The twelve disciples (often referred to as the twelve apostles of Jesus Christ) were twelve of the followers of Jesus Christ in Christianity. The twelve disciples were, according to Christianity, ordinary men who followed the teachings of Jesus Christ, and after witnessing His crucifixion and His resurrection and His ascension these men were sent out to spread the word of Christianity and be witness to the work of God.
Men Of Ordinary Means
The twelve disciples were men of ordinary means, working as a fisherman, a tax collector, and a revolutionary among other occupations and they experienced much hardship, failings, and doubts during their following of Jesus. However, these men played an important part in spreading the word of Jesus Christ and Christianity.
What’s The Difference Between A Disciple And An Apostle?
The twelve disciples are generally referred to as disciples during the time when Jesus walked the Earth and they are referred to as apostles after Jesus ascension.
Names Of The 12 Disciples
The twelve disciples are known as (clicking on their name will take you to more information):
- Simon (known as Peter)
- Andrew (Peter’s brother)
- James (son of Zebedee)
- John (James’ brother)
- Phillip
- Bartholomew
- Thomas
- Matthew (the tax collector)
- James (son of Alphaeus)
- Thaddeus (also known as Judas, son of James and Lebbaeus)
- Simon (the zealot also known as Simon the Canaanite)
- Judas Iscariot
Simon: The First Disciple (aka St. Peter)
Simon (known as Peter): Peter (also referred to as Saint Peter by the Catholic church) made his home in Bethsaida, a small town on the eastern shore of the Sea of Galilee. Peter is generally the first of Jesus’ disciples to be listed when naming off the twelve disciples and he is the most well-known disciple referenced in The Bible.
Peter is characterized as a strong-willed and courageous man; however, at times he could be quick to speak, impulsive, and impetuous. Peter seems to embody every man in his strength and weakness. Peter held a firm belief in the teachings of Christ and made up one of the three closest disciples to Christ.
Historical evidence points to the fact that during the time of Nero, Peter was crucified upside down. Crucifixion was the general means of death for Christians during the Roman empire and when condemned to death Peter requested to be crucified upside down because he did not feel worthy to perish in the same way as Jesus.
Andrew: The First Apostle Called By Jesus (Peter’s Brother)
Andrew (also referred to as Saint Andrew by the Catholic church) is the brother of Peter and as such was also born in Bethsaida. Andrew served as a disciple of John the Baptist and lived as a fisherman. Andrew left his life as a fisherman to serve as one of the two disciples of John the Baptist. While John the Baptist was a great prophet he sent Andrew to Jesus referring to him as the “Lamb of God”.
Andrew is most noted for being the first Apostle called by Christ and spent his life spreading the word of Jesus Christ. The death of Andrew is not referred to in The Bible but it is believed by many that Andrew was hung on an “X” shaped cross for two days before succumbing to death, this is why the “X” shaped cross is referred to as the St. Andrew’s cross.
James Of Galilee (Son Of Zebedee)
James (son of Zebedee, older brother of John): James (also referred to as Saint James by the Catholic church) is known for being the son of Zebedee and the brother of John, he hailed from Galilee. James was a fisherman with Peter and John and is always referred to in The Bible as the son of Zebedee in order to prevent confusion among other James’ in The Bible (there are many!) Jesus nicknamed both James and John “Sons of Thunder,” this nickname is thought to come from the fact that they both were such stormy personalities. They were easily angered and quick to judge enemies of the Lord.
James was one of the three disciples closest to Jesus and as a result, he witnessed many magnificent events that the other nine disciples were not allowed to see. The death of James is clearly spoken of in The Bible, as the first of Jesus’ disciples to give up his life in martyrdom James was slain by a sword.
John The Apostle: Wrote Five Bible Books (James’ Brother)
John (also referred to as Saint John by the Catholic church) the apostle is sometimes confused with John the Baptist when these men were two very different figured in Biblical history. John the Apostle was the younger brother of James and also a fisherman. John is known for writing five books of The Bible.
John, like Andrew, served as the second disciple to John the Baptist. John served as the third disciple to be included in the circle of three disciples closest to Christ and as such he was witness to many miracles of Christ that the other nine disciples were not allowed to see.
