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Rahab – the harlot -

The story of Rahab and the spies can be found in Joshua 2:1-24 and Joshua 6:1-27. Proof that God loved her is in Hebrews 11:31: “By faith the harlot Rahab did not perish with those who did not believe, when she had received the spies with peace.”

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Rahab – the harlot -

James 2:25 also mentions Rahab and how her actions made her close to God. It reads: “Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way?”

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David – the invisible son -

Before being anointed king, David was not even put in the “race” by his father Jesse to be chosen by God. Except, he was chosen among his brothers. “Thus Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel. And Samuel said to Jesse, 'The Lord has not chosen these.' And Samuel said to Jesse, 'Are all the young men here?' Then he said, 'There remains yet the youngest, and there he is, keeping the sheep,'" (1 Samuel 16:10-11).

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David – the invisible son -

The story continues: “And Samuel said to Jesse, 'Send and bring him. For we will not sit down till he comes here.' So he sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, with bright eyes, and good-looking. And the Lord said, 'Arise, anoint him; for this is the one!' Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers; and the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward,” (1 Samuel 16:11-13).

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Samaritan woman – the adulteress -

The story of the Samaritan woman can be found in John 4:1-54. While she’s not accused of adultery, Jesus does mention that she has had five husbands and that the man she's currently with was not her husband.

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Samaritan woman – the adulteress -

The Samaritan woman went on to testify about Jesus, and many Samaritans believed her. John 4:39 details what happened: “And many of the Samaritans of that city believed in Him because of the word of the woman who testified, 'He told me all that I ever did.'”

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Joseph – the slave sold by his brothers -

The story of Joseph and how he was sold by his brothers into slavery and taken to Egypt is found in Genesis 37. Later, Joseph reunites with his brothers when their father dies. Before he passed, the father commanded his sons to ask Joseph for forgiveness, for they did evil to him.

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Joseph – the slave sold by his brothers -

“Joseph said to them, 'Do not be afraid, for am I in the place of God? But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive. Now therefore, do not be afraid; I will provide for you and your little ones.' And he comforted them and spoke kindly to them,” (Genesis 50: 19-21).

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Mary Magdalene – the possessed woman -

The story of the demon-possessed Mary Magdalene can be found in Luke 8:1-3. John 20:1-18 then details when Jesus appeared to her after he resurrected.

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Mary Magdalene – the possessed woman -

John 20:18 reads: “Now when He rose early on the first day of the week, He appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom He had cast seven demons.”

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Zacchaeus – the rich tax collector -

The story of Zacchaeus is detailed in Luke 19:1-10. This man was a chief tax collector, and he was rich. Jesus told him that he’d visit him in his house, a statement that caused a lot of controversy among the present crowd, because, after all, this man was a sinner.

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Zacchaeus – the rich tax collector -

“Then Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, 'Look, Lord, I give half of my goods to the poor; and if I have taken anything from anyone by false accusation, I restore fourfold.' And Jesus said to him, 'Today salvation has come to this house, because he also is a son of Abraham; for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost,'” (Luke 10: 8-10).

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Hagar – the slave -

Sarah, Abraham’s wife, had an Egyptian slave named Hagar who acted as a surrogate, but was cast out together with her son. God also spoke to her and showed her his love. ”Then she called the name of the Lord who spoke to her, You-Are-the-God-Who-Sees; for she said, 'Have I also here seen Him who sees me,'” (Genesis 16:13).

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Hagar – the slave -

Genesis 21:19 details how God helped Hagar and her son. “Then God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water. And she went and filled the skin with water, and gave the lad a drink.”

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The leper -

The story of the leper healed by Jesus is another example of God’s love for outcasts. “And behold, a leper came and worshiped Him, saying, 'Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.' Then Jesus put out His hand and touched him, saying, 'I am willing; be cleansed.' Immediately his leprosy was cleansed,” (Matthew 8: 2-3).

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Leah – the despised wife -

The story of Leah can be found in Genesis 29. She was married to Jacob, but her husband loved his other wife (Leah’s sister), Rachel. God, however, intervened. “When the Lord saw that Leah was unloved, He opened her womb; but Rachel was barren,” (Genesis 29:31).

