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The Twelve Apostles were, according to the Synoptic Gospels and Christian tradition, disciples (followers) whom Jesus of Nazareth had chosen, named, and trained in order to send them on a specific mission. After the Apostle Judas Iscariot had betrayed Jesus, the remaining Apostles filled the vacancy by electing by lot Matthias, a companion of theirs ever since they had followed Jesus so that by the time of the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost they actually numbered twelve again.
Christian tradition has generally passed down that all but one were martyred, with John surviving into old age. Only the death of James, son of Zebedee is described in the New Testament, and the details of the other deaths are the subject of pious legends of varying authenticity. In some cases there is near unanimity in the tradition, and in other cases, there are widely varying and inconsistent accounts.
[edit] The Twelve
Judas Iscariot, originally one of the Twelve, died after the death of Jesus. Matthew 27:5 says that he hanged himself, and Acts 1:18 says that he fell, burst open, and his "bowels gushed out." Matthias was elected to take his place as one of the Twelve.
According to Christian tradition:
- Peter, crucified upside-down in Rome circa 64 A.D.
- James, son of Zebedee was beheaded in 44 A.D.
- John, son of Zebedee,natural causes due to old age,last of the twelve to die, only one of the twelve to die naturally
- Andrew, Peter's brother, was crucified.
- Philip was crucified in 54 A.D.
- Bartholomew was crucified.
- Matthew killed by a halberd in 60 A.D.
- Thomas was killed by a spear.
- James, son of Alphaeus, beaten to death by a club after being crucified and stoned.
- Saint Jude was crucified.
- Simon the Zealot was crucified in 74 A.D.
- Matthias was stoned and beheaded.
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