John was particularly devoted to Jesus and is claimed to be the closest of all twelve disciples to Jesus, never straying far from him. John is often found in the accompaniment of Peter in The Bible and it was Peter and John who discovered the empty tomb of Jesus after his resurrection. John was the last of the twelve disciples to die and the only disciple who did not die in martyrdom; he is believed to have died from old age after being exiled to Patmos.
Phillip The Apostle
Phillip (also referred to as Saint Phillip by the Catholic church) was born in Bethsaida like Peter and Andrew and is often referred to as Phillip the Apostle in order to distinguish him from the Phillip that occurs in Acts. Phillip was slow to recognize Jesus; however, once he found Jesus he was quick to share His greatness with his friend Nathanael Bartholomew.
Both Phillip and Bartholomew are frequently named together as they frequently appear together and speak together in The Bible. Phillip is not mentioned a great deal throughout The Bible and not too much is known about him in-depth. While Phillip’s death is not detailed in The Bible it is believed that he died the death of a Christian martyr.
Bartholomew (Friend Of Phillip)
Bartholomew (Nathanael Bartholomew): Bartholomew (also referred to as Saint Bartholomew by the Catholic church) was a friend of Phillip and brought to see the greatness of Christ by Phillip. Both Bartholomew and Phillip are often seen together and as a result, they are generally lumped together when spoken of in any detail.
Bartholomew is known for being an honest man who was convinced by Jesus’ greatness upon his meeting with Him and learning that Jesus saw him even before he came to Him. Much as with Phillip, Bartholomew is not referred to in detail in The Bible and so not too much is known about him. While his death is not talked of in The Bible it is believed that Bartholomew too received the death of a martyr as a result of his firm belief in Christianity and his intent on spreading the word of Christ.
Thomas: “Doubting Thomas”
Thomas (also referred to as Saint Thomas by the Catholic church) is thought to have been a twin although there is no mention of his twin in The Bible. The phrase “doubting Thomas” comes from Thomas the disciple in that he was particularly slow to believe in Christ. Thomas is also characterized by being somewhat gloomy and easily discouraged. While he was much of a pessimist Thomas was a full believer in Christ and followed Him loyally throughout His life. Thomas is known for being unable to see the forest for the trees and Jesus often had to help him to see the whole forest. Thomas is the one disciple who was not present on the first Easter Sunday. Thomas was the disciple who refused to believe in resurrection but he went on to spread the word of Christ until his death. It is believed that Thomas died the death of a martyr but this cannot be verified.
Matthew: The Tax Collector
Matthew (also referred to as Saint Matthew by the Catholic church) is known for being a publican (or tax collector) which is unusual in that most of the disciples were fishermen by trade. Due to his work as a tax collector, Matthew was seen as filth among people, classified as the lowest of the low for working alongside the Romans in collecting taxes, and at the time being under Roman rule was the most hated thing of all. In addition during this time many tax collectors were dishonest giving people even more reason to hate them. Matthew always refers to himself as Matthew the tax collector or Matthew the publican making note of the fact that he was once a sinner even though he followed the path of Christ. Matthew was particularly self-absorbed at the time he was called by Jesus to serve as His disciple. Upon meeting Christ; however, Matthew forgot about being self-centered and began to consider others. Matthew is recognized for being the first writer of the first Gospel which is now referred to as the Gospel of Matthew.
James (Son Of Alphaeus)
James (son of Alphaeus) (also known as Saint James the Less by the Catholic church) is one of the disciples that very little is known about. James’ father shared his name with the father of Matthew and it is possible that they were brothers; however, this cannot be known for certain because there was much reuse of names in this time. James the son of Alphaeus is thought to be the same man as referred to as “James the Less” as a way for the disciples to distinguish between the two James’ however this is not known for certain and should not be assumed.
Thaddeus
Thaddeus (also known as Judas (but not Judas the Betrayer), son of James and Lebbaeus): Thaddeus (also referred to as Saint Jude in the Catholic church) is believed to have been the nickname or surname of Judas. There is some confusion as to whether Thaddeus was the brother or son of James but it is known that they were related. Thaddeus is known as a disciple of three names being that he is referred to as Thaddeus, Judas, and Lebbaeus. Thaddeus was not a leader of the twelve disciples and he is not mentioned often throughout The Bible.
