Mark 3:18 kjv
And Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus, and Simon the Canaanite,
Mark 3:18 nkjv
Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Cananite;
Mark 3:18 niv
Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot
Mark 3:18 esv
Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus, and Simon the Zealot,
Mark 3:18 nlt
Andrew,
Philip,
Bartholomew,
Matthew,
Thomas,
James (son of Alphaeus),
Thaddaeus,
Simon (the zealot ),
Mark 3 18 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Mt 10:2-4 | Now the names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; Simon the Cananaean, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Him. | Parallel list of the apostles, consistent names. |
| Lk 6:14-16 | Simon, whom He also named Peter, and Andrew his brother; and James and John; and Philip and Bartholomew; and Matthew and Thomas; and James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon called the Zealot; and Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor. | Parallel list of the apostles, consistent names. |
| Acts 1:13 | When they had entered, they went up to the upper room where they were staying: Peter, John, James, Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon the Zealot, and Judas the son of James. | Post-resurrection list, omits Iscariot. |
| Jn 1:40-42 | One of the two who heard John speak, and followed Him, was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother... He first found his own brother Simon... | Andrew introduces Peter to Jesus. |
| Jn 1:43-46 | The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, "Follow Me." Philip found Nathanael... | Philip's calling and bringing Nathanael. |
| Jn 6:5-7 | Lifting up His eyes, then, and seeing a large crowd... Jesus said to Philip, "Where are we to buy bread, so that these people may eat?" | Philip tested on feeding the five thousand. |
| Jn 14:8-9 | Philip said to Him, "Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us." Jesus said to him, "Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father..." | Philip's theological query to Jesus. |
| Jn 14:22 | Judas (not Iscariot) said to Him, "Lord, what has happened that You are going to manifest Yourself to us and not to the world?" | Thaddaeus's query identified in John. |
| Mt 9:9 | As Jesus passed on from there, He saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax collector's booth; and He said to him, "Follow Me." | Matthew's calling from tax collection. |
| Jn 20:24-29 | Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them... "Unless I see... I will not believe." Jesus then appeared... "Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed." | Thomas's initial doubt and eventual faith. |
| Eph 2:19-20 | ...fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the cornerstone. | The apostles as the foundation of the church. |
| 1 Cor 12:28 | And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers... | Apostles as primary office in the church. |
| Heb 3:1 | Therefore, holy brothers, you who share in a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession. | Jesus as the ultimate "Apostle." |
| Isa 61:1 | The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor... | The commission of apostles reflects prophetic calling. |
| Jer 1:5 | "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations." | Divine election for specific purposes. |
| Mk 1:17 | And Jesus said to them, "Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men." | General call to discipleship leading to apostleship. |
| Rom 12:4-5 | For just as we have many members in one body and all the members do not have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ... | Diversity of gifts and roles within the body. |
| 1 Cor 1:26-29 | For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards... but God chose what is foolish... | God choosing diverse and sometimes unlikely people. |
| 2 Tim 2:2 | And the things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. | The apostolic charge of spiritual reproduction. |
| Mt 28:19-20 | Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them... teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you... | The Great Commission given to the apostles. |
| Acts 2:42 | And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. | Early church devoted to apostolic teaching. |
Mark 3 verses
Mark 3 18 Meaning
Mark 3:18 continues the enumeration of the twelve apostles chosen by Jesus. It highlights the divine selection of individuals from various backgrounds to form His inner circle and become the foundation of His earthly ministry and the future church. This specific verse lists Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, and Simon the Cananaean, underscoring the diversity and specific identities of those chosen by Christ for His purposes.
Mark 3 18 Context
Mark 3:18 is part of the specific account where Jesus formally "appointed" or "chose" twelve men to be His apostles (Mark 3:13-19). This event takes place after a period of intense ministry, healing, and growing conflict with the religious authorities (Mark 2:1-3:6). Jesus had just faced accusations of blasphemy, breaking the Sabbath, and casting out demons by Beelzebul. Recognizing the immense task ahead and the need for organized propagation of the Gospel, Jesus ascended a mountain and personally selected these individuals. The choice of twelve specifically evokes the twelve tribes of Israel, symbolizing the re-establishment of God's covenant people. Historically and culturally, while rabbinic discipleship involved students following a teacher, Jesus' calling of His disciples was unique, initiating rather than merely inviting them to follow and selecting them for a distinct purpose: "that they might be with Him and that He might send them out to preach, and to have authority to cast out demons" (Mk 3:14-15). This selection implicitly set a new standard of divine appointment for spiritual authority, differentiating it from traditional Jewish religious hierarchies.
