Only 7 of the 12 have an actual calling story recorded in the Bible.
The others simply appear later in lists of the Twelve. Those lists are in:
Matthew 10:2-4
Mark 3:15-19
Luke 6:13-16
Acts 1:13
| Disciple | How Jesus Called Him | Scripture Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Andrew | Disciple of John the Baptist who followed Jesus after John said “Behold, the Lamb of God.” | John 1:35–40 |
| John (son of Zebedee, brother of James) | Likely the unnamed disciple who followed Jesus with Andrew. | John 1:35–40 |
| Peter (Simon) | Brought to Jesus by Andrew; later formally called while fishing. | John 1:41–42; Matthew 4:18–20 |
| Philip | Direct call from Jesus: “Follow Me.” | John 1:43 |
| Nathanael (traditionally identified as Bartholomew) | Brought to Jesus by Philip. | John 1:45–49 |
| James (son of Zebedee, brother of John) | Called while fishing with his father Zebedee. | Matthew 4:21–22 |
| Matthew (Levi) | Called from the tax booth while collecting taxes. | Matthew 9:9 |
| Thomas | First mentioned in the list of the Twelve. | Matthew 10:3 |
| James (son of Alphaeus) | First mentioned in the list of the Twelve. | Matthew 10:3 |
| Thaddaeus (also Judas son of James) | First mentioned in the list of the Twelve. | Matthew 10:3 |
| Simon the Zealot | First mentioned in the list of the Twelve. | Matthew 10:4 |
| Judas Iscariot | First mentioned in the list of the Twelve. | Matthew 10:4 |