Simon: The Canaanite
Simon (the zealot also known as Simon the Canaanite): Simon (also known as Saint Simon in the Catholic church) is the least known of all of the twelve Apostles. The interesting thing about Simon is that he is never mentioned throughout The Bible, except to list his name as one of the twelve disciples. The word Canaanite as used to describe Simon is actually a term that relates to his position as a member of the zealots, a political party.
Judas Iscariot: The Betrayer
Judas Iscariot – Judas Iscariot is always the last disciple placed on the list of twelve. Judas Iscariot is often referred to as Judas the Betrayer and he is known, and will forever be known for the one act of betrayal of the Lord. Though Judas was chosen to serve as one of Jesus’ disciples he eventually betrayed him while wearing the mask of a friend. Even when given the chance to reveal that he was plotting against Jesus, Judas Iscariot kissed Jesus and Jesus called him “friend”. Judas was the disciple who did not truly believe in the love of Jesus and when the chief priests were looking for a way to arrest Jesus Judas provided them with that way by identifying Jesus with a kiss in return for thirty pieces of silver. Judas is frequently referred to as the only disciple who was separated from God in his death as he never had salvation as a result of his betrayal, thievery, and lies.
It is also noted that in the twelve apostles Judas Iscariot the betrayer of Jesus Christ is replaced by Matthias; however, there is an argument amongst religious zealots who believe that Paul would have been the replacement of Judas Iscariot and not Matthias.
Matthias: The 12th Apostle
Matthias (also known as Saint Matthias in the Catholic church) was chosen by the remaining eleven disciples to replace the betrayer, Judas Iscariot before Jesus’ resurrection. The scriptural recommendation was for twelve disciples and so Peter declared that they must choose another to take the place of Judas Iscariot. Matthias was chosen as the twelfth Apostle since he was present with Jesus Christ during his time on Earth as well as through his crucifixion. While two men were chosen to take the twelfth place in the Apostles lots were drawn and Matthias was selected as the twelfth and final Apostle.
Paul: The Other Candidate For 12th Apostle
Paul (known as St Paul of the Gentiles in the Catholic church) is the choice of many Christians to replace Judas Iscariot as the twelfth Apostle. Paul was known as a persecutor of Christians and a Roman citizen until his conversion to Christianity. Paul is known for three missionary journeys during which he preached the word of Christ and some believe he would have been selected by Jesus Himself to replace Judas Iscariot after His death.
The Twelve Disciples As Saints
All of the disciples with the exception of Judas Iscariot were each made saints in the Catholic religion. This not only recognizes that these are Holy people, but it also means that Catholics can invoke these saints through prayer to intercede on their behalf. Below you will find the most popular prayers for each of the twelve disciples.
Prayers Invoking The Assistance Of The Disciples
Prayer To Saint Peter The Apostle
Thou art the Shepherd of the sheep, the Prince of the Apostles, unto thee were given the keys of the kingdom of heaven. “Thou art Peter; and upon this rock I will build my Church.” Raise us up, we beseech Thee, O Lord, by the apostolic assistance of blessed Peter, Thine Apostle; so that the weaker we are, the more mightily we may be helped by the power of his intercession; and that being perpetually defended by the same holy apostle, we may neither yield to any iniquity, nor be overcome by any adversity. Through Christ, Our Lord. Amen.
Prayer To Saint Andrew The Apostle
O glorious St. Andrew, you were the first to recognize and follow the Lamb of God. With your friend, St. John, you remained with Jesus for that first day, for your entire life, and now throughout eternity. As you led your brother, St. Peter, to Christ and many others after him, draw us also to Him. Teach us to lead others to Christ solely out of love for Him and dedication in His service. Help us to learn the lesson of the Cross and to carry our daily crosses without complaint so that they may carry us to Jesus. Amen.
Prayer To Saint James The Apostle
O glorious Apostle, St. James, who by reason of thy fervent and generous heart wast chosen by Jesus to be a witness of His glory on Mount Tabor, and of His agony in Gethsemane; thou, whose very name is a symbol of warfare and victory: obtain for us strength and consolation in the unending warfare of this life, that, having constantly and generously followed Jesus, we may be victors in the strife and deserve to receive the victor’s crown in heaven. Amen.
