St. John was the only one of the 12 Apostles to die a natural death. He was the brother of James and they were both named both by Jesus as ‘Bo-aner’ges’, which translates into ‘sons of thunder.’ James lost his life in Judea, when he was beheaded. In this article, you will also encounter the fates of the remaining Apostles as follows:
Peter , Originally named Simon, Peter was renamed by Jesus and was known as a fisherman who hailed from Bethsaida “of Galilee.” His life usually unfolds throughout the pages of the New Testament Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles. Peter was crucified in 66 in Rome.
Andrew , This Bethsaida fisherman was brother to Simon and Peter, and was also a former disciple of John the Baptist. In Patras, Andrew was killed upon an X-shaped cross during the mid to late 1st Century AD/CE.
Philip , Also from the Bethsaida of Galilee, Philip died around 80 in Hierapolis by crucifixion.
Bartholomew , Over the years, it has been suggested that this son of Talemai is the same person as Nathanael (mentioned in John 1:45 , 51). In Armenia, Bartholomew was flayed and then crucified.
Matthew , Known as the tax collector, he is given credit with the penning of the Gospel of Matthew and is also identified throughout the gospel as being the same as Levi the publican (another way of saying ‘tax collector’). On January 24th, Matthew died close to Hierapolis or Ethiopia.
Thomas , Also known as Judas Thomas Didymus, Thomas is usually associated with not believing in the Resurrection of Jesus when he was first told about it, but upon seeing Him , he exclaimed “My Lord and my God.” He died around 72 close to Chennai, India.
James , This son of Alphaeus, he is sometimes called “James the Less” or in the eyes of the Roman Catholics , “James the Just.” The exact date of James’ death is unknown, yet it is known that he lost his life in Egypt or Jerusalem.
Simon the Zealot , In some circles, he is identified as Simeon of Jerusalem. The location of Simon’s death is often a subject up for debate, as some believe it was in Pella, while others feel that it could have taken place in Persia, Edessa, Suanir, or Armenia. The date of his death is somewhere around 107 AD. In many works of art, Simon is depicted with a saw, as this was the way he was put to death.
Thaddeus , When reading various manuscripts, you will find that Thaddeus is traditionally referred to as Jude. According to Armenian tradition, he suffered martyrdom around 65 AD in Beirut , Lebanon.
Judas Iscariot , Eventually betraying Jesus, he was replaced as an apostle following the resurrection of Jesus by Matthias. Out of all the 12 Apostles, he was the one who was assigned to keep an eye on the “money bag.” When it comes to his death, there are contradicting stories. In the Acts of the Apostles (1:18), it says that Judas used his bribe against Jesus to purchase a field, but fell down and “burst asunder in the midst, and all his bowels gushed out.” However, in the Gospel of Judas, there are implications that the other Apostles stoned him to death for his betrayal.