The Death Of The Apostles

by Don Hite

The death of the apostles occurs in the new testament.

The original 12 apostles are mentioned in the Gospels by all but John and are found in Matthew 10:2-4, Mark 3:16-19 and Luke 6:12-16. The names here will be taken from Matthew 10:2-4.

The Original 12 Apostles

Simon (Who is called Peter)
Peter (Simon) was the brother of Andrew and a fisherman at the Sea of Galilee from Bethsaida. Peter was the most impulsive of the apostles and was not one to keep quiet. Tradition holds that Peter was crucified upside down by the Romans during the reign of Emperor Nero as reported by Origen.

Andrew (Simon Peters Brother)
The brother of Peter (Simon) and was also a fisherman at the Sea of Galilee from Bethsaida. Tradition holds that Andrew was crucified on an X shaped cross at Patrae (A city of Achaia) where two ends were buried in the ground because he criticized the Achaian proconsul for idolatry.

James son of Zebedee
James the older brother of John was the first of The Twelve to be martyred. He was put to death with a sword by Herod Agrippa (Acts 12:1-2)

John son of Zebedee
The older brother of James and he was exiled to the Island Of Patmos by Domitian where he wrote Revelation the final book of the Bible. He died of old age most likely on Patmos.

Philip
Like Peter and Andrew he was form Bethsaida. Tradition holds that he died as a martyr at Hierapolis in Phrygia after being flogged, imprisoned, and later crucified.

Bartholomew (Nathanael)
Bartholomew was one of the disciples to whom Jesus appeared to at the Sea of Tiberias after his resurrection and he was also a witness of the Ascension. Tradition holds that he preached in India or Armenia and was said to have been tortured, flayed alive or crucified upside down in India.

Thomas
Also known as "Doubting Thomas" like Bartholomew is thought by some to have been killed in India but with a spear or a lance.

Matthew the tax collector (Levi)
Levi was originally a tax-collector at Capernaum and legend has it that he preached in unspecified foreign nations and tradition holds that he died by a halberd which is a pike fitted with an ax head in Nadabah.

James son of Alphaeus
James was also known as James the Younger or James the Less and tradition holds that he was beaten or clubbed to death in Jerusalem but his death is really unknown.

Thaddaeus The son of James (Judas)
Thaddaeus also known as Jude or Judas the brother of James and refereed to by John as "Judas, not Iscariot." Was said by some to have been crucified at Edessa but like James his death is really unknown.

Simon the Zealot
Simon was known as Simon the Zealot because he was a member of the Zealots sect who held strong political views. Some say that he was crucified in Britain but like James and Thaddaeus his death is really unknown.

Judas Iscariot (who betrayed him).
Committed suicide by hanging himself from a tree (Matthew 27:5)

Later Apostles

Additionally Matthias and Paul (Saul) were called to be apostles.

Matthias
In order to bring the number back up to twelve after Judas hanged himself Matthias was chosen by the remaining eleven apostles to take his place (Acts 1:25-26). Tradition holds that he was stoned and then beheaded in Jerusalem.

Paul (Saul)
Saul later known as Paul the Apostle, the Apostle Paul or Paul of Tarsus was called by Jesus after his ascension to be an apostle to the Gentiles (Acts 9:1-31). Tradition holds that he was stripped naked and beheaded by the command of Nero along the Appian Way