Prayer To Saint James The Less, Son Of Alphaeus
St. James the Less, you were given the title of “the Less” to distinguish you from another Apostle, St. James the Greater. Despite your humble title, you accomplished many great things for God throughout your life. You served Jesus as His Apostle during His public ministry. After the Ascension, you selflessly served the early Church as the first bishop of Jerusalem. Pray for me, that I grow in virtue each day. Pray that I may always be ready to render humble and selfless service to God in my life, as you did. Amen.
Prayer To Saint John The Apostle
O Glorious Apostle, who, on account of thy virginal purity, wast so beloved by Jesus as to deserve to lay thy head upon his divine breast, and to be left, in his place, as son to his most holy Mother; I beg thee to inflame me with a most ardent love towards Jesus and Mary. Obtain for me from our Lord that I, too, with a heart purified from earthly affections, may be made worthy to be ever united to Jesus as a faithful disciple, and to Mary as a devoted son, both here on earth and eternally in heaven. Amen.
Prayer To Saint Philip The Apostle
O Glorious St. Philip, at the Last Supper you said to Jesus: “Lord, show us the Father and it will be enough for us.” Help us to make this our prayer also and to seek God in all things. Obtain for us the grace to know the Father and Jesus Christ whom he has sent, for in this does eternal life consist.
Prayer To Saint Bartholomew The Apostle
O Glorious Saint Bartholomew, Jesus called you a person without guile and you saw in this word a sign that he was the Son of God and King of Israel. Obtain for us the grace to be ever guileless and innocent as doves. At the same time, help us to have your gift of faith to see the Divine hand in the events of daily life. May we discern the signs of the times that lead to Jesus on earth and will eventually unite us to him forever in heaven. Amen.
Prayer To Saint Thomas The Apostle
O Glorious Saint Thomas, your grief for Jesus was such that it would not let you believe he had risen unless you actually saw him and touched his wounds. But your love for Jesus was equally great and it led you to give up your life for him. Pray for us that we may grieve for our sins which were the cause of Christ’s sufferings. Help us to spend ourselves in his service and so earn the title of “blessed” which Jesus applied to those who would believe in him without seeing him. Amen.
Prayer To Saint Matthew The Apostle
O Glorious St. Matthew, in your Gospel you portray Jesus as the longed-for Messiah who fulfilled the Prophets of the Old Covenant and as the new Lawgiver who founded a Church of the New Covenant. Obtain for us the grace to see Jesus living in his Church and to follow his teachings in our lives on earth so that we may live forever with him in heaven.
Prayer To Saint Thaddeus (Jude) The Apostle
Glorious Apostle, Saint Jude Thaddeus, I salute you through the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Through His Heart I praise and thank God for all the graces he has bestowed upon you. I implore you, through His love to look upon me with compassion. Do not despise my poor prayer. Do not let my trust be confounded. God has granted to you the privilege of aiding mankind in the most desperate cases. Oh, come to my aid that I may praise the mercies of God. All my life I will be your grateful client until I can thank you in heaven. Amen.
Prayer To Saint Simon (The Zealot) The Apostle
O Glorious Saint Simon, you were a cousin of Jesus and a devoted follower as well. You were called “the Zealot,” indicating that you were willing to give your life for your religion and your freedom as a human person. Obtain for us the grace to be willing to give our lives for Christ and to labor for the freedom and peace that only God can give. Help us to spend ourselves for God on earth and be received by him in eternal bliss in heaven. Amen.
Judas Iscariot The Apostle
Due to the fact that it was Judas Iscariot that betrayed Jesus he has no prayers dedicated to him, nor was he sanctified. Judas is often confused with St. Jude Thaddeus however when they are two separate disciples.
O why does everyone use the Greek names for the 12 disciples? They were Hebrew & Aramaic!
Yahushua is the Christ!
Forget the Pauline Christianity Movement.
Bless us and Keep us Lord Almighty.
Thank you for the list of disciples as I was praying this morning I was led by the Holy Spirit to find the names. I am an intercessor who acknowledges Jesus to be my intercessor. So, the Holy Spirit leads me to pray in Jesus name as the burdens laid on me are carried to His feet, and praying the prayers to or for our predecessors is quite different in my experience. The Holy Spirit has never revealed such a thing to me as I am always led to the Father by Jesus. Thank you for the historical insights. It was what I was looking for….
