14-Week Study & Discussion Guide

Twelve Extraordinary Women

by John MacArthur·112 discussion questions

Lead your group with the discussion already prepared: a reading plan, thoughtful questions, and printable handouts for everyone.

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Week 1 — FreeRead the Introduction of Twelve Extraordinary Women. Supporting passages: Proverbs 31:10–31; Luke 8:1–3.

Discussion question your group will work through:

1.MacArthur opens by arguing that the women of Scripture were not peripheral figures but were "at the very heart" of God's redemptive plan. Did that framing surprise you? How had you previously thought about women in the Bible — as central characters or as supporting ones?

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About This Study Guide

At a glance: this is a 14-week study and discussion guide for Twelve Extraordinary Women by John MacArthur, with 112 questions organized by reading assignment. Week 1 is free to read, with no card required.

Twelve Extraordinary Women by John MacArthur is a study of twelve women whose lives are woven into the grand tapestry of God's redemptive story. MacArthur's central thesis is both surprising and liberating: what made these women extraordinary was not their natural talent, social standing, or personal charisma, but the power and grace of the God they trusted. From Eve in the Garden to Mary Magdalene at the empty tomb, each woman appears at a pivotal moment in redemptive history — not as a footnote, but as an essential thread in the story God is telling. MacArthur argues that their struggles, doubts, failures, and acts of faith are the same ones believers face in every age, and that the God who shaped them is still shaping ordinary people today.

This study guide is designed for use in a small group or for personal devotional study over fourteen weeks. Each week, begin by reading the assigned chapter of Twelve Extraordinary Women along with the primary Bible passages listed. Before your group meets (or before you journal), spend a few minutes in quiet reflection on the orienting sentence for that week. Then work through the discussion questions — some will ask what the chapter says, some will press you to examine your own heart, and some will invite you to trace the thread of the gospel through each woman's story. You may not get to every question every week; that is fine. Let the conversation go where the Spirit leads.

By the end of this guide you should have a richer understanding of the Bible's redemptive storyline, a deeper appreciation for how God works through weakness and ordinary faithfulness, and a more personal acquaintance with twelve women whose lives still speak. You may also find, perhaps unexpectedly, that you recognize yourself in them — the same fears, the same longing for God, the same need for grace. That recognition is part of the gift this book offers.

Week 1: Introduction — Extraordinary Women of God

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Read the Introduction of Twelve Extraordinary Women. Supporting passages: Proverbs 31:10–31; Luke 8:1–3.

Before diving into any individual woman's story, MacArthur lays out a bold claim: what made these women great was not what was in them, but who was working through them. Take a moment to consider what you already believe about that claim before reading.

1.MacArthur opens by arguing that the women of Scripture were not peripheral figures but were "at the very heart" of God's redemptive plan. Did that framing surprise you? How had you previously thought about women in the Bible — as central characters or as supporting ones?

2.The introduction distinguishes between what made these women humanly impressive and what made them truly extraordinary. In MacArthur's view, what is the real source of their greatness?

3.MacArthur notes that the struggles and temptations these women faced are "the same trials faced by all believers in all ages." Which of the twelve women listed on the back cover are you most curious about — and why? What do you already know about her story?

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Group handout: Twelve Extraordinary Women

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14-Week Schedule

  1. Week 1Introduction — Extraordinary Women of God8 questions
  2. Week 2Chapter 1 — Eve: Mother of All Living8 questions
  3. Week 3Chapter 2 — Sarah: Handmaiden of Faith and Laughter8 questions
  4. Week 4Chapter 3 — Rahab: A Sinner Saved by Grace8 questions
  5. Week 5Chapter 4 — Ruth: Loyalty and Love8 questions
  6. Week 6Chapter 5 — Hannah: A Portrait of Feminine Grace8 questions
  7. Week 7Chapter 6 — Mary: Blessed Among Women8 questions
  8. Week 8Chapter 7 — Anna: The Faithful Witness8 questions
  9. Week 9Chapter 8 — The Samaritan Woman: Finding the Water of Life8 questions
  10. Week 10Chapter 9 — Martha and Mary: Working and Worshipping8 questions
  11. Week 11Chapter 10 — Mary Magdalene: Delivered and Devoted8 questions
  12. Week 12Chapter 11 — The Woman Who Anointed Jesus: An Extraordinary Act of Love8 questions
  13. Week 13Chapter 12 — Lydia: A Businesswoman Who Opened Her Heart and Home8 questions
  14. Week 14Review & Reflection — Looking Back Across Twelve Extraordinary Women8 questions

Week 2: Chapter 1 — Eve: Mother of All Living

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Read Chapter 1 of Twelve Extraordinary Women. Primary passages: Genesis 2:18–25; Genesis 3:1–24; Genesis 4:1–2.

1.MacArthur emphasizes that Eve was created as a "helper suitable" for Adam — a term he argues carries dignity and significance, not inferiority. How does he explain the meaning of that phrase, and how does it challenge or confirm your previous understanding of it?

+ 7 more questions in the full guide

Week 3: Chapter 2 — Sarah: Handmaiden of Faith and Laughter

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Read Chapter 2 of Twelve Extraordinary Women. Primary passages: Genesis 11:27–30; 12:1–20; 15–16; 17–18; 21:1–7; Hebrews 11:11; 1 Peter 3:5–6.

1.MacArthur notes that Sarah was barren — a condition in the ancient world that carried deep social shame. How does understanding that cultural context change the way you read her story? What would it have felt like to be Sarah, following Abraham into the unknown with no child to show for it?

