The Twelve Disciples

A guide to the lives and legacies of Jesus’s closest followers.

A Common Calling

While the disciples came from various backgrounds—fishermen, a tax collector, and a political zealot—they were united by a common calling. They were ordinary men chosen for an extraordinary purpose: to be with Jesus, to learn from Him, and to be sent out as His witnesses. Their stories remind us that God often chooses the unlikely to accomplish His divine will.

📜 Simon Peter

• The Calling: Simon, a fisherman from Bethsaida, was called by Jesus while casting his net into the sea. Jesus immediately gave him a new name, Peter, which means “rock.”
• Key Moments: Peter was one of the three disciples closest to Jesus, witnessing moments like the Transfiguration and the raising of Jairus’s daughter. He famously declared Jesus as the Christ, but also denied Him three times on the night of His trial.
• Final Years & Legacy: After Jesus’s resurrection, Peter became a central figure in the early Christian church. He was the first to preach the Gospel on the Day of Pentecost and played a pivotal role in the mission to both Jews and Gentiles.
• Death & Martyrdom: It is widely held by tradition that Peter was martyred in Rome under Emperor Nero. He was said to have been crucified upside down at his own request, as he did not feel worthy to die in the same manner as Jesus.

📜 Andrew

• The Calling: A fisherman and the brother of Simon Peter, Andrew was a disciple of John the Baptist before he was called by Jesus. He was the first to tell his brother Peter about Jesus.
• Key Moments: Andrew is known for bringing a young boy with five loaves and two fish to Jesus during the feeding of the five thousand. He also brought a group of Greeks to see Jesus.
• Final Years & Legacy: Andrew is said to have preached in Greece, Macedonia, and other areas around the Black Sea. He is the patron saint of Scotland and Russia.
• Death & Martyrdom: According to tradition, Andrew was crucified in Patras, Greece, on an X-shaped cross, which is now known as Saint Andrew’s Cross.

📜 James, son of Zebedee

• The Calling: A fisherman and the brother of John, Jesus called James and John “Sons of Thunder.” He was part of Jesus’s inner circle.
• Key Moments: Along with Peter and John, he was with Jesus during pivotal moments such as the Transfiguration and the agony in the Garden of Gethsemane.
• Final Years & Legacy: James was an active leader in the early church in Jerusalem. He was the first of the apostles to be martyred.
• Death & Martyrdom: The New Testament specifically records that James was put to death with a sword by King Herod Agrippa I, making him the only apostle whose martyrdom is described in the Bible.

📜 John

• The Calling: A fisherman and the brother of James, John was also one of the “Sons of Thunder” and part of Jesus’s inner circle. He is known as “the disciple whom Jesus loved.”
• Key Moments: He was present at the Last Supper and at the foot of the cross. He was given the care of Jesus’s mother, Mary. He is also the author of the Gospel of John, three epistles, and the book of Revelation.
• Final Years & Legacy: John is believed to have ministered in Ephesus and was later exiled to the island of Patmos, where he wrote the book of Revelation.
• Death & Martyrdom: Unlike the other apostles, tradition holds that John was not martyred but died of old age in Ephesus, the only apostle to do so.

📜 Philip

• The Calling: Philip was from Bethsaida, the same town as Peter and Andrew. He was one of the first to be called by Jesus and immediately brought his friend Nathanael to see Him.
• Key Moments: In the Gospel of John, Philip is the one who asks Jesus where they could buy enough bread to feed the multitude, prompting the miracle of the loaves and fishes.
• Final Years & Legacy: Tradition holds that Philip preached the Gospel in Greece, Syria, and Asia Minor.
• Death & Martyrdom: According to tradition, Philip was crucified in Hierapolis, a city in what is now modern-day Turkey.

📜 Bartholomew

• The Calling: Bartholomew is also believed to be Nathanael, the man Philip brought to Jesus. Jesus said of him, “Here is a true Israelite, in whom there is no deceit.”
• Key Moments: He is mentioned in the lists of the twelve apostles but is not the subject of any specific actions or conversations in the Gospels.
• Final Years & Legacy: Tradition says he ministered in India, Mesopotamia, and Armenia, where he is credited with a number of miracles.
• Death & Martyrdom: The tradition of his death is one of the most gruesome; he is said to have been flayed alive and then beheaded. He is often depicted holding his own skin.

📜 Matthew

• The Calling: Matthew, also called Levi, was a tax collector working in Capernaum when Jesus called him. He immediately left his life of wealth to follow Jesus.
• Key Moments: As a former tax collector, Matthew would have been well-educated and is credited with writing the Gospel of Matthew, which was aimed at a Jewish audience.
• Final Years & Legacy: Tradition holds that Matthew ministered in Judea and later traveled to Ethiopia and other parts of the world.
• Death & Martyrdom: Tradition states that he was martyred in Ethiopia, where he was killed with a sword while standing at the altar.

📜 Thomas

• The Calling: Thomas is known as “Doubting Thomas” for his hesitation to believe in Jesus’s resurrection.
• Key Moments: After seeing and touching Jesus’s wounds, Thomas became a strong believer, exclaiming, “My Lord and my God!”
• Final Years & Legacy: Thomas is known for his missionary work outside of the Roman Empire, and he is traditionally considered the founder of the Christian Church in India.
• Death & Martyrdom: Tradition says he was martyred in India, where he was killed by a spear.

📜 James, son of Alphaeus

• The Calling: He is listed among the twelve apostles, but little is known about his life from the biblical accounts. He is often referred to as “James the Less” to distinguish him from James, son of Zebedee.
• Key Moments: He is mentioned in the lists of the twelve apostles but is not a central figure in any specific biblical narratives.
• Final Years & Legacy: Tradition holds that he ministered in Jerusalem after the ascension of Jesus.
• Death & Martyrdom: He is said to have been stoned to death in Jerusalem by Jewish leaders around 62 AD.

📜 Thaddeus (Jude)

• The Calling: Thaddeus, also known as Jude, is listed as one of the twelve apostles. He is believed to be the author of the Epistle of Jude.
• Key Moments: He is mentioned by name in John’s Gospel, where he asks Jesus why He would manifest Himself only to the disciples and not to the world.
• Final Years & Legacy: Tradition holds that he ministered in Mesopotamia and Persia.
• Death & Martyrdom: It is traditionally believed that he was martyred alongside Simon the Zealot, clubbed to death and then beheaded with an axe.

📜 Simon the Zealot

• The Calling: Simon is identified as a “Zealot,” a member of a political movement committed to overthrowing Roman rule. This suggests a passionate, zealous character.
• Key Moments: Like some of the others, he is only listed among the twelve apostles.
• Final Years & Legacy: Tradition holds that he traveled and preached with Thaddeus, his companion in ministry.
• Death & Martyrdom: According to tradition, he was martyred in Persia, where he was killed by being sawed in half.

📜 Judas Iscariot

• The Calling: Judas was the one chosen to handle the money for the group. He was the one who betrayed Jesus.
• Key Moments: Judas famously betrayed Jesus with a kiss in the Garden of Gethsemane.
• Final Years & Legacy: After his betrayal, Judas was consumed by remorse.
• Death & Martyrdom: The Bible gives two accounts of Judas’s death. In the Gospel of Matthew, he hangs himself out of remorse. In the Book of Acts, he buys a field with the money, falls headlong, and his bowels gush out.