Mark 3 18 Word analysis
- Andrew: (Greek: Andreas, meaning "manly" or "courageous"). Brother of Simon Peter, one of the first disciples called (Mk 1:16-18). His name is Greek, common in that period, indicating Hellenistic influence within the Jewish community.
- and Philip: (Greek: Philippos, meaning "lover of horses"). From Bethsaida, the same town as Andrew and Peter (Jn 1:44). He was also one of the first called (Jn 1:43) and seems to have a practical, cautious, yet bringing-others-to-Jesus disposition.
- and Bartholomew: (Greek: Bartholomaios, from Aramaic Bar-Talmai, meaning "son of Talmai"). Often identified with Nathanael (Jn 1:45-51) because Philip brought Nathanael to Jesus, and Bartholomew is always listed with Philip in the synoptic Gospels. His original context as Nathanael, known for "no deceit" (Jn 1:47), highlights purity of heart.
- and Matthew: (Greek: Maththaios, from Hebrew Mattityahu, meaning "gift of Yahweh"). Also called Levi, son of Alphaeus (Mk 2:14). A tax collector, a profession widely despised by Jews due to their association with Roman occupation and perceived dishonesty. His inclusion highlights Jesus's embrace of outcasts and sinners.
- and Thomas: (Greek: Thomas, from Aramaic Te'oma, meaning "twin"; also called Didymus in Greek, meaning "twin"). Known for his rationalistic skepticism or questioning nature before belief, as seen in his demand to see Christ's wounds (Jn 20:24-29), yet ultimately expressing profound faith ("My Lord and My God!").
- and James the son of Alphaeus: (Greek: Iakōbos ho tou Alphaiou). To distinguish him from James, son of Zebedee. "Son of Alphaeus" serves as a crucial identifier. His identity is less detailed in the Gospels, indicating he may have been a less prominent leader among the twelve, but nonetheless divinely chosen.
- and Thaddaeus: (Greek: Thaddaios). In Matthew's parallel list (Mt 10:3), he is also identified as "Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus." In Luke's parallel list (Lk 6:16) and Acts (Acts 1:13), he is called "Judas, the son of James" (Greek: Ioudas Iakōbou, literally "Judas of James," interpreted as "son of James"). This diversity in naming likely reflects regional nicknames or a distinguishing commonality. He is often seen as the apostle Judas, not Iscariot.
- and Simon the Cananaean: (Greek: Simōn ho Kananaios). Also called "Simon the Zealot" (Lk 6:15; Acts 1:13). "Cananaean" is not a geographical term but derived from the Aramaic qan'an (Kanaan), meaning "zealous one." It likely refers to his association with the zealous Jewish nationalist movement, which vehemently opposed Roman rule. His presence alongside Matthew, a tax collector (who collaborated with Rome), powerfully demonstrates Jesus' ability to unite seemingly irreconcilable individuals under His Kingdom.
Mark 3 18 Bonus section
- The ordering of the apostles varies slightly between the different Gospel accounts (Matthew 10, Luke 6, Acts 1, Mark 3). However, Peter is always listed first, and Judas Iscariot last (when included). The groups often remain consistent: Peter, James, and John frequently appear together at the top, followed by Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, and Thomas, and then the final four which includes James son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Cananaean, and Judas Iscariot. This suggests a potential "inner circle" or importance hierarchy, even among the Twelve.
- The absence of detailed biographies for most of these individuals beyond their names in the lists emphasizes that their significance lies in their chosen role by Jesus rather than their individual renown prior to their calling.
- The inclusion of a "Cananaean" or "Zealot" amongst the Twelve is particularly striking given the intensely politicized environment of Judea under Roman occupation. It speaks to Jesus' trans-political mission and ability to unify opposing factions through His Person.
Mark 3 18 Commentary
Mark 3:18 is a simple list of names, yet it carries profound theological weight. It serves as a continuation of Jesus' intentional and authoritative act of establishing His foundational leadership. The men listed here represent the diversity Jesus embraced: the pragmatic, the passionate, the skeptical, and the ostracized. They were ordinary people, often with conflicting backgrounds (like Simon the Cananaean and Matthew the tax collector), yet they were hand-picked by God. This underscores the principle that divine calling transcends human qualifications or social standing. The primary purpose for these individuals, as established in the preceding verses, was not initially to lead a large movement but "to be with Him" (Mk 3:14). This emphasis on presence with Christ before public ministry is vital. Their training was experiential, through constant companionship with Jesus. Their eventual mission of preaching and exercising authority over evil stemmed from this intimate relationship. The selection signifies the birth of the new Israel, founded not on lineage but on personal commitment to Christ, laying the groundwork for the Church. It sets a pattern for leadership within God's kingdom, prioritizing divine selection, discipleship, and shared mission over worldly criteria.