered away, because it had no moisture.” (Luke 8:6, WEB)

Luke then begins reporting the parable that Jesus spoke in that setting. While Susanna is not mentioned in the parable itself, her placement earlier in the passage situates her within the circle present during the wider movement of Jesus’ preaching, travel, and teaching. The chapter segment progresses from a description of Jesus and those with him (including Susanna) to a description of a large crowd gathering and Jesus speaking to them “by a parable,” beginning with imagery of sowing seed and the varied outcomes of where it falls.

Name and Meaning

Susanna’s name appears in Greek as Σουσάννα, transliterated Sousanna and pronounced “soo-san’-nah.” The lexicon information identifies it as a Greek form of a name “of Hebrew origin,” deriving from a Hebrew feminine form (H07799).

Observation

Luke’s single mention of Susanna is tied to action rather than biography: she is named among those “who served them from their possessions” (Luke 8:3).

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the name Susanna mean?

Susanna is a Greek form of a name of Hebrew origin.

How many times does Susanna appear in the Bible?

Susanna appears 1 time.

Who was Susanna?

Susanna is a woman mentioned in the New Testament. She is named among those associated with Jesus’ ministry in Luke 8:3.

What is Susanna mentioned doing?

Luke 8:3 says Susanna was among those “who served them from their possessions.”

Explore Further

If you found this page about Susanna interesting and would like to discover more about other biblical characters, explore our comprehensive Encyclopedia of Biblical Characters. For those looking to delve deeper into the Greek origins of these names and terms, our Greek Lexicon is an invaluable resource.

Sources: Name and occurrence data from Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance and STEPBible reference data (CC BY). Scripture quotations from the World English Bible (public domain).