The symbol of this site looks like the Illuminati symbol. Otherwise, it was well explained and helped me find a fact.
Why does the symbol of this website look like the Illuminati symbol?
I know nothing whatsoever of Catholicism. Saved in a non-denominational church, I’ve never been to a mass or even been in a Catholic church… so forgive me if I’m wrong, but it looks to me like you’ve got the prayer to St. James twice, and no prayer to James, Son of Alphaeus.
BTW, I agree with comment below that praying to the saints is not biblical… but it helps to clarify how the Catholic church sees the Apostles, so thanks.
Thanks Mike, you are correct. We’ve updated the prayer for St James, Son Of Alphaeus.
Nicely done article. Thank you
Uh, it was MARY–a WOMAN, not the men–who first found the empty tomb.
It was both Mary’s if I may add.
I loved it it helped me study for a test
what the heck are you on about- there where twelve disciples not forteen
it has nothing about if all of the 14 disciples are all saints
There are Gospels written by every apostle and they were removed by the same people telling you its OK to pray to or through anyone except Jesus. Jesus is the only way to be saved. The disciples were his messengers and students who then became our teachers.
Do not be deceived, you can read or listen to all of them free at the website listed below.
They were mostly all found buried after Israel became a nation.
I also recommend the Gospel of Nicodemus, the Jewish leader who believed in Christ and stood up to Caiphus after Jesus died and also helped Joseph of Aramethia take Jesus off the cross once he had died. It is the story of Christ defeating Satan in the underworld where his Cross of Light still shines to this day. Where he broke the gates of Brass and took back the keys of hell and death. Praise Jesus We are Victorious.
Amen!
Well its more like asking them to pray for us. We are not praying to them. We are praying to God through them
Lovely article. Great facts to know about the disciples. Except that praying to them is utter paganism, and not Christian at all.
I am in a bad situation. I’ve been with this man for1 0 years. He just got out of prison and was staying with me for for 4 months before I got pregnant and put him out. Now he is telling people bad things about me that is not true. And bottom line is that I a want a abortion, so I am trying to find was there a murder that was a disincline that walked with Jesus.
Dear sister please do not to do abortion, it is against the bible. There is only one way, please pray to Jesus and he will change your husband like the transformation of soul into Paul. Believe that you can see with your own eyes. I am sure you will be a testimony of God in coming days, may God bless you.
great work. verify it with other lists
This is a long comment, but as I started writing it, it just kept getting longer because I realized that someone might find it during a random web search during a painful time in their life, and need access to the help I am receiving from God.
I recently looked up Judas online because I was very betrayed by a family member and someone that I thought loved me. In many ways, I could see what was happening along the way, but it was so outrageous that I could not allow myself to truly believe that I would be betrayed on such a level.
I have had inclinations and suspicions all along regarding the ultimate betrayal and of the character makeup of both parties. Through the betrayal, I learned that I was right about everything that I had ever thought about these two people. I think what is interesting about Judas is that he was obsessed with money, and he never truly believed in Christ. Those characteristics mark both of the people involved in this betrayal.
I guess what I am saying is that if you have people that can be marked by these two particular characteristics in your life, you should really watch them. I mean when I read that those characteristics were what caused Judas to betray, it actually gave me peace, the peace that only God can give you, the peace in knowing when you read your Bible that there truly is nothing new under the sun. I am slowly getting over what has happened. As a Christian, I am commanded to forgive and pray for my enemies and their salvation, and I have done so, but I cannot say that I have not cried, and felt lost.
But if you have ever experienced, or are going through a huge betrayal by people that you trusted, relied on and that you have bared your soul to at some time, I have listed below some things that are really helping me, but also remember that I am a Christian, so they might not give you the same results if you are not. If you are not Christian, you must give your life to Christ and along with His help turn from your sins and follow Him to apply these principles.
