Disciples of Jesus, commonly known as the Twelve Apostles, were the core group chosen by Jesus to follow him, learn from him, and carry his message. They are named in the New Testament across the Gospels and Acts, with slightly varying orders in different lists. The most widely accepted roster includes:
- Simon Peter
- Andrew (Peter’s brother)
- James (the son of Zebedee)
- John (James’s brother)
- Philip
- Bartholomew
- Thomas
- Matthew (the tax collector)
- James (the son of Alphaeus)
- Thaddaeus (also called Judas, Simons Thaddeus, or Lebbaeus in some manuscripts)
- Simon the Zealot
- Judas Iscariot (the one who later betrayed Jesus)
After Judas Iscariot’s betrayal and death, Matthias was chosen to replace him, restoring the number of apostles to twelve (as described in Acts 1). If you’d like, I can provide brief summaries of each disciple’s role, the scenes in which they are prominently featured in the Gospels, or a side-by-side list from different Gospel accounts.
