The twelve disciples of Jesus

The twelve disciples, with their other names

1. Simon Peter

   Matthew lists him first. Jesus called him Cephas, "which is by interpretation, A stone" (John 1:42). A fisherman, the brother of Andrew.

   Matthew 10:2

2. Andrew

   Peter's brother. He heard John the Baptist speak, followed Jesus, and then "first findeth his own brother Simon" (John 1:41).

   John 1:40

3. James the son of Zebedee

   A fisherman called with his brother John while mending nets. Jesus surnamed the two brothers Boanerges, "The sons of thunder". Herod later killed him with the sword (Acts 12:2).

   Mark 3:17

4. John

   The brother of James and a son of Zebedee. The Gospel, three letters and Revelation are traditionally attributed to him, and Revelation 1:9 names John as its writer.

   Matthew 10:2

5. Philip

   From Bethsaida, "the city of Andrew and Peter". He brought Nathanael to Jesus with the words "Come and see" (John 1:46).

   John 1:44

6. Bartholomew

   Named in all four lists. He is traditionally identified with Nathanael from John 1:45-49, because John never names Bartholomew and the other three never name Nathanael, but the Bible does not say so directly.

   Matthew 10:3

7. Thomas

   Also "called Didymus" (John 11:16), which means twin. He said he would not believe until he saw the print of the nails, then answered "My Lord and my God" (John 20:28).

   John 20:24

8. Matthew

   "Matthew the publican", a tax collector, called from the receipt of custom. Mark 2:14 and Luke 5:27 tell the same call and name him Levi.

   Matthew 9:9

9. James the son of Alphaeus

   Named in all four lists, always with his father's name to set him apart from James the son of Zebedee. Little else is told about him.

   Matthew 10:3

10. Thaddaeus

    Matthew calls him "Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus". Luke and Acts call him "Judas the brother of James", and he is usually taken to be the Judas "not Iscariot" of John 14:22.

    Luke 6:16

11. Simon the Canaanite

    Matthew and Mark call him the Canaanite; Luke calls him "Simon called Zelotes" (Luke 6:15) and Acts 1:13 "Simon Zelotes", usually understood as Simon the Zealot.

    Matthew 10:4

12. Judas Iscariot

    Always listed last, as the one "who also betrayed him". He agreed to hand Jesus over for thirty pieces of silver (Matthew 26:15).

    Matthew 10:4

The four lists side by side

Matthew 10:2-4 pairs the names: Peter and Andrew, James and John, Philip and Bartholomew, Thomas and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus and Lebbaeus, Simon the Canaanite and Judas Iscariot.

Mark 3:16-19 gives the same men in a slightly different order and uses Thaddaeus. Luke 6:13-16 and Acts 1:13 use "Judas the brother of James" in place of Thaddaeus, and Simon Zelotes in place of Simon the Canaanite. Every list puts Peter first, and Philip is always fifth.

Matthias, the twelfth apostle

After Judas Iscariot died, the eleven put forward two men, "Joseph called Barsabas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias" (Acts 1:23). They prayed and cast lots, "and the lot fell upon Matthias; and he was numbered with the eleven apostles" (Acts 1:26).

Disciples or apostles?

A disciple is a learner or follower, and Jesus had many. Apostle means one who is sent. Luke 6:13 says Jesus chose twelve of his disciples and named them apostles, so the twelve are both.

Now the names of the twelve apostles are these; The first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother;

Matthew 10:2 · KJV