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Leah – the despised wife -

Genesis 29:33 details the love God had for Leah. It reads: “Then she conceived again and bore a son, and said, 'Because the Lord has heard that I am unloved, He has therefore given me this son also.' And she called his name Simeon.”

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Naaman – the Syrian commander with leprosy -

The Bible mentions how Naaman was cured by the grace of God. “So he went down and dipped seven times in the Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God; and his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean,” (2 Kings 5:14).

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Cornelius – the Roman centurion -

Peter spoke about the inclusivity of God’s love when he met Cornelius. Acts 10:28 reads: “Then he said to them, 'You know how unlawful it is for a Jewish man to keep company with or go to one of another nation. But God has shown me that I should not call any man common or unclean.'”

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The bleeding woman -

Mark 5:25-34 details the story of how a woman who'd had “a flow of blood for twelve years,” was cured. It reads: "But the woman, fearing and trembling, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell down before Him and told Him the whole truth. And He said to her, 'Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace, and be healed of your affliction.'"

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The Syrophoenician mother -

The story of the Syrophoenician mother (who was not a Jew) and her demon-possessed daughter is another example of God’s love for outcasts. Matthew 15:22 reads: “And behold, a woman of Canaan came from that region and cried out to Him, saying, 'Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! My daughter is severely demon-possessed.'”

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The Syrophoenician mother -

“Then Jesus answered and said to her, 'O woman, great is your faith! Let it be to you as you desire.' And her daughter was healed from that very hour,” (Matthew 15:28).

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Gadarene – the demon-possessed man -

Jesus healed a man with an unclean spirit. The episode is detailed in Mark 5:1-20. On Jesus’ command, “The unclean spirits went out and entered the swine (there were about two thousand); and the herd ran violently down the steep place into the sea, and drowned in the sea,” (Mark 5:13).

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The infirm woman -

The story of how Jesus healed an infirm woman can be found in Luke 13:10-17: “And behold, there was a woman who had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bent over and could in no way raise herself up. But when Jesus saw her, He called her to Him and said to her, 'Woman, you are loosed from your infirmity.' And He laid His hands on her, and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God.”

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Lazarus – the dead man -

Lazarus was dead, but Jesus brought him back to life. “Now when He had said these things, He cried with a loud voice, 'Lazarus, come forth!' And he who had died came out bound hand and foot with graveclothes, and his face was wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, 'Loose him, and let him go,'” (John 11:43-44).

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Bartimaeus – the blind man -

Jesus did the work of God on a number of outcasts, including a blind man named Bartimaeus. “So Jesus answered and said to him, 'What do you want Me to do for you?' The blind man said to Him, 'Rabboni, that I may receive my sight.' Then Jesus said to him, 'Go your way; your faith has made you well.' And immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus on the road,” (Mark 10:51-52).

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Esther – the orphan -

Esther was made queen when she married the Persian king. Esther 2:17 reads: “The king loved Esther more than all the other women, and she obtained grace and favor in his sight more than all the virgins; so he set the royal crown upon her head and made her queen instead of Vasht.” Esther went on to convince the king to spare the lives of all the Jews in Persia. Esther 2:7 details that she was an orphan.

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Matthew – the tax collector -

Matthew went from being a tax collector to one of Jesus’ apostles. Matthew 9:9 reads: “As Jesus passed on from there, He saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax office. And He said to him, 'Follow Me.' So he arose and followed Him.”

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Ruth – the Moabite -

Ruth became the widow of an Israelite husband but remained faithful to her mother-in-law, Naomi. Ruth had a special place in God’s heart. The whole story is detailed in Ruth 1, 2, 3, and 4.

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Ruth – the Moabite -

“The Lord repay your work, and a full reward be given you by the Lord God of Israel, under whose wings you have come for refuge,” (Ruth 2:12).

Sources: (Equation of Hope) (Bible Gateway)

See also: The most influential women of the Bible

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