1. I Pray all the time asking God to fill me with the Holy Spirit. This gives me supernatural power in dealing with these individuals on a daily basis. There have been many lies from both parties surrounding their actions. The Holy Spirit has been putting questions in me to ask that have brought forth the truth. It also gives me a humble perspective on the world, and helps me to feel compassion for those that have hurt me. It also gives you sort of an escape and a transcendent experience. You can also take advantage of the Gifts that the Holy Spirit brings with it (Healing, Miracles, Strong Faith, Discerning Spirits, Speaking in and Interpreting Tongues — different from Praying in Tongues — Prophesying and Word of Wisdom) if you Pray for them when you need them and receive them if the Spirit sees fit that they are useful to you in your situation. I personally experienced a healing gift for myself without praying for it directly or realizing that is what I needed, so the Spirit will decide what you need and get. I just asked, ?What is wrong? Why do I feel like this??
I have also been given the Gifts of Discerning Spirits, Word of Wisdom and I think Prophesy, but I will not know on the Prophesy one for a few months because it is not supposed to happen until then.
2. Put on the Armor of God, (helmet of Salvation, shield of Faith, feet shod with Peace, breastplate of righteousness, belt of Truth, sword of the Word of God). I did not know exactly what it meant to put this on, so I just pretended to put the items on and Prayed as I did this. I have literally done this and walked out to talk to one of them who was trying to pick an argument with me, and he just literally finished the conversation on a positive note, stopped talking and walked away to do some work around the house like he was in a trance. I did not say anything. It was like there was an imaginary spiritual block up that he could not penetrate that tranquilized him so he left me alone.
3. Lastly, I Pray in tongues. The Bible says that it will build you up, and it truly does. The reason it does this is because our core is a spiritual one. Because of the tongues, I recognized my soul, probably because tongues is the soul’s language. I believe the Bible calls tongues the language of Heaven. However, I can see how my soul is tortured by a bad choice; it is hard to explain because it is an understanding on a completely different level. However, when you see your soul and achieve this understanding, you see how many things that you think matter on this realm really do not matter at all, and you can see how other souls are being manipulated by satan to carry out his work. You just perceive the spiritual realm around you in a way that I cannot really describe in words, but it helps you rise above some of the worst pain, and see where it is coming from. Like you do not really know why you are upset, and you pray in tongues, and you realize that your soul knows and you did not even realize.
For example, I realized that one of the deepest pains in this whole betrayal situation was that someone I loved manipulated my life and choices so that he could be near someone he would later betray me with. He just used me and made me feel guilty about not being nice to this person. Then when I finally let my guard down — because she had done her own share of hurting me my whole life — I opened up, became friendly with her, started trusting and being kind, he betrayed me with her. So all of his reprimands and manipulations were just his sneaky efforts to get close to someone else. A whole year of my life he stole from me, just to trample my heart. I had never seen the whole cycle so completely from beginning to end like that, until I started praying in tongues. Your soul sees things on a really different, strong and complete level. I mean the clarity is truly amazing.
To Pray in Tongues, I just start talking in sounds. Your soul knows what to say. It is something you should do in private though because sometimes non Christians or even some Christians will not understand it and feel uncomfortable. You can bring your current emotions, feelings and questions to mind if you like, but no matter what you think or say, the answers that you need will just start to float to your mind.
4. Use the Internet or Bible software to look up what you are going through in your Bible. Like for me, I looked up deliverance because I just want to get out of this situation and away from these people, but I still have to save money in order to move. It is very frustrating. The Holy Spirit will lead you to wherever you need to go in the Bible for the answers to your problems. The Bible is the Living Word of God, and when you read it and ask God to show you answers through it, it becomes like a love letter from Him directly to you. It is truly amazing.
5. I also found the website GotQuestions.Org to be really helpful during this time as well.
Not sure how or why I read this article but it was worth it, I will say that. Appreciated the read. That said, you have been heard, or at least listened to so God Bless.
I also enjoyed reading your post. I’ve never experienced it myself, but I found the section about praying in tongues particularly interesting. Thank you.
Glad you found it interesting and thanks for reading and sharing your experience!
Nice article on the 12 disciples. I’m convinced that even for non-religious people/ believers, there’s a lot to learn from the Bible. I’m not saying I’m atheist, I’m agnostic, but I’m interested in the Bible for reasons of learning from man, not necessarily God. I think there’s lots to learn, especially considering that this religion has captivated mankind for the last 2000 years, which is pretty much the modern age of man.
Only problem is there are several gospels/ disciples’ accounts missing (see “the dead sea scrolls.” Hence the mystery/ plot thickens…
1Corinthians 2
V.14 The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the spirit.
great research keep up the great work.