The 12 Disciples of Jesus: Full List, Roles & Fates
The four New Testament lists of the apostles agree on 11 names and differ only on one: “Thaddaeus” in Matthew and Mark becomes “Judas son of James” in Luke and Acts. This guide reconciles all four lists and summarizes what Scripture — and early church tradition — records about each man.
Updated 2026-05-23 · TheWordPath data study
The Four New Testament Lists Compared
The apostles are listed four times in the New Testament: Matthew 10:2–4, Mark 3:16–19, Luke 6:14–16, and Acts 1:13 (which omits Judas Iscariot, who had died). All four lists group the twelve in three pairs of four, always beginning with Peter and always placing Judas Iscariot last in the three Gospel lists.
| Matthew 10:2–4 | Mark 3:16–19 | Luke 6:14–16 | Acts 1:13 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Simon Peter | Simon Peter | Simon Peter | Peter |
| Andrew | James (Zebedee) | Andrew | James |
| James (Zebedee) | John | James | John |
| John | Andrew | John | Andrew |
| Philip | Philip | Philip | Philip |
| Bartholomew | Bartholomew | Bartholomew | Thomas |
| Thomas | Matthew | Matthew | Bartholomew |
| Matthew | Thomas | Thomas | Matthew |
| James (Alphaeus) | James (Alphaeus) | James (Alphaeus) | James (Alphaeus) |
| Lebbaeus/Thaddaeus | Thaddaeus | Simon the Zealot | Simon the Zealot |
| Simon the Canaanean | Simon the Canaanean | Judas son of James | Judas son of James |
| Judas Iscariot | Judas Iscariot | Judas Iscariot | (omitted — dead) |
Complete Profiles: All 12 Apostles
The following profiles draw on the four Gospels, Acts, and the letters attributed to apostles. Accounts of martyrdom and mission destinations come from early church writers including Eusebius, Clement of Alexandria, and Tertullian. These traditions are historically significant but are not all equally verifiable — they are noted as traditions where the evidence is partial.
| Apostle | Father / Alt. Name | Occupation | Key Gospel Role | Traditional Fate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Simon Peter | Son of Jonah (John 21:15) | Fisherman | Leader of the Twelve; three denials; first at empty tomb (Luke 24:12) | Crucified upside-down in Rome, c. 64–68 AD, under Nero (tradition consistent with early sources) |
| Andrew | Son of Jonah; Peter's brother | Fisherman | First disciple called (John 1:40); brings Peter to Jesus; feeds 5,000 (John 6:8) | Tradition: crucified on an X-shaped cross in Patras, Greece (patron of Scotland) |
| James son of Zebedee | Son of Zebedee; "Son of Thunder" | Fisherman | Inner circle (Transfiguration, Gethsemane); requests seat at right hand (Mark 10:35) | Beheaded by Herod Agrippa I, c. 44 AD (Acts 12:2 — only apostle whose death is in NT) |
| John | Son of Zebedee; "Son of Thunder" | Fisherman | Inner circle; "the disciple whom Jesus loved"; cares for Mary (John 19:27) | Exiled to Patmos (Rev 1:9); tradition holds he died naturally in Ephesus in old age |
| Philip | Not specified | Unknown; from Bethsaida | Brings Nathanael to Jesus (John 1:43–46); feeding of 5,000 (John 6:5) | Tradition: martyred in Hierapolis, Phrygia; possibly crucified or stoned |
| Bartholomew (Nathanael) | Bar-Tolmai = son of Tolmai | Unknown | "An Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile" (John 1:47); present at resurrection (John 21) | Tradition: flayed alive and crucified in Armenia; patron saint of Armenia |
| Thomas (Didymus) | Twin (didymos = twin in Greek) | Unknown | "Doubting Thomas" (John 20:24–29); willing to die with Jesus (John 11:16) | Tradition: martyred by spear in Mylapore, India; the Mar Thoma Church claims his founding |
| Matthew (Levi) | Son of Alphaeus (Mark 2:14) | Tax collector | Called from tax booth (Matt 9:9); hosted feast for Jesus with "sinners" | Tradition: ministry in Ethiopia and Persia; martyrdom accounts vary (some say peacefully) |
| James son of Alphaeus | Son of Alphaeus; "James the Less" | Unknown | Minimal NT narrative beyond list appearances | Tradition: martyred in Egypt or Jerusalem; may be "James the Less" of Mark 15:40 |
| Thaddaeus (Jude / Lebbaeus) | Son of James (Luke 6:16); possibly Judas | Unknown | Asks Jesus why he reveals himself only to disciples (John 14:22) | Tradition: martyred with Simon the Zealot in Persia; possibly the author of the epistle of Jude |
| Simon the Zealot | Called "the Canaanean" (Matt/Mark) = Zealot | Possibly a political Zealot | No individual narrative in Gospels beyond list appearances | Tradition: martyred with Thaddaeus in Persia; other traditions send him to Egypt or Britain |
| Judas Iscariot | Son of Simon Iscariot (John 13:26) | Treasurer of the group | Betrayed Jesus for 30 pieces of silver (Matt 26:14–16); "son of perdition" (John 17:12) | Died by suicide before crucifixion (Matt 27:5); replaced by Matthias (Acts 1:26) |
Matthias: The Replacement Apostle
After Judas Iscariot’s death, the remaining eleven apostles sought a replacement to restore the group to twelve. The requirement was that the candidate must have accompanied Jesus from his baptism to his ascension (Acts 1:21–22). Two candidates were put forward: Joseph called Barsabas (also called Justus) and Matthias. After prayer and casting lots, Matthias was chosen (Acts 1:26). He appears nowhere else in the New Testament.
Why Twelve? The Symbolism of the Number
Jesus did not accidentally choose twelve men. The number twelve directly mirrors the twelve tribes of Israel, signaling that Jesus was reconstituting and fulfilling God’s covenant people. He made this explicit: “Ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel” (Matthew 19:28, KJV).
The symbolic weight of the number twelve appears throughout Scripture: twelve sons of Jacob, twelve springs at Elim (Exodus 15:27), twelve stones at Gilgal (Joshua 4:20), and twelve gates and twelve foundations in the New Jerusalem (Revelation 21:12–14). The apostles are not merely Jesus’ inner circle — they are the structural foundation of a renewed Israel.
“And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.” — Matthew 19:28 (KJV)
Of the twelve, only three — Peter, James, and John — are described as Jesus’ inner circle, present at the Transfiguration (Matthew 17:1–9) and in the depths of Gethsemane (Matthew 26:37). Of these three, only John survived past the early decades of the church. The rest scattered across the known world, and all but John are believed by tradition to have died for their witness.