The Twelve Apostles

Andrew, Bartholomew, Philip, Thomas, Simon the Zealot - from left to right

**The Twelve Apostles** are the closest followers of Jesus and they are the men Jesus appointed to accompany Him, and He would send them out to preach, giving them authority to cast out demons.

## Bible InfoScan

Luke 6:13-16
At daybreak he called together all of his disciples and chose twelve of them to be apostles. Here are their names: Simon (whom he named Peter), Andrew (Peter's brother), James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James (son of Alphaeus), Simon (who was called the zealot), Judas (son of James), Judas Iscariot (who later betrayed him).

### Simon Peter

Main article: Peter
**Peter**, also known as **Simon Peter**, was Andrew's brother and was one of Jesus' twelve apostles. Peter was a fisherman on the Sea of Galilee. When Jesus called Peter to follow Him, Peter's life took a completely different direction. He became a "fisher-of-men". Peter was the disciple who climbed out of the boat to walk to Jesus, and he was also the first disciple to recognize Jesus as the Messiah. Peter later became the leader of the emerging church.

### Andrew

Main article: Andrew
**Andrew** was Simon Peter's brother and was one of Jesus' twelve apostles. It was evening, Andrew asked Jesus to send away the tired and hungry crowd to find a place to stay and eat. Instead, Jesus instructed His disciples to sit the people down in the grass. Andrew had noticed a young boy who had brought a basket of food containing five loaves of barley bread and two small fish. He asked the boy to bring the food to Jesus even though he didn't think it would do much good! Philip was must have been amazed as he gave the food to the crowd after Jesus had miraculously multiplied it. Imagine his thoughts as he and the other disciples gathered twelve baskets of leftovers after over 5000 people had eaten all they wanted!

### James

Main article: James
**James** was John's brother and was one of Jesus' twelve apostles. James most likely would have been with the other disciples in Jerusalem when they questioned Peter about entering Cornelius' home. James was the son of Zebedee, and older brother to John. Jesus came to James and John and told them to follow Him and be fishers of people! James and his brother John were one of Jesus' twelve apostles. They were nicknamed the "Sons of Thunder" by Jesus. James, John, and Peter were called Jesus' inner circle and were the closest to Jesus of all the apostles. James was the first apostle to die as a martyr when he was killed by King Herod Agrippa in A.D. 44.

### John

Main article: John
**John** was James' brother and was one of Jesus' twelve apostles. Before Jesus called him to be a disciple, he was a fisherman (Matthew 4:18-22, Mark 1:16-20). John’s relationship with Jesus was so close that he was called “the disciple Jesus loved.” John wrote the Gospel of John, 1 John, 2 John, 3 John, and Revelation.
John survived years of persecution. After banishment to the island of Patmos, God visits him with visions of future restoration. God instructs him to write them down as the Book of Revelation.

### Philip

Main article: Philip (The Apostle)
**Philip** was from Bethsaida in Galilee and was one of Jesus' twelve apostles. Jesus found Philip in Galilee and said, “Come, follow Me”. Philip found Nathanael and told him to come see Jesus for Himself! Philip was one of Jesus' chosen apostles.

### Bartholomew/Nathanael

Main article: Bartholomew/Nathanael
**Nathanael**, also known as **Bartholomew**, was a friend of Philip and was one of Jesus' twelve apostles. Nathanael was sitting under a fig tree when Philip ran up to him declaring he had seen Jesus of Nazareth. Nathanael was skeptical at first but upon meeting Jesus face to face, he declared that He was the Son of God! Jesus called Nathanael a man of integrity that could be trusted. He soon became one of Jesus' twelve apostles.

### Matthew/Levi

Main article: Matthew
**Matthew**, also known as **Levi**, was a tax collector whom Jesus called to be a follower, and was one of Jesus' twelve apostles. Matthew immediately left his work and hosted a banquet at his home for Jesus and invited many of his tax collector friends. Matthew became one of the twelve apostles. Matthew was sad like the other apostles when they could not cast an evil spirit out and Jesus said they lacked faith. However, as Jesus sent His disciples out, Matthew's faith is strengthened when he and Andrew pray for a leper who is then healed! All of the disciples rejoice at their success when they return to Jesus.

### Thomas/Didymus

Main article: Thomas
**Thomas**, also known as **Didymus** or **The Twin** and nicknamed **Doubting Thomas**, was one of Jesus' twelve apostles. Soon after Jesus rose from the dead, He appeared to the disciples. One of the disciples, Thomas, was not present and refused to believe that Jesus had appeared to the eleven other apostles, until he could see and feel the wounds received by Jesus on the cross.

### James (Son of Alphaeus)

Main article: James (Son of Alphaeus)
**James**, also known as **James son of Alphaeus**, was one of Jesus' twelve apostles. He is not to be confused with the other well-known apostle of Jesus, James the brother of John.

### Simon the Zealot

Main article: Simon the Zealot
**Simon**, also known as **Simon the Zealot**, was one of Jesus' twelve apostles. He was one of the twelve apostles that Jesus, from all His disciples, chose as He began His earthly ministry. He is not to be confused with the other well-known apostle of Jesus, Simon Peter. The term “zealot” refers to someone who is eager, passionate or devoted to something. This may a prime reason that Jesus chose Him and gave him the authority to cast out demons and to heal every type of disease.

### Thaddaeus/Judas (Son of James)

Main article: Thaddaeus/Judas (Son of James)
**Judas**, also known as **Thaddaeus** or **Lebbaeus** and as **Judas son of James**, was one of Jesus' twelve apostles. He was one of Jesus’ twelve disciples that were with Him when He delivered the Sermon on the Mount. Judas, along with the other disciples, sat on the mountainside with Jesus as He preached the Sermon on the Mount. That day, the disciples learned what it truly meant to follow Jesus and be His disciple. Judas also witnessed how Jesus spoke a Word to heal the Roman centurion’s servant while commending him for his great faith. Judas, son of James, is not to be confused with Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Jesus.

### Judas Iscariot

Main article: Judas Iscariot
**Judas Iscariot** was one of Jesus' twelve apostles. He was the appointed treasurer for the disciples, but he did not understand that Jesus' kingdom was a heavenly one and not an earthly one. He became disillusioned and dishonest. After the Passover supper, Judas betrayed Jesus. Because of the guilt he felt from this act, he killed himself, instead of asking Jesus to forgive him.

## Life Lessons

* As disciples, we must be obedient to wait and pray, just as Jesus told those in Acts.
* Just as the disciples were filled with joy when the Holy Spirit came upon them, we can also live a joyful life.
* With the Holy Spirit, you have been empowered to share the gospel.