+ 7 more questions in the full guide

Week 4: Chapter 3 — Rahab: A Sinner Saved by Grace

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Read Chapter 3 of Twelve Extraordinary Women. Primary passages: Joshua 2:1–21; Joshua 6:22–25; Matthew 1:5; Hebrews 11:31; James 2:25.

1.MacArthur does not soften the description of Rahab as a prostitute, nor does he try to redefine the term. Why does he think it is important not to minimize what she was? What is lost if we clean up her story too quickly?

+ 7 more questions in the full guide

Week 5: Chapter 4 — Ruth: Loyalty and Love

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Read Chapter 4 of Twelve Extraordinary Women. Primary passages: Ruth 1–4.

1.MacArthur sets the book of Ruth against the dark backdrop of the period of the Judges — a time of moral chaos and covenant unfaithfulness. Why does that context matter for reading Ruth's story? What does it say about God that He was working quietly in Bethlehem even when Israel was in spiritual freefall?

+ 7 more questions in the full guide

Week 6: Chapter 5 — Hannah: A Portrait of Feminine Grace

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Read Chapter 5 of Twelve Extraordinary Women. Primary passages: 1 Samuel 1–2.

1.MacArthur opens with a vivid portrait of Hannah's suffering: barren in a culture that equated fertility with blessing, and tormented daily by her rival Peninnah. How does he describe the emotional and spiritual toll of Hannah's situation? Does his portrait of her pain feel true to you?

+ 7 more questions in the full guide

Week 7: Chapter 6 — Mary: Blessed Among Women

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Read Chapter 6 of Twelve Extraordinary Women. Primary passages: Luke 1:26–56; Luke 2:1–52; John 2:1–5; John 19:25–27.

1.MacArthur is careful to distinguish the biblical Mary from later theological accretions about her. What is his core concern about how Mary has been treated in certain traditions, and what does he want to restore about her true biblical portrait?

+ 7 more questions in the full guide

Week 8: Chapter 7 — Anna: The Faithful Witness

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Read Chapter 7 of Twelve Extraordinary Women. Primary passages: Luke 2:36–38.

1.Anna's entire story is told in just three verses (Luke 2:36–38), yet MacArthur devotes a full chapter to her. What does it say about how Scripture values a life that God can sum up a lifetime of faithfulness in so few words — and that those few words are worth this much reflection?

+ 7 more questions in the full guide

Week 9: Chapter 8 — The Samaritan Woman: Finding the Water of Life

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Read Chapter 8 of Twelve Extraordinary Women. Primary passages: John 4:1–42.

1.MacArthur sets the scene carefully: a Samaritan, a woman, a sinner, at noon — every detail underscores her isolation. Why did she come to the well alone in the heat of the day? What does that detail tell you about her life before this encounter?

+ 7 more questions in the full guide

Week 10: Chapter 9 — Martha and Mary: Working and Worshipping

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Read Chapter 9 of Twelve Extraordinary Women. Primary passages: Luke 10:38–42; John 11:1–45; John 12:1–8.

1.In Luke 10, Martha is busy with preparations while Mary sits at Jesus's feet. MacArthur refuses to caricature Martha as simply the Bad Sister. What does he say in her defense? Why is the rebuke Jesus gave her not a condemnation of service, but a correction of something more specific?

+ 7 more questions in the full guide

Week 11: Chapter 10 — Mary Magdalene: Delivered and Devoted

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Read Chapter 10 of Twelve Extraordinary Women. Primary passages: Luke 8:2–3; Matthew 27:55–61; Mark 15:40–47; John 20:1–18.

1.MacArthur opens by debunking the popular identification of Mary Magdalene as a prostitute or as the sinful woman of Luke 7. Where did that confusion come from, and why does getting her actual identity right matter for understanding her story?

+ 7 more questions in the full guide

Week 12: Chapter 11 — The Woman Who Anointed Jesus: An Extraordinary Act of Love

All 8 questions →

Read Chapter 11 of Twelve Extraordinary Women. Primary passages: Luke 7:36–50; Mark 14:3–9; Matthew 26:6–13.

1.MacArthur is careful to distinguish between the sinful woman of Luke 7 and the anointing at Bethany in Mark 14 and Matthew 26, arguing these are separate events. Why does this distinction matter, and how does it affect the way we read each account on its own terms?

+ 7 more questions in the full guide

Week 13: Chapter 12 — Lydia: A Businesswoman Who Opened Her Heart and Home

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Read Chapter 12 of Twelve Extraordinary Women. Primary passages: Acts 16:11–15, 40.

1.Lydia was a seller of purple cloth from Thyatira — a businesswoman of apparent means and social standing. MacArthur notes that she was already a worshipper of God (a "God-fearer") before Paul arrived. How does her prior seeking shape the way you think about God's preparatory work in people's lives before they ever hear the gospel?

+ 7 more questions in the full guide

Week 14: Review & Reflection — Looking Back Across Twelve Extraordinary Women

All 8 questions →

Review your notes and journal from all twelve chapters. Suggested passages for reflection: Hebrews 11:1–40; Hebrews 12:1–3.

1.Which of the twelve women's stories had the greatest impact on you personally — and why? Was it what she went through, what she believed, or how she responded to God that moved you most?

+ 7 more questions in the full guide
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About the Twelve Extraordinary Women guide

How many weeks is the Twelve Extraordinary Women study guide?

This study guide covers Twelve Extraordinary Women in 14 weeks, with week-by-week discussion questions, reading references, and closing prayers for each session.

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The complete guide includes 112 discussion questions across 14 weeks — an average of 8 questions per week, designed for group conversation.

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Yes — the questions are written for group discussion and work well for small groups, book clubs, church studies, and couples reading together.

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